The Dish: Don’t Skirt This Mini Steak


Toro, Ken Oringer‘s boutique tapas restaurant in the South End has some of the best ambiance in the city: chic but cozy, with a quirky fake bull’s head hanging above a wood-burning fireplace. Some of the food leans more nuevo americano than authentically español (case in point: the garlic shrimp are, a traditionally robust dish, is made overly delicate with the addition of saffron). But any quibbles I have were recently swept aside with one choice tapa.

Knowing that our man Oringer can do little wrong with the bovine cuisine, we ordered the bistec de faldilla a la plancha, or skirt steak served “a la plancha with cabrales butter and onion marmalade.” The tender steak itself was buttery enough, but was rendered positively decadent when smeared with the savory butter and paired with sweet-and-sour shredded onion. It was so good, it truly made our meal.

When we wistfully ate our last bite, our server asked us if we loved it as much as she does — turns out she and other staffers often order it themselves. So try this staff favorite. You’ll stop caring about keeping it real, and only care about when you can come back to eat it again.