Aquarela Restaurant

The people here are rude and like to try to start fights and the security guy will make u wait outside unless u are a regular as if this place is allll that. There is a place on keele not too far from this called caribena and its the same sh! t. If u are looking to have some drinks in the area go to chinos its two minutes away and way better than this slum

When I think about the Jane and Wilson area of Toronto a lot of things come to mind, what doesn’t come to mind is a nice Dominican beach with tasty authentic Dominican food. But alas my friend swears that there is northern Dominican fare to be had in this small, super sketchy strip mall off Wilson ave.
We walked into Aquarela at dinner time on a Saturday evening and the music was THUMPING, I immediately became more sceptical that there was food to be had in this dark nightclub environment. We were greeted by the owner who knew right away we were there for the food, we were seated quickly and menus were given. The beer selection is weak, while the posters on the wall advertise exotic Caribbean lagers the menu offers some domestic big brands and Corona, UGH I’ll take a Corona (It pains me to utter those words).
Mt two friends and I decided to share a couple of mains and an app. For an app we ordered the tostones ($ 3.50), deep fried plantains which were very thick cut, a little crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside. I enjoyed these very much.
For mains we got mofongo ($ 11.50) and chiva la monte cristi (11.50). The chiva was basically a goat stew in an oregano sauce. The goat was pretty tender and was not too gamey, the sauce was nicely spiced but the stew was not saucy enough for my liking. I was expecting a saucy dish to go with the side of rice and beans but the stew did not have much sauce. The mofongo on the other hand was supposed to be the signature dish of the restaurant (according to my friend and the owner). Mofongo is a mashed plantain dish mixed with garlic and chicharron (pig crackling) served in a larger mortar like contraption called a pilon, I definitely enjoyed the presentation of this dish. You get to choose a side meat to go with the mofongo, we opted for the shrimp. The mofongo had a nice garlic flavour with a slight smokiness from the chicharron. The side of shrimp were mini frozen shrimp from the supermarket, very disappointing. Again not enough sauce with the shrimp to help soak the plantain. Overall this was an interesting dish, definitely a rare find in Toronto.
I did enjoy my visit to Aquarela, the food is definitely unique. The restaurant itself is dark with a few small tables. I did not appreciate the loud thumping music as it made it difficult to converse with dinner mates. Will I come back? If I am in the area maybe but I would not drive out of my way to go here.

~ M O F O N G O ~
DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT confuse that word as long-​form for MOFO.
MOFONGO actually is the abbreviation of the famed internet slang, OMG.
I’ll let the ingredients tell the story…
— House Garlic Sauce
— Chicharron de Puerco
— Deep Fried Mashed Plantains
— Broth Soup/​Stew
— Choice of Meat
The Traditional Dish served on a Pilón (Wooden Mortar & Pestle).
Fans of North American Mashed Potatoes with Toppings will like this.
I didn’t fan Shrimps as choice of Meat, Mini Cocktail Shrimps anyone?
Dish ($ 13.00) is few times the price of restaurant Mashed Potatoes.
While this is not a Side-​Dish per se but an Entrée therefore the cost.
Got a side order of Tostones ($ 3.50) just because that’s how I roll…
Chivo a la Monte Cristi ($ 11.50?)
~ Stewed Goat is soft & tender IF you get the Boneless piece.
The Goat Meat stuck to my teeth is not meant for snack later.
Why does the Rice seem clumpy? Oh, Coconut Milk Rice?
A Taste of North Dominican in GTA Toronto? Works for me!
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Aquarela Restaurant just looks so dark from the outside, and trust me it is much darker in the inside.
Having a drink here with the loud Latin beat music from a Live DJ does make me feel I am back on an Caribbean Island somewhere. Unfortunately the beers here are limited to «Canadian Domestic» and Corona or Heineken. And I could not find my Caribe for 99 cents each!
Aquarela aside from being a neighbourhood watering hole, it also serves authentic Dominican & Latin American Cuisine. We shared:
Tostones ($ 3.50)
— soft and moist and addictive
Chivo a la Monte Cristi ($ 11.50)
— Stewed Goat in an Oregano Sauce made to a taste of Monte Cristi Served with Rice
— Goat is soft and tender and the seasoning is really subtle without being overpowering
— A popular dish in Northern part of Dominican
Mofongo ($ 11.50)
— Deep Fried Plantains Mashed with a House Garlic Sauce and Chicharron de Puerco Served with A Choice of Meat
— Served in a pilon (wooden Mortar) is really nicely presented
— The shrimp is on the smallish side but I do love the mushiness of the plantains and the sausage gives it an extra bite and the smokey taste
Watching reruns of the Blue Jays 1993 final games when they won the World Series while dining was just a really strange experience for me… But it can be worse, watching reruns of the Leafs 1967 when they won their last Stanley Cup!
Here at Aquarela, one can find a taste of the Caribbean. Warm hospitality, loud music, good food. If you prefer a more family environment, they do opens during lunch.