La Esquina Resto Lounge and Wine Bar

My wife and I stopped at the lounge to have a quick drink after a heavy dinner.
This place is awesome, will be back again for sure to try the food.
We had some nice wines from argentina while at the open air section outside.
I smoked my cigar and enjoyed the music.
The inside of the resto is romantic and the menu looks great.
We will be back again for sure next time we are in Toronto.

With a big party the smart choice was to call ahead and make reservations, and good thing we did.
When we got there our tables were set up nicely just waiting for our friends and family to arrive.
We had two young ones so we made sure we asked for a booster chair and a chair to put the carseat in. 15mins, nothing. 20mins, nothing. Until finally 30 minutes later after speaking with three people we find out they have neither available to give us.
We ordered drinks, they got mixed-​up. We ordered appetizers, they also got mixed up. The menu on the website is the «old» menu, the new menu is a small pamphlet with a small selection of specialities.
We ordered and waited, waited and then waited some more.
Finally bread arrived with chimchurri… Spicy chimi with stale bread. Wine arrived and it was a house blend called BAR ARGENTINO… amazing. Two dishes had to be re-​done and details to orders were forgotten. Two guests ate about 30 minutes after everyone else… it was chaotic.
IN SHORT: we were there a total of 4 hours… in what it took to order, get food, eat and pay.
I wish I could lie and tell you everything went smoothly and exceeded expectations but it didn’t. I am not that type of person, in fact I’m the type of person that notices the two bottles of wine I ordered were missed in my bill and asked the waitress to please ADD the $ 50 she missed.
So you know I don’t lie.
And yet, I can boldly give this restaurant a 3 STAR rating and say I would likely be back.
Regardless of it all– our server kept her composure and stayed sweet– for that I commend her! In all the places I’ve eaten and travelled to I understand when things are done out of negligence and when mistakes are made because of over-​worked or overwhelmed staff.
There was a lot of us and a lot to remember and she truly tried her hardest. At no point were we made to feel like anything was our fault (which is typical restaurant behaviour) on the contrary they were very attentive to making sure we felt right at home… and we did. The 4 hours FLEW by… and it felt like we were in Argentina. Cause in case you didn’t know, our culture is very laid-​back and very relaxed, especially when it comes to food.
We don’t sit down to devour meals and then get up and go, like we’re about to miss a flight. We sit down, enjoy good company, enjoy good food and just have fun. In reality though, 4 hours was Too long, especially if you are very hungry and have small children. Unfortunately this is a deal-​breaker and takes away points from what would other-​wise get 4 or 4.5 stars…
Now for more details…
The décor has a rustic charm to it and when you go downstairs to the washrooms you forget where you are, its as if you’re transported into an episode of El Zorro. Gorgeous décor!
Many (like myself) appreciate décor but actually go to restaurants for the food– so lets get to it.
You start off with bread and chimichurri. For those of you that have never tried it– basically oil, minced garlic and parsley with other variants depending on preference of taste and what region you’re from.
This one has A LOT of garlic, a tiny hint of parsley and a nice Kick of Spice… So be forewarned if you aren’t into spicy stuff. Like I said, bread could’ve been a little more fresh… i would have toasted it ;)
The authentic empanadas ($ 2.50/ea) are AMAZING!
A must for everyone.
The owners are Argentinian/​Ecuadorian so you get a flare of both worlds colliding in harmony.
The chicken tamales are phenomenal! If you’ve never had them… this is a fantastic dish to try. Its just a starter but its delicious! ($ 3.00)
The salads have the same look and taste as the ones we have at home… with a basic spring mix w/​balsamic and tomato & onion.
The Milanesa a caballo is a HUGE portion of breaded veal with a plateful of fries and a fried egg over top. Too much? NEVER! ($ 13)
Argentine parillada for 2 $ 40 and it comes with the works… for those not used to Argentinian BBQ… we LOVE our meats. A great assortment of beef, pork, & chicken.
The Dessert of choice: Flan
It is a custard covered in dulce de leche that is then covered in whipped cream and served with a strawberry coulis. AMAZING! The diverse flavors intertwine and create a symphony of flavours in your mouth.
So there you have it:
1 STAR for GREAT attitude in service (very pleasant and hospitable)
1 STAR for amazing food
1 STAR for the flan (I swear I could just eat that… and be happy)

Visited La Esquina for a Savour York Region dinner on a Friday evening.
Had a choice of an appetizer, main course, and dessert all for $ 20. Excited to try some authentic Argentinian cuisine. Started with an Empanada, T-​bone steak as my main, and finished with a custard flan for dessert.
Highlights:
Empanadas — the Best I’ve ever had! Not so large but right on the mark in terms of taste and prep. the filling consisted of ground beef, onions, olives, and eggs, brushed with a buttery glazed top, served fresh out of the oven warm. Get this!
Chimichurri sauce — has beautiful kick comes with the complimentary bread at the start of the meal and Empanadas.
Steak was a-​ok, but could be seared a bit better. mushroom sauce was nice.
Mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots veggies from my main — smothered with butter and over salted beyond belief. I didn’t feel like sending it back.
Tried a friend’s paella shrimp dish — tad overpowering garlic, would prefer subtle flavor with bias towards saffron. way too liberal with the amount of shrimps. not enough rice.
Service — friendly, attentive, and very accommodating.
Décor — rustic, like you’re transported to a different world. This is a beautiful looking restaurant, high ceilings and attention to detail.
Price — $ 20 for 3 course meal. Deal for sure.
Recommend!
Gonna go back for live entertainment. Neat venue. I wouldn’t have ever known about this restaurant if it weren’t for Savour York Region.

I went to La Esquina at a time/​date that shall remain anonymous.
Let’s just say it was a Lunch that was worth the Hour (s) away from office-​space.
When was the last time you had Argentinian meal in Vaughan or York Region?
Please note: I did attend during a SavourYork Prix Fixe. Wise decision indeed.
First thing was the space very brownish leather, wooden mid-​scale chic décor.
While I try to imagine the place hip-​hop Salsa dancing on Wednesday nights.
My Friend sank into her comfy booth/​bench seats further with smile on her face.
Not quite her $ 4.99 Lunch Specials, but this ~Spring SavourYork $ 15~ is pure value.
When the Chimichurri came… Señor, Why did you give me Chinese Chili Oil?
So the waiter explained… Long story short. I only knew of one of many variants.
The one presented to us was an un-​green version. I’m not Argentinian, OKAY? :P
Always a pleasure to eatducate and update my mental library.
Humitas — Grinded Sweet Corn wrapped in a Banana Leaf
Sopa De La Abuela — Homemade Ground Beef Potato Soup [Enjoy]
La Esquina Steak — 8oz Sirloin Steak marinated in Argentinian Chimichurri
Camarones Catalanes — Shrimp in Spicy Red Wine Tomato Sauce with Saffron Rice
Empanada de Queso– Cheese Pastry with Sprinkled Sugar
Flan — Homemade Custard with Cream Cheese
La Esquina is deserving of a bookmark to experience a culture’s cuisine.
One that’s not common place in the Greater Toronto Area with pleasant space.
Please note: Non-​promotional prices are slighlty pricier as you may expect.

Tango Music… and for a split moment I thought my Unilocal Friend is taking me for a dancing lunch date… Luckily… our waiter show us the Savour York Region Prix Lunch Menu ($ 15) and I know I am just here for lunch at an awesome price and I feel so right at home.
We ended up sharing in harmony just like dancing partners the following dishes:
Chimichurri Dipping with Bread
Humitas — Grinded Sweet Corn wrapped in a Banana Leaf
Sopa De La Abuela — Homemade Ground Beef Potato Soup (so hearty in tomato broth)
La Esquina Steak — 8oz Sirloin Steak marinated in an Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce (medium rare so tender and juicy)
Camarones Catalanes — Shrimp tossed in a Spicy Red Wine Tomato Sauce with Saffron Rice (8 huge shrimps cooked perfect with great bite!)
Empanada de Queso — Cheese Pastry with Sprinkled Sugar
Flan — Homemade Custard with Cream Cheese (a little heavy but licking on Dulce de leche makes everything alright!)
So much food and all well flavoured with tons and tons of garlic… get closer with your dance partner and breathe on each other…
Maybe I should come back here on Wednesday for the Salsa night… It is more fun than yoga or doing P90X, right?