Much like King West neighbour Bar Buca, Portland Variety is an eatery constantly under metamorphosis. Morning dictates stand-up espressos; noon calls for patio-side sandwiches; and now, après work means lively pintxos paired with cocktails. (By now, all but the most boorish should be familiar with the hot-to-trot term, referring to the bite-sized bar snacks found in Spain’s Basque region.)
Our pick from the cocktail list is the Sour Heart ($14), Portland’s take on the classic whiskey sour. Bulleit bourbon is shaken with fresh lemon juice, egg white and apricot purée, sweetening the beverage and adding a summery twist. All is poured into a coupe and finished with a Lilliputian heart stamp, whittled out of orange peel and secured to the glass with a teeny clothes peg. While sipping, tuck into some carefully constructed pintxos (think: salt cod brandade crowned with a single white anchovy) and let the day’s worries fade away.
Portland Variety, 587 King St. West, 416-368-5151
Karolyne Ellacott is a features editor at Post City Magazines. She pedals around town in heels, eating sandwiches and drinking cocktails. She writes about that, and about other stuff too. She is also on Twitter.
