Toro proves worthy contender among Bell Tower restaurants

Whether it's the location or because so many people go to movies there, The Bell Tower Shops have long been among the area's most popular grazing grounds. That's attracted both excellent, and not so excellent, restaurants to the tony complex in south Fort Myers.

With the opening of similar destinations at Coconut Point in Bonita Springs and Gulf Coast Town Center in San Carlos Park, there's more competition than ever for the region's dining dollar. That means that it's survival of the fittest.

Into the fray comes Toro, a Spanish restaurant with a slight French accent, occupying the space that was previously Bacco and Bacchus.

Given that Toro is the Spanish word for bull, perhaps it will prove hardy enough to make it. Based on a recent dinner there, I'd say it shows a lot of promise, although there were precious few customers on what should have been a fairly busy Friday night.

The menu includes an interesting array of tapas, with traditional dishes such as white beans with chorizo and fresh anchovies ceviche, along with some French fare such as foie gras with wild mushroom confit.

Paella I liked that the small plates were divided into those designed to be single portions and others that are made to share.

The wine list leans heavily toward Spanish vintages, making it unfamiliar ground for many wine lovers. We tried a by-the-glass selection, Tempranillo Sierra Carta Bria Rioja 2005, a medium-bodied, straightforward red that worked well with our meal, which consisted primarily of seafood.

Fresh, warm crusty bread arrived first accompanied by a small plate of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic for dipping.

We opted to share an appetizer since we both wanted the anchovies ceviche. The fresh version of this little fish bears little resemblance to th the over salted, canned variety. Fresh anchovies are tender, with just a bit of saltiness derived from the water in which they live. In ceviche, they ar are cooked by marinating in citrus juices. These were then dressed lightly with olive oil and a smattering herbs, accompanied by fresh-tasting

chopped tomatoes, making for lovely and delicious start to the meal.

Salads also come and sizes. We tried of the mesclun salads. the smaller versions and spinach salads. Either would served two adequately.

 The mesclun contained grilled zucchini, halved dried figs slices of manchego cheese with a light vinaigrette. The figs were moist and added pleasant texture to the mound of greens, which could have benefited from a bit more dressing. The spinach salad had aparagus, Serrano ecoriheese, ham, pecorino cheese, nuts pine and hazelnut dressing. While ingredients fresh and were tasty, the dressing was virtually undetectable.

Our server told us the chef have raved about the freshness of the red snapper that night. With a tomato concasse, it sounded appealing. My companion ordered that, while I went the traditional route, selecting the paella.

The snapper was as advertized, fresh and cooked to perfection with a simple coating of herbs on the thin, crisp skin. However, it could easily have been part of the tapas menu given its diminutive size. The fish looked that much smaller on the oversized plate, on which there was but a modest serving of tomato olive concasse and a dollop of spinach. Although everything on the plate was well prepared, the $24.90 price seemed quite high.

That wasn't a problem with the paella, however, which arrived on a long, thin plate that was filled with the lightly yellow saffron rice that contained tender calamari, two good-siz sized shrimp, a big scallop, clams, mussels and chunks of fish. It was perfectly seasoned without overpowering all of that fresh seafood.

For dessert, we shared a warm croissant stuffed with a layer of chunky almond paste and pistachio ice cream. The croissant itself was average, but was transformed by the warm almond paste and the cold ice cream.

Service was first rate throughout our meal. Our server was prompt about getting to the table, timed our courses well, made sure we had sufficient beverages and deftly crumbed the white tablecloth between our sala and entrée courses. All of the staff made a point of greeting customers as they arrived and appeared to keep an eye on all of the tables as they moved about the room.

The outside dining area is large and pleasant if the weather is cooperative. 

The interior has gotten a lovely upgrade. A white banquette runs the length of one wall, affording a good view of the open kitchen, where the executive chef and his staff worked quietly and efficiently. For an even better view, try a seat at the red counter that surrounds the kitchen.

Walls are painted with a white and silver texturing, blending nicely with the banquettes and the tablecloths. The current owners had the good sense to preserve the beautiful wine vault, including the windows that allow diners to get a peek at the multitude of  bottles stored there.

Given the quality of the food, the caliber of service and the pleasant surroundings surroundings, I'm hard pressed to say why Toro didn't have more customers the night I was there. But that being the case, it's a good bet for those who don't want to wait in line at some of the other more populated restaurants.

There are plenty of tapas spots springing up around town, but lovers of this style of dining ought to give Toro a try for a taste of the genuine article.