The Black Toro

Like its snorting bull mural, the Black Toro charged into Glen Waverley's increasingly buzzing food precinct with a dash of glamour. Part-owner and chef Garen Maskal (ex-Ezard) brings a leaning towards Mexican flavours but is happy to spear random Hispanic ideas as he goes. You might start with char-grilled corn cobs, slathered in chipotle aioli, then notice how pulled pork tacos make use of the same chillies, drawing out a smokier flavour from the meat. Salmon might be subtly cured in mezcal, and surprisingly paired with coriander meringues. Chicken cooked sous-vide, then roasted, lets orange sauce, fennel and mango do the talking. Piquillo peppers add a mild spice kick to sublime barramundi with chorizo salsa. Raspberry and chilli jam is a fun addition to refreshing mango custard. Where deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake fits into the Toro theme one can only wonder, but it's worth grabbing by the horns.