We're sitting waiting to get into the Grosvenor House - the roads in the Marina are miraculously clear, but there's a queue of cars waiting to turn up to the now two-tower hotel.
This bodes very well for our night ahead. Sure enough, walking up to Toro Toro in Grosvenor House's new Tower Two (once you've managed to valet) is a near red carpet experience - shiny cars line the area, red ropes cordon off the entrance and the well-suited'n'booted bouncer flashes you his greatest smile.
After making the grand entrance you're greeted by the impressive two-storey space; there's a lounge bar upstairs (we spotted a few Dubai-style celebs when we visited) and a more intimate dining space downstairs.
Our hostess - who had cheekbones to rival Angelina's - graciously ushered us to our table and the first thing we noticed was how intimate the space felt - even though Toro Toro is the size of a few airport hangars (OK, we might be exaggerating - but just go with it), the fact that it's a long and skinny shape with plenty of nooks means that no matter where you sit you will feel like you're in a small, darkly lit restaurant, and the interiors, all dark wood, bull sculptures and splashes of red, are very Latin. Which brings us on to the food, which after all is the star attraction.
Superstar Mexican chef, Richard Sandoval, who owns an empire of Central and South American restaurants across the States, wanted Toro Toro to represent the best flavours of his home continent. The sharing plates menu (which we love as it completely eliminates the dangers of food envy) pans from Mexico to Argentina, stopping by Peru, Brazil and more on the way.
Do not leave the building without trying a ceviche - which is fresh raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice - we opted for the Ceviche de huachinango, a pink snapper with avocado, cilantro, finely sliced red onion and leche de tigre (which translates to tiger's milk, but is actually a citrus marinade) - the dish was fresh, light and the best thing we ate all night.
Other highlights from the smaller sharing plates (effectively the starters) are the Cachapas - delicious duck carnitas with halloumi and tomato jam wrapped in a fresh corn tortilla and most certainly the enchiladas - which come with beef or even zucchini flower fillings and possess the most deliciously flaky pastry we've sampled this side of the Gulf.
Moving on to the larger plates, you can order a range to share - Braised short rib on coca flatbread or Lobster with steamed cornmeal dumpling, goat's cheese and salsa criolla both made our mouth water, or, as we did on the recommendation of our Brazilian waiter, have the signature Churrasco grill.
This serving for two is laden with more barbecued meats than you'll know what to do with - a deliciously tender Brazilian style picanha steak, a perfectly cooked US prime rib eye steak, a just-right Australian lamb chop, a spicy lamb sausage and - the highlight - a juicy piece of achiote marinated chicken (achiote is a herb from a shrub native to the Americas). In truly traditional style, this comes served with a bold barbecue sauce, a green herby salsa and good old fashioned potatoes.
After polishing off the Churrasco we surprised even ourselves by ordering dessert - the traditional Mexican tres leche cake (a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk) was sweet yet un-cloying, while the date pudding tasted like caramel.
By the end of our meal we were full, but not so much so that we weren't tempted by the bar upstairs' extensive South American drinks list - but that's another story entirely...
Need to know
Restaurant Toro Toro
Location Grosvenor House Tower Two, Dubai Marina
Tel 04 399 8888
Tasty trio: South American
Loca
Yes, this is more of a sports bar than a restaurant, but the Mexican food is actually top notch. The ribs are sticky perfection, the banana leaf-wrapped lamb aromatic and well-cooked, and the hammour ceviche an artful ode to the traditional dish. This ain't no Tex-Mex joint, that's for darn sure.
Location Dubai Marine Beach Resort, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Timing Daily noon-3am
Tel 04 346 1111
Maria Bonita
This little gem is a homegrown business (there's also one in the Green Community) that serves up Mexican food. The homemade tortillas are delicious, the outdoor seating area - complete with a resident parrot - a good place to unwind and the selection of more unusual dishes, such as cactus salad, surprisingly appetising.
Location Umm Al Sheif Road, Umm Suqeim, Dubai
Timing Daily 9am-11.45pm
Tel 04 395 5576
Maya
Also by Richard Sandoval, this award-winning eatery does to Mexican cuisine what Nobu has done to Japanese - fuses it with European and Asian influences, and in turn elevates it to another level. Highly recommended.
Location Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai Marina
Timing Monday-Saturday 7.30pm-midnight
Tel 04 316 5550
