TÔRO Details
Opening Hours
Open seven days a week. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
PERFECT MARRIAGE OF ASIAN AND LATIN FARE
by TIM WOOD
Hungry beachgoers are getting treated to an evolved menu of street fare at TÔRŌ on North Forest Beach Drive.
George Casalicchio and his partner and executive chef Eric Golden made a name for themselves on the island for escalating expectations for French cuisine at Chez Georges and now they’re doing the same for the easy-peasy, grab-and-go meal.
If you look closely at the logo adored on the space formerly occupied by Crave by Daniel’s, you will see everything you need to know about the pair’s Latin-Asian eatery.
“Toro means tuna in Japanese and bull in Spanish, so that’s why you see a tuna inside the belly of the bull,” Casalicchio said. “These tastes, these cultures, they run parallel to each other, blend magnificently. Together, they create the perfect marriage in your mouth.”
You’ll see tacos on the menu, but with plenty of ways to fill them. Why not try a duck confit variation, with charred shishito peppers, daikon radish and cabbage slaw with a yuzu-soju vinaigrette?
Tapas offerings include an early favorites since their mid-May opening, papas bravas (beer battered fries, Spanish chorizo, queso fundito and salsa fresco).
Meat eaters will enjoy the Bulgogi (Korean ribeye, house made kimchi, charred scallions, bean sprouts and gogujang aioli), and, if you’re more surf than turf, ahi tuna takaki (coriander-dusted, Japanese lime-crema, shredded cabbage, pickled local sweet peppers), California tako (charred Spanish octopus, guacamole, cilantro, pickled red onion, yuzu-jalapeno-tomatillo salsa and crispy potato,) and the Poke and nigiri bowls are particularly delightful.
And Casalicchio says you must try the Peruvian-Thai ceviche of the day.
“It’s local seafood, sweet potato, yellow corn, lemongrass-coconut leche de tigre, avocado, plantain and tortilla chips,” he said. “It’s our brand on a plate.”
Desserts include tres leches, mochi and “Mexican hot” chocolate pot de crème. And the craft cocktail concoctions such as the 1902, True Blue Highball and 843 Berry Bomb, are equally innovative as the main dishes.
TÔRŌ is located at 2 North Forest Drive across from Coligny Plaza on Hilton Head Island. 843-931-8676. torohhi.com. Open seven days a week. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.