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2013-10-09
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I was deciding on a place for lunch during Restaurant Week, and settled on Taratata as I've read many good reviews of this place. It's a French bistrot serving authentic French cuisine by chefs Bertrand Raguin and Philippe Nouzillat, both of whom were from France with more than 20 years of culinary experience. This alone warrants a visit, especially during Restaurant Week with a 3-course set lunch which costs $25++.Complementary bread - They were quick to replenish the bread when we finished our
I was deciding on a place for lunch during Restaurant Week, and settled on Taratata as I've read many good reviews of this place. It's a French bistrot serving authentic French cuisine by chefs Bertrand Raguin and Philippe Nouzillat, both of whom were from France with more than 20 years of culinary experience. This alone warrants a visit, especially during Restaurant Week with a 3-course set lunch which costs $25++.
Complementary bread - They were quick to replenish the bread when we finished ours; toasted baguette, warm when served and bread was so soft with the outer crust crispy. Great start to a meal and is rather addictive.
For appetizer, my friend had the Seared Marinated Salmon with Black Pepper & Momotaro Tomato Salad with Basil Oil. A huge slice of salmon nestled on tomatoes, it was a refreshing appetizer and the salmon was very fresh, with a hint of natural sweetness. The black pepper accentuates the sweetness of the fish, and the slightly sour tomato salad makes a good end to the dish.
I had the Half Dozen of Snail Baked in Herbed Garlic Butter. Being a fan of escargots, this certainly did not disappoint. The escargots were chewy, and I especially liked their herbed garlic butter - slight buttery taste, and the garlic flavour was not overpowering. Along with many others from other tables, I dipped the toasted baguette into the leftover herbed garlic butter sauce; absolutely great.
For main course, my friend had the Crispy Oven-Baked Pork Trotter with Mushrooms Fricassée. It doesn't look that appetizing but it was certainly good. It was baked till crispy, and I loved the outer crust. The meat within wasn't dry as others have mentioned previously, and it goes well with their gravy. I also liked the very fine mashed potato that came with it, although that was a little salty.
I had the Baked Sea Scallops with Mussels, Prawns, Mushroom & Cheese. The portion looks small but it's actually very filling and just right for a small eater like me. The large scallops were well baked and the outer crumbs were crispy, but it wasn't the best I've tasted as the natural sweetness was only slightly distinct. Nevertheless, I liked the combination of de-shelled mussels, tiny prawns and mushrooms in a cheese and cream based gravy; even better if you are a cheese/cream sauce lover.
For desserts, we both had the Chocolate & Caramel Tart, Vanilla Ice Cream. Seems like a simple dessert but it actually tastes better than it looks. You could say that it's like a mini molten lava cake encased in a cookie tart. I liked how the molten chocolate flowed out when cut, and the two layers of cookie crust was a nice change to the common molten lava cake. Nevertheless, the caramel was only drizzled at the sides and not within the tart itself. The vanilla beans in the ice cream was distinct, and the ice cream had a slight velvety taste to it; but the ice cream failed to impress, although it's a very good complement to the very sweet and rich chocolate tart. I especially loved the crispy almond flakes at the side.Overall a very pleasant first time dining experience at Taratata, thanks to Restaurant Week. Service was good as the servers were attentive and replenished our water every now and then. The manager also enquired about how we found the food after and during the meal when we were having our main course.
Do give it a try if there are still slots for lunch this week. The set lunch at $25++ is a good deal to the usual $35++, and you are unlikely to be disappointed with the great authentic cuisine served at Taratata.
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