Tas (Tas)

Member Name: Gaffer

Product:	Tas
Date:	18/09/01 (166 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unrecognisable menu, Succulent meat, Good atmosphere

Disadvantages: Wine list, Can get a little oily, Turkish Coffee

You would hope that Tas' namesharing with Disney's finest inarticulate rotating slobberchops would end as soon as you enter the blond pine interior; thankfully it does.

Tas is a brave effort to rid the overhanging cloud of kebabmeat that darkens the reputation of Turkish food. And they to a pretty good job of it, too. They must be - they now have two branches open (one on Borough High Street in Southwark, and the original, in The Cut outside Southwark station), and, shock horror, you may even need to book in advance.

The interior of both restaurants are a fling back to the late 90s - lots of pine, visible chefs, bubbly atmosphere; all of which is really quite pleasing.

Toasty turkish bread scattered with sesame seeds, with olives and a yoghurt dip are initially presented. This was personally one of the best part od the dining experience. The bread was light and fluffy, olives flavoured to the right zing, and the yoghurt dip with the correct sourness. I can't rememebr food this good in Bodrum.

The wine list is frankly disappointing - some of the usual suspects (Chilean merlot, dense Aussie cabernet-Shiraz, overgrasses Kiwi Sauv Blanc) lingering amongst the odd token bottle of Chablis. As long as you follow the italian attitude towards wine (hey, we're here for the food, grazie), you should have no problems.

The starter was nigh on perfect. Again, (and throughout this review) my turkish lets me down, but I went for something cold and Aubergine, mashed with a slight citrus and tomato sauce. The tastes melded together perfectly; the sliminess of the eggplant superceded by the taste of the tomato and the sharpness of the lemon. Coupled with the fantastic bread, I thought I'm on a winner here...

..and so it continued. The casseroled lamb in tomato sauce was rich, tender, moreish (and to prove it, i have been back many times for this dish). Perfect for the winter, my only complaint would be that this
dish (and many others) can veer on the oily side; I suspect it is the nature of the cooking. It certainly is not unpleasurable.

I will say that having tried some of the seafood here (especially some of the shellfish), that it is best to avoid it - leave that to Livebait.

As for the turkish coffee, I would rather lift my fingernails with matchsticks than drink another cup of that disgusting flith. But hey, if all reataurants were perfect, we'd never have the pleasure of reading AA Gills patronising nonsense.

Give Tas a shot. No, give it a couple of shots. That lamb may even replace your sunday roast, you know...

Summary: