Toscano- A Review: Candle lit Bliss!

You know how we're all watching the Master Chef Master Class episode and they tell you how to "smoke a salmon"- Wood chips~really? or they say apple compote with raisins.. confit tomatoes, or goat cheese, feta cheese, ravioli, duck breast etc etc...

And you know how the food looks so pretty and sometimes so structural that you watch Gary & the rest cut into it, and serve themselves and you wonder.. crap, did they get everything?

Want an experience like that?

Go to Toscanos. Located in UB City & in Forum Value Mall, this place is on the expensive side (we're talking Rs 1500 for 2, no drinks).. BUT worth the experience. The food is delicious and fresh. I tripped on the basil leaves served as garnish, not one stem out of place, or leaf damaged.

Let me break up the meals...

Dish 1: Tartare of Smoked Salmon
Price: Rs 385
Rating: 5/5
Liked: Everything about it... firstly it's got so many things going on. The cold salmon, smoked & salty as a base. Then a disc of chopped blanched (i think) apples in light creamy vinagarette, flavored with some mustard to lend it a balanced sweet and sour taste. Some where in it, put not a part of it are raisins that defintely give it a slightly chewy texture, topped with some salad leaves tossed in olive oil.
All together, it was sooo delicious, in such a different way, that my taste buds were all over the place in excitement. Would I order this again? NO..only because they've left me soooo curious to try every other appetizer on that menu (cept for the beef one of course)

Disliked: In all honesty, nothing. I have a feeling that this dish alone may just have made me continue to write a very deserving, yet biased review.

Dish 2: Classic Chicken Parmigiana
Price: Rs 395
Rating: 4/5

Liked: Again, not much to criticise..except maybe the portion of meat. Recently, I turned vegan and kind of turned out of it, and this had 2 portions of flattened chicken breast. I couldn't eat a lot of it, needless to say a lot of the meat ended up on my companion's plate. The pasta promodoro, was so fresh again, it was simply delightfull and it came with an olive oil & salad leaf combo..so to speak (sounds sooo mc donalds!)

Disliked: As mentioned above, the portion of meat to carbohydrates. But that could just be a 'me' thing. Another aspect that I was disapointed with was just the whole thing: I've made parmigiana at home before, and not that I'm boasting but this tasted very similar to it. Ofcourse I used store bought tomato, and used the kitchen roller to flatten the meat (so it wasn't smooth as a aeroplane run strip) but, it wasn't a whole lot different. It was presented beautifully, but I guess I was expecting something more awesome.


Dish 3: Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Price: Rs 425
Rating: 4/5

Liked: Again, the food was impeccable. The meat well done (I guess if you like any other variation, you should let the waitor know, just because most Indians like it well done and they'd assume unless you specified). My companion had this, and this is how they liked their food too. Along with it came some pan tossed vegetables, and a blanched tomato topped with cheese. The filler on this plate, strangely enough, was not the meat but the potato gratin. Long slices of potato (thing lasagne) with cream & cheese.. not your standard cheddar- for sure! With this, and a little bit of my chicken, we actually refused beer (the machine was faulty when we went and by the time they had fixed it, we had to turn it down).

Disliked: I think.. it was mainly the portion of meat. It was about the size of a small palm (sans fingers), and what we were expecting to get was the standard steak that you get.. or rather see in cartoons (remember Madagascar & Marty being a steak?)But what the heck, it was still stomach occupying.. and the plates were absolutely clean, so it wasn't THAT much of a problem.


Watered Down With: Nothing but good old water. Over all, go here for your anniversary, a quiet first date or to service home sick foreigners. It also qualifies as White Zone which does mean, the porportion of home grown desis to folks from other countries are askewed. The ambience is beautiful (Christmas tree, chalk drawings of everything), the service friendly, the waitors knowledgeable.. and do write your own review of how your night went. That way I know what else to try when I go there next time.

P.S. I went to the one in Forum Value Mall, and yes, you honestly forget you're in a mall.

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