Taratata Bistrot : Hearty & Unpretentious Food

Taratara Bistrot is a quaint French restaurant that opened in Keong Saik Road by two experienced chefs, Chef Betrand Raguin & Chef Phillipe Nouzillat. The word "Taratata" actually has no true meaning but resembles sort of a French colloquial expression. We initially targeted the Sunday 3 Course Set Menu but were too distracted by the ala carte selections. It was a pleasant surprise that Chef Betrand came out from the ktichen to have a short chat with us.

 

The interior and open door concept gives a relaxing feeling to diners. Indeed, the casual image of a bistro brings images of a high-class kopitiam in France with rustic and unpretentious good food.

French Baguette

I am happy with the bread because of its crusty outer layer and real hot and fluffy interior. The butter was slightly too hard and wished there were some flavoured butter or perhaps olive oil.

French Onion Soup
This was done exactly the way I wanted it to be. The cheesy toast which was soaked in the savoury goodness floated above the soup.

sweet and flavourful onion soup with endless scoops of soft onions 

There was also some cheese crust that clung stubbornly to the edges around the exterior pot that you should not waste.  Simply use your hands to pluck them into your mouth.

Dozen Escargots in herbed garlic butter

Escargots lovers must not miss this dish and it's recommended that you go for the dozen on the ala carte menu if you find that the 6 little ones on the sunday set menu insufficient to satisfy your craving.

 

Crab and Pomelo Salad

This might not be commonly seen on French menu but it's certainly a refreshing starter to have.
 
The crab meat hidden by the greens were fresh, sweet and creamy. Reminds me of a dense coleslaw without the vegetables. The pomelo was bitter but matched well with the crab.

These 3 dishes were followed shortly by 4 desserts, which were mostly accompanied with a pot of creme anglaise.

Scented Armagnac Prune Clafoutis with Rum and Raisin Ice cream

This was unexpectedly good as this French dessert is usually served at home for in large servings. This individual tart-like Clafoutis had a chewy texture and is very sweet. The prunes as well as the ice cream emit strong hints of Armagnac and rum. Worth a try since it's not common in local French menus.

 

Creme Brulee

This is relatively large but I like generous portions of desserts since it is difficult to be satisfied with morsels of good things.A fairly decent brulee for the price.

Grand Marnier Souffle

This mighty souffle rises to a level which is one the highest I have seen so far. 

The sweet cream is really good because one can control the sweetness of the dessert. I recommend pouring everything in as it would taste quite eggy and plain on its own. The alcohol kick was also very satisfying.

 

Warm Chocolate Cake with Lavender Ice Cream

This molten cake is once again larger than the usual ones. The lavender ice cream was particularly unique pairing and I appreciate it more than a vanilla scoop. The scent of lavender could get quite overpowering and remind us of perfume or scented lavender oil.

The gooey inner filling oozes out as expected but it would be better if the outer cake wall was thinner. Otherwise there would be no more molten lava to go with the dry parts. Nonetheless, the lavender ice cream and creme anglaise did set this dish a little different from the rest.

Overall, the French meal here was a comfortable and cosy one without any pressure. Good place to dine in for a lazy weekend. Moreover, the menu is not overpriced and has a variety of mains which include rabbit leg! The service staff were approachable and friendly.  Do check out their festive menus if you are planning one.  

Taratata Bistrot

35A Keong Saik Road

http://taratata.sg/