REstaurant review
text & Photos
susan wong
LEFT
Cheese Croquettas
BELOW
Twice Cooked Pork Belly
plates. Flavour is what matters. Chef
Marcus Mitchell understands that.
Mitchell, the winner of Heineken
Award for Chef of the Year at Taste
Awards 2013, cooks with a lot of
heart and that passion translates
onto every plate. And before you
think that this is an advertorial or
that my intention was solely to make
sure Talisman was full with patrons
every night, this review is more than
overkill. Mitchell has terrific control
over seasoning, spices, texture and
contrast, weaving them together
until you ask, why hasn’t anyone
done this before in Nairobi?
The Twice-cooked Pork Belly
served with a honey soy glaze
is one of my favourites. Oh, this
compressed, intensely flavourful
portion of well-rendered pork belly;
I wanted to tuck the pork into a
steamed bun, and then chew and
wipe the dish with it and chew and
wipe some more.
Golden deep-fried globes of
Smoked Bacon Infused Cheese
Croquettas with Mango Chutney
followed. The steaming hot gooey
filling of cheese and béchamel
sauce, elevated by homemade
smoked bacon, is probably the
epitome of a hearty starter. There
were also the Porcini Tartlets on
mini beds of Kachumbari, another
favourite of mine. Picture this:
Flaky tart shells filled to the brim
with sautéed mushrooms and then
smothered with a creamy, thick and
velvety sauce; finally topped with
parmesan and gratinated to form a
bubbling crust. Take extra care when
cutting into the tartlet, it calls for a
slow and discerning method, as the
sauce will easily ooze all over your
plate. That sauce belongs to you.
This is no high-end award-winning
chef pretending to go all democratic;
Talisman’s eclectic menu is the real
deal. With dishes inspired by the
Far East and some, closer to home
– don’t be surprised to find “Triple
T” Tuna Tataki Turadito or even a
Zanzibari Coconut Seafood Soup.
“Classic,
unpretentious
and dizzyingly
good, Talisman
is a shrine to …
hearty food.”
There’s also a hearty burger and even
a char-grilled fillet steak. Let’s not
forget the Golden Battered Tilapia
either, which is an amped-up version
of the fish ‘n chips classic thanks to
a gazpacho shot, tarragon coleslaw
and homemade tartare sauce.
Mitchell doesn’t try to sex-up
his seasonal inspiration; he just
reinterprets his ingredients with a
more layered and modern approach
and lets the flavours of the dish
quietly win you over.
The service is always prompt and
attentive. There are no annoying
wordplays on the menu or anything
else that might irritate the discerning
diner. However, I would suggest that
you call and make a reservation,
because guests do get turned away
as the restaurant is full. I feel their
pain.
I’ve eaten entire meals that
delivered less flavour than a
lone appetizer at Talisman. Every
ingredient is appreciated, and
because of this, every dish produced
will be much more than what one
would expect. And, perhaps that’s the
secret to cooking passionately – you
add soul to your food.
The foodie God would be proud.
21.