This restaurant has an exclusive feel to it when entering through the 2-inch thick wooden doors. Reservations are always advised here due to the popularity. I'm not one for noisy restaurants, I'd much rather be somewhere nice and quiet. However walking past the DJ on the way to the table, I thought I'd give this a chance due to the glowing recommendations I had read before coming.
Although I found myself shouting across the table, after a few drinks, I was happy to be eating in somewhere that felt more like a nightclub than restaurant.
For starters we had chicken satay and ribs. I have never experienced ribs like these, there was so much flavour on the meat surrounding the bone. It was sumptuous. The satay was also mouth-watering, the pieces of chicken were tender and juicy. Both of the starters were extremely filling, but still left room for the main course.
The Tao menu itself is very impressive, not only do you have a vast array of specialist sushi dishes, but it also boasts a full variety of cooked oriental delicacies.
Our main course included orange chicken, which was easily the best I've experienced. The flavour of the sauce alone is outstanding, and provides a sticky sweet coating to the tender chicken breast pieces. It is attractively presented and the portion is sizeable, enough for 2 to share if you want to experiment with a few choices.
The fried rice is more than just a meal accompaniment. Our serving had pieces of crispy aromatic duck, seasoned perfectly along with spring onions, the texture of the rice was spot on, not too fluffy and not too al dente.
I sometimes find vegetarian dishes a little bland, at Tao this was not the case. The French beans and broccoli had a light soy seasoning which gave a little oomph, full of freshness and flavour, this was a dish to remember.
We also ordered a small selection of vegetable tempura, these worked great as a side, cooked just right and again you could taste the freshness of the produce.
Our meal was so delicious, there was no room left for desert, however after glancing over the menu I spotted some pretty tempting offerings.
Throughout our meal I warmed to the fantastic atmosphere, the earthy club music and the guy walking around with a drum strapped to his body linked to the sound system provided a lively vibe.
I just want to touch on the building itself, it feels like an old warehouse with a huge downstairs eating area with a overlooking gallery, the focal feature of the whole restaurant being the giant gold Buddha. Table and surrounding decor is seductive and romantically lit, this restaurant feels appropriate whether your here with a large group of friends or on a romantic date.
If you’re here on business and you need to converse at length with your fellow diners, this may not be the best place to do business as fighting to get your voice heard over the music and clatter of plates will become tiresome.
Overall a fabulous place to dine with gorgeous food. Some of the waiting staff seem to have an air of arrogance, but take this with a pinch of salt and overlook it with a smile, and it won't ruin your evening.
The Bill: £65 per head
