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Spoonteller is this unusual eatery located on Kaslik's internal road surrounded by Down Town on one side and Olio on the other. I've been to Spoonteller already, and I enjoyed the experience and loved their food, here I was back for more, accompanied by the family.
Since they first opened, I heard positive reviews about The Spoonteller. My parents visited, as well as my friends and they all left happy and satisfied, so why not visit again?
Walk into a simple yet trendy place, nor your usual bistro, but something in between. A clear setup with a touch of color those water cups add, nice placemats and well-wrapped table napkins surrounded by fine cutlery. A bar takes over the entrance and another serving area faces the kitchen while you choose to sit on one of their round or square tables with an open view of the busy street. They also have an open terrace.
As we sat down, a loaf of whole wheat cereal bread was served, sliced and toasted, with crunchy borders and a fluffy heart. Next to that is a tapenade, full of flavors, no garlic, and where the peel of olives and the added salt is felt in every bite; that's what I call a successful first impression.
The place:
- White wood and glass facade offers a relaxing view on the street.
- Wooden, real parquet covers the floor.
- Wide aerated space is what a restaurant should look like.
- Black chairs surround a dozen wooden tables.
- Colorful cups add the touch of finesse and refinement to the space.
- A kitchen seen behind the window and its serving area are not seen in many restaurants around town.
- The facing white wall has a long leather bench under it.
- Soothing jazz music plays in the background.
- Lamps from above in a stylish, designer way.
We enjoyed lunch:
- Crispy chicken: That's the order my little one enjoyed. Served a few minutes after we arrived, the dish is a puzzle of long sticks of fried battered chicken. A moist heart, crunchy envelope and a fresh, tasty sauce on the side. With that is a load of French fries served in a plate loaded to the top. Perfect for kids as well for the older generation, a plate that's generous and tasty. I loved it.
- Tempura Medley: What an innovation! Wow! A metal casserole filled to the top with a medley of fried chunks. Vegetables fried to perfection battered and oil-free. Served hot and crunchy, carrots, onions, zucchini and fish. To date, it's the best tempura I had. Bravo from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't even wait to dip in the sauce, I couldn't even handle the fork, I was hand dipping like with a bowl of chips and I finished it all. The soy sauce adds a hint of saltiness and flavor, but who needs it, they're great as is.
- Salmon Tartare: Succulent is the word. A layer of fresh, tender avocado topped with a layer of salmon cubes, mixed with a lemon sauce, shredded chives and some grilled pine nuts to add the needed finesse to the plate. I loved the red pepper, the crunch of the pine nuts, the olive oil, the size of the cubes, the ingredients, the texture and the love... Two thumbs up chef.
- Potato Purée: I remember having this order last time and here I was again, enjoying this mix of potato, melted to perfection with some olive oil on top. The mashed potato purée has a certain strong buttery flavor and elastic texture that I simply fell in love with.
- The grilled vegetables are also perfect. Tender and crunchy at the same time, pan grilled with some oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper which makes all the difference. I loved their fresh colors.
- Seafood Curry: Is that a dream or what? Everything is just perfect... Not only tasty but close to perfect. A metallic pan filled with a curry sauce mixed through with thinly sliced vegetables and chunks of fish. In easier terms I would say "chi mech ma32oul". Tender fish, a flavorful sauce, crunchy vegetables... A culinary extravaganza.
- Black Angus: The meat is good. What I enjoyed was the texture. The firm texture of rich meat that's not too tender, not hard and without any vessels or other unpleasant things inside. I love it when meat has a body, a character. Pepper and salt with the potatoes on the side were enough to put a smile on my face.
After lunch the table was meticulously cleaned before moving to desserts.
Strawberry Mille Feuille: It's good, but I've had better. Prepared a la minute in a vertical way for better handling, the cake is made up of three thick slices of puff pastry with pastry cream in between. The dough is a bit too condensed and lacks airiness and the cream was not cold enough. Again I say, it's fine, but I would add more fresh strawberries on top to add the missing coldness, make the puff pastry more flaky, a bit of added pastry cream and there we are. The best part is that light, salty aftertaste which stays around for some time after the last bite. That's finesse.
I really love this place and recommend it to all my friends. The food is great, the service is professional, the ambiance is pleasant... What else would you need?
