We made reservations in advance because it's not really a restaurant per se, it's Chef Myke Sarthou's own home converted into a private dining area.
Since it's a house, only a limited number of guests can be accommodated at any one time -- around 20 maximum to be exact. Advance reservations are definitely a must.
Chef Tatung offers a 3-course gourmet set meal which changes on a weekly basis. The price is pegged at P500 per head, which isn't bad considering you're getting a freshly cooked gourmet meal which uses organic ingredients from the chef's own garden. We started off with freshly baked bread.
The bread came with a small plate of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and grated parmesan cheese for dipping. It was very good. Nice and crusty outside but incredibly soft and chewy (not airy, it's bread that can be described as siksik) inside.
First dish that was served was Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives. I really enjoyed the dish. Fresh vegetables (Romaine lettuce, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, and olives) were tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. There were also two small slices of salami on the side. I found the serving size just right for one person's appetizer. I had no trouble finishing it down to the last leaf. :)
Next up was Zucchini Cream Soup. We all agreed it was excellent. The consistency wasn't thick yet it was very tasty. It had zucchini bits too.
There were two main courses to choose from. Hubby picked the Osso Bucco Milanese with Truffled Penne Pasta. I could smell the truffle oil as the server was setting down the dish on the table. Strangely though, I could not taste it when I had a bit of pasta, which was kind of dry. I didn't like the Osso Bucco either, I felt that it was some sort of mashed beef dish with fats, ligaments (litid), and all. I don't like fats nor ligaments.
Meanwhile, I chose the Grilled Red Snapper with Marinara Sauce served with Buttered Linguine Pasta. It was very good, much better than the Osso Bucco. The fish was tender, the pasta cooked just right, and the vegetables fresh and sweet.
For dessert, Mango Semifreddo was brought out. It's kind of like a cross between Sans Rival and ice cream cake. It had crisp caramel, walnut, and sweet fresh mango bits. Pretty nice. We were seated outside by the garden, al fresco. I suggest bringing along mosquito repellent if you're having dinner here because there are a lot of pesky mosquitoes in the outdoor dining area. Luckily, Richard had lots of Moskigo anti-mosquito patches which we all put on our shirts. The amiable Chef Tatung makes it a point to go around and talk to the diners.
Oh, we were ticked off when we were charged for drinks. Upon being seated, we asked the waiter if drinks were included and he said yes. He then proceeded to offer us fruit shakes. We were charged P75 per shake because the free drink was supposed to be just juice, soda, or iced tea -- a detail which he conveniently forgot to mention. At the end of the meal, we asked if coffee or tea was included. Again, the waiter said yes. We all chose to avail of coffee and tea then we were charged for them too. Had we known we wouldn't have ordered! Anyways, chef deducted how much the default drink would have cost from the fruit shake's price so we ended up paying less. Still, I think the waiters should be clear about these details from the start.
The place is dimly lit, so it was quite challenging to take decent food photos. T_T
Chef Tatung's Private Dining is open for dinner daily except Wednesdays. The set menu changes on a weekly basis. Reservations are a must.
Chef Tatung's Private Dining
#17 Matipid St., Sikatuna Village
Quezon City
352-6121
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