This was a girls’ night out with a real difference. One
of our party was celebrating a new job, and another needed comforting for a
broken heart. Heavy stuff. But from the moment we entered the warm,
rustic-looking Toto’s, up in Cherng Talay, we knew we were going to have a
good time.
Here, the atmosphere is one of taverns and parmesan, red
wine and hot fireplaces. The terracotta flooring, wooden furniture and raw
plaster walls seem to call out silently: “Sit down, order the wine and
RELAX.” The music is good too.
Before anyone had time to say Luciano Pavarotti, a
healthy-sized plate of (complimentary) rich duck pโt้ on crispy, wafer-thin
toast was set before us and the friendly, English-speaking waiters were at
our sides. We ordered two bottles of the Hardy’s Shiraz Cabernet 2001 — one
is never enough — and watched with delight as it was poured, at perfect room
temperature, into glasses the size of fish bowls.
Toto’s vibrant owner Bepy and his wife Noi came over to
greet us; we had a brief chat, and then it was time to order the food. We
opted for an assortment of starters to share. The Melanzeane alla
Parmigana, egg plant baked in tomatoes and parmesan cheese; carpaccio,
raw beef with rucola; and the spinaci al gratin, spinach baked with
cheese and b้chamel sauce. As a side dish we tried caprese, freshly
made mozzarella with tomato and a sprinkling of fresh basil. The cheeses
used were all top quality, the mozzarella positively melted in the mouth,
and the b้chamel was out of this world.
We tucked into the second bottle of Hardy’s and
contemplated heading for the funky, zebra-stripped sofa at the restaurant’s
entrance to recover from a little over-indulgence. The ambiance in the room
was actually very conducive to an after-dinner nap. Comforting yellow hues
and lots of candles. Mmm. A change of heart, though, when we glimpsed the
main course menu. One girlfriend went for the Tortellini Salmone Caviale
— pasta stuffed with spinach in salmon and caviar cream. Her verdict:
“Exquisite. Home-made pasta, real black pepper, rich, thick, creamy and you
can really taste the caviar.”
Another girlfriend decided on the Filetto al
Gorgonzola — 200 grammes of pure beef tenderloin, pan-fried with
gorgonzola and mushrooms with a red wine-and-oregano sauce. The dish was
beautifully presented, and she said it had all the flavours one would expect
from quality Italian food. Our fourth companion said she wasn’t hungry; or
was it that she was trying to lose weight? But she ordered the tagliatelli
with tomato and managed to scoff the lot. Obviously delicious. I had my
favourite, Pasta Quatro Formaggi — a yummy blend of mozzarella,
parmesan, cheddar and blue cheese. Not one for the waistline, but hey, what
the heck.
Superb. Excellent Italian cuisine in a setting that
provides the perfect place for friends to meet and discuss life. Broken
hearts, new jobs… We were genuinely so busy all night concentrating on the
food that we absolutely forgot about the conversation. C้ la via!
