Tasca

Tasca at Câv - Review - Bethnal Green - London - The Infatuation

"If you read the birth chart of any former London railway arch, chances are you’ll find that it’s fated to be star-crossed lovers with a selection of two to five small plates and a bottle of orange wine. Such is the case with Tasca’s long-term Iberian residency at Bethnal Green archway bar, Câv. There are oil-slicked nibbly bits, kitsch vintage plates, vin rouge of the biodynamic and chilled variety, and several chore jacket-owners with chores that include finding the right Hay dog bed to match the G Plan sideboard. It’s all achingly familiar but completely resists the urge to tune into any pretentious hair-flicking about how clever the zesty, luminous basil sauce is that comes with blobs of cured monkfish. Some dishes hit hard, while others slump quietly into the background as tealights flicker and friends slink out front to finish their picantes. But when Tasca gets it right, Câv is exactly what you want it to be. A place for big chats, small plates, and a casual night that delivers on textbook E2 cool. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Food Rundown Tasca's menu changes regularly but here's an idea of the kind of dishes you can expect. Jambon Beurre Gilda Of the three gildas on Tasca’s menu, this is the best. Nothing will ever top the love marriage of anchovies and pickled peppers, but the salty jambon and extra vinegary olives make for a pretty sexy cocktail stick pairing. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Fosket Farm Radishes & Pickled Walnut Dip This plate of radishes looks, tastes, and pleases like it’s a graduate of the Towpath school of perfect picky bits. Props to this dip for making us say “I wonder how hard it is to pickle walnuts at home” out loud, in public. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Pink Fir Potato Bravas & Aioli The aioli in this is punchy. So punchy, that we’ve had to take a long hard look at our ray of condiment sunshine, Allioli, and ask some big questions about where our loyalties lie. We already know that we will be returning to Câv for these pitch-perfect potatoes. PlayMute video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Cured Monkfish, Agretti & Basil We say this with love: what a total freak this dish is. The lemony agretti and the basil sauce are a pairing that have the refreshing prowess of high-end toothpaste and the monkfish adds a little salty, buttery flare. If Poseidon moved to Globe Road and masterminded a salad, this is what it would taste like, and we’re into it. PlayMute video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Goat’s Curd, Flat Beans, Loquats & Celeriac Honey There’s a lot going on here. Between the spices, sweetness, and heavy-duty richness of the cheese, our tongues became a bit confused. Riddle of the spicy goats curd, no thank you. PlayMute video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley" - Heidi Lauth Beasley