Tanto Japanese Dining - 18 December 2010

Tanto Japanese Dining

250 Manukau Road, Epsom, Auckland

09-5222300

tanto.co.nz

Tanto just opened in November, 2010 and I went there on recommendation of a friend. I went there by myself on a Saturday at 7pm. They only have 1 seat at the bar left. I ordered 2 piece of sushi, a Japanese pancake (Don Don Yaki) and Owanmushi for my dinner in addition to a desert.

The sushi is so-so. Not bad by any means, but nothing special to write home about either. They also don't have fresh wasabi.

The Don Don Yaki is a variance of Okonomiyaki - various savory stuffing wrapped in a pancake. It is a very favourful dish and it tastes good. The flavour is strong but not overwhelming. If you like the stronger flavour style of Japanese food, you would like this dish

Owanmushi is steamed egg custard with seasonal vegetables, prawn and chicken. (According to the menu). The egg is steamed really well. Very smooth surface and the egg melts in your mouth. I love steaming eggs at home and I never steam the egg as perfect as this one. The custard is also very flavourful - it is likely they added flavourful stocks instead of just water to the egg. However, I do not see much seasonal vegetables in the egg (I don't consider the broccoli "seasonal vegetables" and I am expecting the vegetables infuse with the custard) , and I only see one piece of prawn and a tiny piece of chicken in the custard. That is rather disappointing as that is billed as a "specialities" and it should be considered as a main.

Finally I opted for dessert which is poached pear. As in most Japanese restaurant, their dessert is nothing special. I believe a good poached pear is supposed to infused everything in the dish together (in this case, the pear, ice-cream and jelly) and it fails to do so here.

Overall it is not a bad meal by any means. With everything I ordered in addition to a large sake, this meal only cost me $54. Not considering the drinks one can easily walk away with less than $30 for their tab per person. With this quality of food there should be no complaint. Tanto is a restaurant where you go when you are on a budget, want to eat some well-made food, but you are not aiming to eat something fancy like Wagyu or bluefin tuna.

Yealands Riesling Marlborough 2008

A riesling bursting with apple and citrus flavour, but the wine lack complexity to make it a great wine. Still a good everyday drinking wine and good for its price range (about $20/ bottle)

Esk Valley Reserve merlot malbac cabernet sauvignon 2006

It has a very dark red color, almost purple. Its aroma is very ripe red fruit with spicy overtone and a hint of chocolate. It is a full body wine with still strong, but not undesirable tannin in the wine. The wine will benefit for another couple years of ageing for sure. The retail price is $65 but I got it at $34.

Lake Chalice Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008

It has a crimson red color and a light body. The first aroma I get is developed aroma such as pleasant bacon fat and barnyard. I also has red berry flavor with a hint of spicy overtone. It is a fruity wine with minimal amount of tannin and nice acid balance with a hint of sugar lingering. The wine is sold at glengarry for between $20-$30

Vidal Syrah Reserve 2005

dark red in color with a medium body, this wine has plum, herbs, blackcurrant, peppery and smoky aroma on the nose. On the palate it has hint of chocolate and coffee taste. A very good and complex Syrah. I bought it at $33/ bottle. The original price is $55/ bottle.

Brancott Estate Terraces "T" Pinot Noir 2009

The 2008 is reviewed here a couple months ago. Now the 2009 is on the market, also on a discount at New World ($19.99)

The 2009 has significantly less secondary characteristics. The earthy and barnyard smell is gone. Instead the wine has intense cherry aroma. The wine is crimson red in colour and has a light body. I personally like the 2008 more as it is more complex, but aroma may develop in bottle in the next year.

Brancott Estate Ormond "O" Gisborne Chardonnay 2007

Another of former Montana's wine on discount ($19.99). Like the pinot noir, it is superior in value compare to other $20 wine. This chardonnay has citrus, smoky oak, buttery and a hint of peachy character. This savory wine is well balanced and is a good buy at $20.