Double Happiness: Casa Talia Opens Second Branch in Joy City, Xidan
Joining their original 18-month-old branch in Raffles City, Casa Talia by Tiago expands to a second venue in the growing Chat Garden of Joy City. As with that first branch, the ambiance and decor take on elegant and modern stylings and a positively smart atmosphere – the walls are painted in neutral gray tones, while the black marble tables and comfy leather chairs combine with efficient service to extend your stay, and warm lighting rescues the experience from being labeled "cold."
Having revamped most of the dishes on the menu, we dug into a tapas starter which included a very locally-named “foie gras with explosion” (RMB 88). Consisting of pillow-shaped puffs stuffed with tangy green applesauce and topped with thick chunks of foie gras, the fruity tartness balanced well with the rich foie gras for a combination that shook our tastebuds to life.
The beef tartar with cream cheese (RMB 98) featured tender, fresh, and well-seasoned beef with a rich cream cheese center. The side of sweet potato crisps added a nice crunch to the mix. The truffle croquettes (RMB 68, pictured at top) was playful in its plating, a nest used as a perch for slices of iberico ham topped with slow-boiled quail eggs. The crispy croquettes served alongside had a truffle aroma and paired well with the savory ham and the richness of the quail eggs.
This wouldn't count as a Mediterranean-style meal without gulping down Casa Talia's paella, of which they now have seven renditions. The signature seafood paella (RMB 198) proved just as solid as when we tried it previously, with every bite filled with al dente rice and treasures of the sea such as squid, mussels, prawns, and scallops, in addition to green peas, corn, and dried tomatoes for a refreshing pop.
As for dessert, the signature matcha deconstructed tiramisu (RMB 128) is made with liquid nitrogen, the frozen cream crumbling over what would be the matcha filling.
If you didn't get enough foie gras with your starter, challenge yourself with Casa Talia's new foie gras terrine lollipops (RMB 98), pieces of foie gras cut into lollipop shapes then dipped and coated with four sugary varieties: strawberry, mango, apple, and chocolate, and topped with pop candy. Be warned, these must be eaten quickly, otherwise, the coating melts and you'll lose it to the crumbled cookie beneath.
Just like at their other outlets, behind the bar there's also a selection hand-poured coffees, cocktails, and wines. A new twist to the cocktail menu is their range of alcohol-free sangrias, all mixed with soda water and a dazzling choice of fruit. There's also cheese tea, red velvet, and blue velvet varieties (RMB 42), the latter an eye-catching and shiny light blue, topped with blue coconut flavor.
Casa Talia's creativity in the kitchen continues to prove itself worthy of its upper-mid-range prices and at the rate that their stores are multiplying (this branch joins its sister restaurant Tiago Select in the same mall), it's apparent that Tiago has cornered a popular segment of the market.
Casa Talia by Tiago
Daily 10am-10pm. C05-06, 6/F, Xidan Joy City, 131 Xidan Beidajie, Xicheng District (6601 5518)
西城区西单北大街131号西单大悦城中心6层C05-06
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Photos: Tracy Wang
