The Chichi of Tao

Whatever happened to our food posts?! We did not stop going out and eating (who does?). We just stopped writing.

I'm gonna pick up the pen for us again. Sorry, are you getting tired of my writing? Apologies. The other tarhas are busy with career changes, events, vacation, and personal issues. That is not to say I'm not busy too. I'm just not too busy, I guess. Haha. Okay, so what will I bring you this time? I've had it with cupcakes but there are still cupcake stores opening in the city. I saw Kitsch in Tahlia and a Cupcake Shop in King Abdullah Road. Yes, it's literally called "Cupcake". Gee, I wonder what they will sell. :) Will have to get back to you on those. I'm not still over with desserts, of course. And if there's one thing that caught my fancy and attention in that department over the last few months, it's the peanut butter ice cream of Tao Lounge.

Okay, let me back track a little. Sampaguita Pride and I went out for dinner days before her vacation in the Philippines and we went to this restaurant called Tao in Tahlia. You might not have seen this but it's there. Just look for a massive sculpture of something that look like an arm, a microphone, trophy, or er, well... a phallic symbol. I swear I did not think of the last one first upon seeing that silvery thing in the middle of a boxy building. I didn't even think that was Tao until I saw this thin neon sign with stars that say "tao" in cursive. Ohkay. How are they related? Mind you, I wore my best abaya, like our dinner in L'Entrecote, for this because the place is 'reservations only.'

I felt like a socialite when I stepped inside. The place screams 'sosyal' and I would have reverted to the conyo-tic English if not for P. This is an English teacher in front of me, what was I thinking?! Hihi. If Riyadh have socialites, then they probably visit Tao Lounge and Restaurant. The place is stylish, chic, elegant, and trendy (thus the "chichi" in the title). There were couches perfect for friends gossiping and hobnobbing and smaller tables for couples on dates. Huge curtains separate the spaces. P and I were led to a small, intimate table for two (we were just on a friendly date, lol). There were soft lights around in shades of purple, pink, blue, yellow. I looked at the menu and gawked at the prices. A maki platter was SR62! Seriously? A pasta with no meat is SR67?! On to the foodography:

Have you seen a green and orange bread? :D

The fab trio of dips for the multi-colored bread (olives, herbed butter, tuna)

California Tao Roll, SR62

This is one of my fave makis ever but still, why so expensive?!

Penne tossed in cream and pesto sauce, SR67

Some green cocktail infused with fruit juices

The SPA: pineapple, kiwi, orange, watermelon

Oreo mousse... we like it. :)

Let me summarize the food experience as this: delicious but expensive. And I honestly think I will only go back to the place if I'm not the one paying for it.

Until the peanut butter ice cream came. It gave the meal a delightful perspective. Let me first say that I am not a fan of imported Peanut Butter. I dislike Goody. I dislike peanut butter that are salty. I'm all for the sweet, oily variety we have in the Philippines. Lily's FTW! So anyway, I was hesitant to order the peanut butter ice cream for the fear of wasting my SR30 for it. But you know what, it's one of the best spent SR30 ever. 

The highlight of our meal

This ice cream is sooo peanut buttery! I cannot even explain it nicely so I will explain it without logic. Tao probably took a bottle of peanut butter and placed it inside the freezer. Then they took it out to melt a little, whipped it, and voila! Peanut butter ice cream with the added mmmmm! It is really, really good. It's my favorite kind of peanut butter ice cream and that's saying a lot because they might have used imported salty peanut butter on this one. Yummy!

How chichi!

I got caught in nostalgia with the ice cream I mainly forgot I paid over SR300 for the entire meal for two. (I have no regrets though because I was in good company.)

And Tao's comfort room got me with its honeysuckle paint and mirrors all over. Can you say vanity?! 

Mirrors all over. Self-LOVE! Lol.

Made for the Pink Tarha! :P

I will probably be back in Tao for the ice cream. But then again, I'm not a socialite (in other words, I cannot afford this indulgence) so it's safe to wander to other restaurants for now.