You must know Tiago Home Kitchen already, the family-style Italian restaurant that’s slowly but surely conquering malls across Beijing. We’d venture a guess that there’s a Tiago within 2km of you right now, serving wood-fired pizzas and hefty tiramisus to hungry neighborhood shoppers. Tiagos abound, and now the team behind Tiago is opening – you guessed it – another restaurant. But here’s the twist: this is no Tiago Home Kitchen. No, this is Combal by Tiago.
If Tiago Home Kitchen takes us to Italy, then its younger sister Combal takes us somewhere altogether different – a newly discovered land, somewhere unbound by geographical menu limitations – with a menu that blends distinct cultures to pleasing effect.
There are many things you’ll recognize from existing Tiagos: a Mediterranean focus, an upper-mid-range dining atmosphere. But Combal has its own character. Our first impression? Romance, the aesthetic Europeans do so well. Combal’s decor, decked out with dimmed lights, dainty vases and small candles, nails the ‘fine dining’ look. But a color scheme of black and white gives it a modern edge.
But enough about decor – you’re here for the food, which elegantly integrates cuisines both Western and Eastern. While our go-to is a sous-vide Australian filet (RMB218), we also enjoy a Japanese-style egg yolk sabayon with grapefruit nitrogen foam (RMB68).
The rest of the menu features the stars of the imported-ingredient world: Spanish prawns, Italian truffles, New Zealand scampi, Australias Angus. Those less excited about meat have dessert to look forward to, creative takes on sweet treats including light potato ice-creams and scrambled egg with chocolate. Altogether, fans of Tiago will get a different experience than they’re used to. But hey, it’s not Tiago – it’s Combal.
See a listing for Combal by Tiago and read more Beijing Restaurant Reviews
0 User Comments