By a complete coincidence this restaurant review, like our last restaurant review, was prompted by a review by the great gourmand, Jay Rayner, in the Observer. You can read his review here.
Toklas really is a cool place. Not easy to find (I almost missed it, but then again I am very poor with directions), down an almost abandoned and faintly derelict road, as you enter it seems that you have stumbled upon a clandestine party. The furniture is very 1950s, and I got the impression that the clientele was sophisticated, which was good for my ego, as I assumed that I must automatically be one of them.
In fact it is difficult to have the same meal that Jay Rayner had, because the menu changes daily. Some things however, like the chips, do remain on the menu. So I am restricting my review to mainly that (although it did accompany some beautiful lemon sole, in case that is of interest).
Jay Rayner’s review is entitled “Serves Fabulous Chips”, and I counted 13 times that he mentions the word “chips”. By coincidence, but fittingly I have exactly the same number of mentions in my review. I have to confess they were the original inspiration for wanting to visit Toklas. My friend and I have both eaten a lot of chips. We’ve both been eating chips for more than fifty years I would say, so no one can say that we haven’t got experience of eating them, or dare I even venture, are not experts on the subject? What was shocking was that these chips were very average. It’s not that they were bad. I don’t think really I’ve ever had a bad chip in my life, since even the greasiest overcooked chip or the driest oven baked one is likely to give me some cheer, though I wouldn’t rate them as high points.
Yes, they were triple fried, but the crucial difference to Blumenthal’s, which Rayner mentions, is that these were significantly thinner, and that really makes all the difference. In fact it is arguable that the relatively thin chips we were served were not even chips, but fries. The very best chips, in my opinion, and perhaps by definition, are fat, chunky affairs, which allows there to be more of the fluffy inside potato, and a greater contrast with a hopefully crunchy exterior.
I wondered whether they decided to go for thin rather than fat to distinguish themselves from Blumenthal. As I was eating these chips, not with displeasure, I wondered about asking our waiter for some salt and vinegar to improve the taste, but then thought that the restaurant would go completely silent if I were to do so. God help me if I were to ask for ketchup.
As I mentioned, I am trying to restrict myself to a review of the chips, but it is worth pointing out that we had some frito misto (vegetables and fish in batter) for starters, which was as good as any prawn tempura or fried fish I’ve ever had. I only wished the same thought had been given to the other deep fried dish on the menu.
We asked our neighbours, a couple of female friends in their thirties, what they thought of the meal. Much enjoyed! Which was your favourite(s) I asked. Well, the chicken they said..and the chips! I did wonder whether on some level, maybe unconscious, whether after reading reviews, they felt they were somehow expected to enjoy the chips a lot, and even convinced themselves that the chips were sensational.
Anyway, I was glad that I ended up in this restaurant, because almost everything was really wonderful. Apart from the chips.
editor's note: as our guest critic alludes to above, the restaurant website says "The menu evolves daily, moving with the seasons," so we can't guarantee there will be chips if/when you visit. But everything else sounds pretty tasty.
