Critic's review

Jodi-Ann Pearton

Food 
This eatery offers something for everyone. The menu is vast and the ingredients fresh. No matter what you end up ordering, every mouthful is a delight.

The breakfast offering and baked goods are exceptional. The French toast mascarpone with berries or cherry preserve is a truly decadent treat. Or opt for a classic full breakfast, cooked perfectly – a measure of an exceptional establishment.

The lunchtime offering is equally extensive and impressive. Choose between a range of fresh, tantalising salads, or build your own sandwich with some of their home-made breads. Those with a bigger appetite will find a selection of grills to choose from. The 'easy eating' section of the menu provides a great option for lunchtime diners. There’s also a section for optional extra fillings, which means that you can really get creative and make your meal your own. Finally, the extensive means that vegetarians will find a wide variety to choose from here.

Drinks 
The beverage menu is extensive, with all kinds of specialist coffees, shakes, teas and coolers available. The milkshakes, flavoured lattés and 'freezos' are all excellent. You’ll also find summer punches, granitas and a great selection of cocktails, champagne and sparkling wines. There's a small but sufficient wine list both sold by the bottle and glass, and a small beer selection.

Service 
tashas is always packed, which means that you sometimes have to wait for a table. Waiters are well informed and friendly, and considering how full the eatery is, do a fantastic job. Service can be slow, however, so a few extra hands might be a good idea here. Nevertheless, the brilliant food makes up for everything.

Ambience
The overall ambience is excellent. The restaurant is continuously packed, which adds a great vibe to an establishment that is also beautifully decorated and well maintained. During the weekdays you’ll see business people and home executives flowing through the doors and, on weekends, everyone else who wants to be seen.

And … 
It's a lot of fun sitting here on a lazy Sunday afternoon, watching the crowds go by and contemplating your next choice from the vast menu.

(August 2014)

• Ambience

  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• Service

  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• Food

  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• Great for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Despite it being a chain, they ensure that each boutique eatery has its own uniqueness. The environment is buzzing, but relaxed. Create your own sandwich on either ciabatta, rye or a baguette and top it with your selection of fillings. A wide variety of salads, pastas and intriguing dishes will please the majority as well as vegetarians. (EO mag 2014)
• Food
  The menu is diverse (pasta is listed alongside lamb cutlets, designer salads, quesadillas and Turkish flatbreads) and yet the establishment has become known for great food that keeps people returning time and again. This outlet has the same menu that made all the other branches famous, but includes its own specials like salmon in various guises (ceviche, tartare, carpaccio) as well as soft-shell crab served with creamy mayo. They do some of the best breakfasts in town: try the potato rösti topped with bacon, roasted baby tomatoes, rocket and a poached egg. The emphasis is on healthy options like freshly squeezed juices and smoothies, fresh herbs and organic eggs.
  
  Wine
  A good and compact wine list, as well as classic cocktails and champers by the glass.
  
  Service
  Efficient and friendly.
  
  Ambience
  A breezy, neutral-coloured palette is offset by marble accents and feature chandeliers with hanging cutlery. Great toilets, too.
  
  And...
  The cappuccinos are among the best in town. (JW, October 2011)