About to turn 9 years old, the Tan Tan It's the type of address that hardly a São Paulo resident with a taste for gastronomy hasn't been to at least once in their life (or a few times!).
A constant figure on lists of the best cocktail bars in the city – and in the world –, Thiago Bañares knows how to create, since he opened his doors, a bold, striking and even challenging menu. Perhaps this is the success formula for the restaurant that works with maximum capacity every day, with a line at the door even on a random Tuesday, for example.
Listed in 56th position for the award World's 50 Best Bars Awards 2023Best Restaurant Bar Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and 61st place in the renowned TOP 500 BARS world awardthe challenges of changing a menu that is “winning” is enormous, but Thiago, in partnership with head bartender Caio Carvalhaes, felt the need for a change where the focus on drinks was not the exploration of new ingredients, but rather a collection focused on making it easier for the public to navigate the world of cocktails. A card that experts and non-experts can explore without difficulty.
Thus, 14 new drinks emerged, classified into five distinct families: Cooler and Highballs, Daisy and Sours, Martinis, Appetizers and Mocktails . Best sellers at Tan Tan, the refreshing and carbonated drinks (Coolers and Highballs) have four options this season. Highlights include the Curupira (R$47), made with cambuci bubbly, mint and cumaru on an alcoholic base of Tanqueray dry, and the Dirty Dance (R$52), which contains Don Julio Añejo tequila, Ketel One and olives.
In the family of sweet citrus (Daisy/Sours), the Tsukemono (R$ 66) shines with Don Julio Blanco, wasabi, cucumber and orange bilter; Among the Martinis, the elegance of the Old Passion (R$ 45) with Ketel One Vodka, fine sherry, elderflower liqueur, passion fruit and priprioca elixir does not go unnoticed.
More bitter, powerful and digestive, the Aperitifs made with herbs and more alcoholic elixirs include, among others, the saline Saltburn (R$ 65), composed of Don Julio Reposado tequila, Jerez cream, red vermouth and guava, and the unctuous 19:30 ( R$ 57), which contains Singleton whiskey, aged cachaça, Cynar, cold brew and cocoa bitters.
Increasingly popular as an option for those who don't want to drink alcohol, but can't give up elaborate cocktails, Mocktails are born Lady B (R$38), a combination of cocoa, mate, cashew and tonic, and Tampico (R$35), with a citrus profile, based on acerola and dill cordial, passion fruit and priprioca elixir.
To eat, don't snack, really eat!
Tan Tan, despite having a reputation as a bar, is a bar/restaurant. Those who only go to drink make a bad mistake. Please don't make that mistake and go with a prepared stomach for both. With the counters “mirroring” each other and right in the middle of the room, it is clear that the two are the stars!
Order the classic and always irresistible Spring Rolls Royce, harumaki made with thin fried dough stuffed with tuna tartar and finished with house mayonnaise and nori powder (R$ 68); shrimp wonton and sirloin cup (R$ 65); and the fried chicken wings with sweet chili, sesame and peanuts (R$51); but it's worth trying the new ones like the Ajillo de octopus and erynguii (R$ 157), octopus, erynguii, garlic confined in olive oil in an iron frying pan and the Ikura Aries (R$ 55), a tempura of fried potatoes with trout ikura, mayonnaise and aonori (R$55).
To finish, the now classic creamy chocolate pie served with crème anglaise (R$46) is unmissable.
New clothes
But it's not just the menu that has new features, the bar station where the cocktails come from also has a new look. A modern stainless steel station, designed by the Norwegian company Behind Bars – one of the most respected in the industry -, occupies the room and brings the bartender/consumer contact closer, where everything is within view of whoever sits at the new wooden counter glued to the stainless steel workstation.
“Adding a wooden counter was an old wish. It brings a more classic, intimate and cozy atmosphere, which has everything to do with this moment of Tan Tan”, says Bañares. The element in light, reddish walnut tones was also replicated on the walls, which brought greater acoustic and visual comfort to the room, as well as a classic aura. “It was a fine adjustment, but it made a lot of difference in the experience for both the lunch and dinner service”, adds the entrepreneurial chef.
Finally, a tribute to São Paulo was brought into the house with the new flooring, which recalls the black rubberized coins of the Metro. “We wanted to emphasize our connection with the city where we built our history and where our references and roots are”, he explains.
Tan Tan: R. Fradique Coutinho, 153, Pinheiros – São Paulo (SP) / Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 7pm to 11pm / Saturday, 12pm to 4pm / 7pm to 11pm. It is not open on the last Sunday of the month.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
