Tolani

Tolani Restaurant Review:

While a host of restaurants lining upper Amsterdam Avenue may beckon, South African-inspired Tolani is the one you should target. With menu consultation by Craig Hopson of Le Cirque, the food is inventive while also being accessible. Service is sunny and the staff is known to go above and beyond to make their guests comfortable. Good starters are found in a roasted peach, mâche and goat cheese salad topped with spicy pecans and crisp Serrano ham, or a soft robiola cheese with honey and country bread. Among entrées, we suggest the wild striped bass with eggplant and shrimp dashi, and the pannekoek, a crêpe filled with slow-braised pork shoulder and apple ginger chutney. For dessert, move from sweet and savory to sweet and sour with the plum and ricotta cheesecake. The wine list is tightly edited and spans the globe, and everything by the bottle is also served by the glass. Your best bet is the wine pairing offered with the chef's six-course tasting.