Algiers, the capital of Algeria, offers many excellent restaurants. Many residents and tourists in Algiers could head to the venerable Hotel El-Djazair for an evening of the best traditional Algerian food, and they would be happy with their choice. And yet, there are a number of lesser-known restaurants in Algiers that are newer, fresher, and offer evolving interpretations of traditional North African staples of lamb, fish, and chicken by culinary artists who are rising to the top of your office.
Fortunately, Algiers has a great selection of excellent restaurants. One that has gained quite a reputation in recent months as perhaps one of the half dozen best restaurants in the city is Tantric. This little gem is tucked away in a beautiful villa in the Bois des Arcades, a wooded area near the Maqam Echahid o Monument to the Martyrs in Riad El Feth. Tantric It has a fabulous terrace open in the summer which is great for dining outdoorbut eating inside is probably better when it gets too cold in the evenings.
the chef in Tantric He is a brilliant synthesist specialized, as was to be expected in seafaring Algiers, in fish and shellfish, but with very interesting proposals for poultry and lamb also in his menu card. Recent guests have ordered fried shrimp for an appetizer, grilled sea bass for main course, and French apple pie with ice cream for dessert. Can you imagine a simpler home-cooked meal? However, this was delicious.
Preparation is everything. Freshly baked bread was served with a starter of fresh local sardines and tomatoes complemented by a second starter of roasted peppers. The tomato and sardines were delicious preludes to the grilled shrimp. Tea prawnsas the shrimp are known in this part of the world, they were so fresh, no shellfish to disguise what comes from the ocean, delicately fried in a butter blended with little bites of pineapple.
Highlights of a night in Tantric it certainly could be grilled sea bass, seared with extreme heat to seal in its subtle flavor and juices, then roasted to perfection over a slow wood fire. The sea bass arrived without sauce, a sign of an overconfident chef. There was nothing there to mask the wonderful subtle flavor of the bass itself. Many guests will enjoy this treat for as long as this item remains on the menu. Before you order coffee, you might consider a dessert. One of the best is a French apple pie with cinnamon ice cream, a bit of a departure from the American version of fashion cake. The apple pie in Tantric it is served quite warm, moist, but with a spicy and crunchy crust, an exceptional delight.
Don’t expect fancy decor in Tantric, although quite elegant and now kept in a splendid style, immaculately clean. The waiters are also very helpful and extremely attentive. Do not leave Algeria without trying Tantric at least once.