Tma – Two Creative Concepts Under One Roof

I have a lot of respect for people who aren't afraid to go against the current. Restaurateurs and chefs – especially.

And those who have the courage not only to open a business in a foreign country, but also to create something genuinely interesting (instead of simply churning out avocado toast with scrambled eggs) deserve a monument.

Tma is exactly that kind of project. It manages to surprise while still serving comforting, exceptionally well-thought-out food, all while showcasing the personal vision of talented Belarusian chef Maksim Litvinau, whose background includes the three-Michelin-starred San Sebastián restaurant Arzak.

The space feels elegant without becoming overly pretentious. Plenty of pastel tones led by soft green, beautifully aged mirrors, vibrant paintings, and, of course, a huge tree in the middle of the first dining room. It's a pleasant place to spend time, although I can't say the interior left me with any real wow effect.

The food, however, is far more interesting. During the day, Tma focuses on polished breakfasts; in the evening, the menu becomes much more ambitious and genuinely excellent. That's where I'd like to begin, because it impressed me enormously. Especially if you shift your attention away from the prices and towards the food itself.

The Niçoise (63 PLN) comes with probably the best spicy mayo I've had in a very long time – layered, unfolding in waves of flavour, and impossible to forget. Alongside it come excellent-quality tuna, broccolini, herbs, asparagus, pearl onions, and outstanding olives. Altogether, it's an incredibly addictive dish.

The duck confit ravioli with edible gold (63 PLN) probably captures the essence of Tma's cuisine better than anything else: outstanding food, a hefty price tag, and a distinct sense of luxury. The dish is close to flawless – from the vibrant sauce and truffle to the astonishing quality of the hazelnuts. It's genuinely difficult to find anything worth criticising.

The crab risotto (89 PLN) is every bit as impressive – textbook texture, bright notes of lemon, bursts of red caviar, and impeccable execution.

Nor should I forget the absolutely wonderful salmon tartare with a dense nori mousse that pushes the marine flavours to the absolute limit – unfortunately, it has already disappeared from the menu. 

"This is exactly the kind of everyday food you could happily eat all the time: approachable without being boring, incredibly balanced, and full of flavour and character. Assuming, of course, that money isn't something you need to think about." 

That's the sentence I would have written as my conclusion if it hadn't been for one dish – the salmon with young asparagus and two kinds of caviar (81 PLN). The latter, by the way, turned out not to be entirely true: at least in my case, the kitchen was rather stingy with the black caviar. I searched for it heroically, but without success. 

More importantly, though, the dish was overwhelmingly bitter. If I understood it correctly, the young cabbage leaves served alongside had been quickly fried in butter. Most likely, the butter was overheated, resulting in an intense bitterness that lingered for the next half hour. Even a honey cake for dessert couldn't erase it.

Personally, I found that genuinely disappointing. I absolutely loved the cooking here, and the last thing I wanted was to leave Tma with exactly this kind of bittersweet aftertaste (although I'm convinced it was simply a mistake made while preparing this particular dish).

The breakfasts impressed me considerably less than the evening menu. I can understand and accept paying 60 PLN for ravioli like these, but paying the same amount for a rather pleasant – but nothing more than that – portion of scrambled eggs with eel or eggs Benedict with guacamole and salmon is a little beyond my understanding.

That said, the restaurant is busy, and that's what really matters. If I'm simply not the target audience for a place that's clearly doing very well, then all I can do is be happy for the project. And keep coming back from time to time for that truly outstanding evening menu – it's well worth it.

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