Teatro

Teatro opened in October 2017 and is attached to a worked theatre in Cirencester. We paid them a visit in March and here’s our two pence!

This sounds a little odd, but what really caught my attention initially was a photo* on Instagram of their striking flamingo wallpaper and after that point I was super intrigued. It takes confidence to pull off that wallpaper! *This is not the original photo, but gives you a peek into the restaurant…

The chefs at Teatro (who you can follow on Instagram @teatrokitchen) create interesting twists on classic dishes using plenty of British and locally sourced ingredients.

The venue is stylish, luxe and jewel-toned. As you walk in you’re greeted by a huge selection of drinks (Gin being their specialty) eclectic decor, piano room and the restaurant itself is segmented into several smaller areas for a more intimate feel. Each dining area has a slightly different style and attention to detail in the decor and maximising the diners experience has been considered here. General bar goers have their space, parties could have the ‘flamingo room’ and couples/small groups have other nooks that feel quite private and sensually lit at night. I do like the fact you can pop along for drinks and live piano (on Saturday nights), or you can sit down, enjoy your meal and then migrate to the bar and piano lounge afterwards and sip gin for the rest of the evening. Happy days!

Our waiting staff for the evening were happy to have a chat, super polite, could answer all our questions about the food and seemed genuine and down to earth. We do have to note though that Mike received a different starter to one he thought he’d ordered, but we were dilly-dallying while ordering, so it could have been our own fault for the confusion. The issue was promptly settled and we didn’t encounter any other hiccups.

Now on to our dining experience…

Starter
2 x local wood pigeon pie with artichokes, pancetta, watercress and wild mushrooms £7.50
Organic Scottish salmon tartare with orange gel, beetroot powder, avocado ice cream £7
Seared king scallops with homemade black pudding, apple, radish, peas and bacon £9.50

Wood pigeon pie
Firstly, I will say this was a good portion size for a starter. I was wondering whether it might be a little heavy, but the pastry was delicate and airy. Inside was three large pieces of pigeon (still a touch pink) and a mild, tasty filling made from the mushrooms and pancetta. The peppery taste from the watercress was a excellent addition, as it cut right through the meaty taste of the pie.

Scottish salmon tartare
Vibrant salmon all the way through and the creaminess of the avocado ice cream worked in the same way as you’d get avocado on smoked salmon and egg for brunch. It really gave this dish something else to be interested in than simply a plate of salmon, as great as that can be. This was a well seasoned dish, very pretty and with the unusual ingredients it was quite a talking point.

King scallops
What’s not to love here? Homemade black pud, tender scallops, bacon, boom! So flavourful and satisfying and an excellent portion size for a starter.  At £9.50 this dish had to hit the mark, and for Adam, it did and it was devoured in seconds.

Main
Pan seared seabass with Cotswold chorizo and feve risotto, samphire, clams and golden beetroot £18
Rack of lamb with Jersey Royals, artichokes, salsa verde, confit cherry tomatoes, lamb jus £18.50
10oz ‘Longhorn’ sirloin steak served with a side of truffle and parmesan chips, parsley butter, peppercorn sauce £24
Cotswold Wagyu burger with streaky bacon, welsh rarebit, slow roast tomato, lettuce, beer battered onion rings, truffle and parmesan chips £15

Pan seared seabass
Two good size portions of perfectly cooked seabass with a thin layer of pan fried skin. I ordered a side of mash potato to go with it, but I really didn’t need it in the end. The risotto had an extremely moreish, savoury flavour thanks to the richness of the Cotswold chorizo and a good helping of seasoning. I could have enjoyed a bowl of it by itself quiet happily! The samphire, peas and beetroot helped to lighten the dish. I found the flavours here delightful and I’d go back for this again and again!

Cotswold Wagyu burger
A very neat burger and excellent chunky chips with a fluffy middle. The burger itself was tender and the welsh rarebit element was utterly lovely, but perhaps a little overpowering. Beer battered onion rings were a satisfying, indulgent addition and at no extra cost!

Rack of lamb
You can see a hint of pink on the lamb to show it was cooked to perfection. The confit tomatoes were cooked down well and the combination of those with the Mediterranean salsa verde matched up nicely!

10oz ‘Longhorn’ sirloin steak
I love our Adam for describing his grill as ‘Nommers’ (to be said in a Gloucestershire accent), meaning it was goddamn delicious! When you choose a grill from the menu at Teatro, it comes with a side, truffle and parmesan chips, green peppercorn sauce and parsley butter. But the incredible thing is, adding another side is only £2.50 – we rarely ever see side dishes at that price!

Dessert
Madagascan vanilla creme brulee with poached cherries and pistachio ice cream £7
Colombian dark chocolate fondant with almond and praline ice cream, raspberries and milk puree £7
Selection of artisinal British cheese with crackers, fig and hazelnut bread, apple, chutney, grapes and quince paste £8-11

Creme brulee:
It makes a refreshing change to be served a brulee out of the pot, as you can get at it much more easily this way. Teatro served up a unique combination of poached cherries with pistachio ice cream (a flavour that you just don’t often get in Britain) and still a crunch to the sugary top!

Chocolate fondant
When there’s a fondant on the menu we’ve made a little foodie rule that one of us has to go for it (in that same way that contestants on Masterchef still choose to cook the notorious fondant to show that they’re capable of).  The pud achieved a massive tick for a molten center and another for going above and beyond with the addition of a crumb, tart raspberries, almond and praline ice cream and milk puree. It was lovely to see more than just ice cream with the fondant and it was a fudgy, rich, scrumptious delight.

Cheese board
There are three levels of Cheese board you can play at Teatro – £8, £10, or £11 for the connoisseurs. The other playing pieces include crackers, fig and hazelnut bread, chutney, grapes and quince paste. All British cheeses here, making us very proud to be British!

There’s a vegan menu containing four starters, four mains and three desserts, which is quite an extensive choice! The main dishes are more internationally inspired such as Thai curry, Soba noodles and Gnocchi, which all sound delicious and interesting.

In the summertime we’re definitely going to come back to dine and drink alfresco in their vast outside space. The garden area with tables and chairs looks funky and you can sense it’s absolutely the garden to be in when the sun comes out!

A confident, class act on the Cirencester restaurant scene and we give Teatro a 4.5/5!

Visit Teatro’s website here or follow on Instagram @Teatrociren

Teatro
5Beeches Road,
Cirencester
GL7 1BN