When friends get together for after work drinks, and the conversation goes on (and on), what tends to happen next is someone says, “we should order dinner”. Sometimes, with more talking than eating planned, the regular appetizer/ dinner/dessert combination can be a bit much, resulting in multiple takeout bags. So on this occasion we were strategic about our dining choices. After an exceptionally long workday, the ladies headed to TEN Café & Bar for a glass of wine and tapas. With its oversized art, chalkboard menu, options of al fresco or contemporary lounge style dining, over the past several years, TEN has become a popular morning coffee, weekday lunch and weekend brunch spot. But when looking for a 'little' something off the beaten track, TEN is also a cool happy hour venue with creative cocktails, a more than satisfactory selection of wine and a fun range of small plate options. Here’s what we had: Chicken Tikka Flatbread with Mango Chutney and Yogurt Dressing The first thing noticed, how tender the chicken was on this dish. Like, melt in your mouth tender, with a mix of flavours that was complex but not overpowering. Perfectly marinated chicken is served atop a mango chutney base and given a healthy drizzle of traditional yogurt dressing. The result is sweet, slighty spicy, a bit smoky, yet cool and creamy flavours merging in the mouth for a unified 'yum. This stand out dish is something we would definitely try again.' Chicken Wings with Two Dipping Sauces Since not everyone at the table is an ummm 'adventurous eater', and since you really can’t go wrong with wings we opted for the six wings with two dipping sauces, a sweet chili and a spicy honey dip. While the wings were good (you've got to work hard to mess up a wing) the sauce selection was somewhat of a disappointment as they were pretty much the same experience, i.e. sweet & spicy. Trio of Dips with Pita Points A not-so-small plate with an array of flavours; all of them delicious. Ranging from sweet to salty to rich, it was a good time mixing and matching the three dips; honey almond cheese, olive tapenade, and roast red pepper dip (plus the inner child enjoyed this chance to play with food). The bite size, toasted pita made this the perfect small plate for sharing and having food fun. Honey Almond Cheese Fondue Now this is the same combination found in the trio of dips, but this one comes in a fiery hot cast iron pot with the cheese bubbling over and surrounded by an ample amount of toasted bread cubes. For us, it was the piece de la resistance. Like. OMG, when are we going back to have it again. It’s majorly addictive and absolutely not for those on a restricted carb diet. BUT, if you’re going to have a cheat day, this is well worth it. Did we mention there was wine? We sampled in two kinds of pinot noir. There was the Beringer, earthy yet light and smooth, and then there was the Underwood, a flavour that was described at the table as ‘luscious blueberries’. A closer look at the winery's description, and the Tasting Notes agreed: “Cherry, Blackberry and Cola”. (blueberry….blackberry / tomayto…tomahto) It was all berry-licious to us. There's lots to enjoy at TEN, but on this occasion it was the well-portioned small plates at reasonable prices. It made for a pleasant atmosphere to enjoy a glass of wine with sharing plates, leaving us adequately satisfied with taste and the amount of food all while having a good, evening catch-up chat with friends.
The specials and samplers change often so there are no promises that all of these goodies will be on the menu the next time you drop by but we can say with confidence that you'll be in for a pleasant time at TEN. TEN Dundonald Street Hamilton Bermuda Tel: (441) 295 0857 Website: TEN Café & Bar Facebook: TEN Café & Bar
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