Tartine, Mascot

Chef Anthony Telford was tired of driving over the bridge (he was formerly head chef at Public Dining Room in Mosman) and he wanted to create his own vision, instead of chasing other people’s dreams. Plus he wanted to be more holistic in the approach to food. He wanted to make food that’s more accessible. You might splash out on fine dining once or twice a year, but there are people who set foot in Mascot’s Tartine every single day.

Repurposed Furniture

Finding the furniture was the beginning of Tartine. Rather than buying the furnishings for their interior, Anthony and his partner Amy rescued items from the side of the road. Whether it was stumbling upon packing crates to build tables or reclaiming paintings, it was important to salvage stuff that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Even when painting the furniture, they used leftover paint from people’s sheds.

Tartines and Jaffles

The menu began with tartines initially, but soon a set of jaffles followed (jaffle stuffed with lasagna, anyone?). Coming up with new ideas all the time, the menu kept growing. Seasonality also plays a part. Roast cauliflower replaced a dish with figs that went out of season.

The open kitchen allows Anthony to see his customers’ faces light up when they see their beautifully plated tartines arrive and the smiles on their faces when they bite into their food.

Anthony jokes that they’re not saving lives, that this isn’t heart surgery. But there’s a certain skill set and passion that goes into the business. For instance, the hummus isn’t made from tinned chickpeas or scooped out of supermarket containers. The chickpeas are soaked and cooked to produce an incredible hummus with a rounded flavour.

The Food

Start your morning with tartine soldiers and coddled eggs – buttered Brasserie Bread sourdough is cut into soldiers and served with the most adorable eggs with silly faces drawn on.

But let’s delve into these tasty tartines. A tartine is a French open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients. At Tartine, they’re served on a single slice of Brasserie Bread, then cut into six pieces.

The pulled pork, coleslaw, parsley, and chives on sourdough hits all the right notes with freshness and crunch. The French onion tartine is a flavour victory with shredded beef, crispy onion, gruyere, and chives on sourdough. And for the veggie-lovers, the roast cauliflower tartine with housemade hummus, sumac, fresh herb salad on sourdough is the stuff of dreamy delights.

Out of all the tartines, the smoked salmon, creme fraiche, bronze fennel and pickled cucumber on sourdough is the most vibrant of the bunch. With its vivid, yet delicate presentation, Anthony’s background in fine dining really shines through.

A sweet tartine option is crafty and subtle in all the right ways. Spice-poached pears are served with ricotta, crumble and honey on Brasserie Bread sour cherry toast, hinting at a beautiful crumble dessert without the sickening sweetness.

Tartine
635 Gardeners Rd, Mascot, NSW
Mon-Sat 8am-3pm
Sun 9am-3pm