TASTE TEST Taera, delicious Venezuelan cuisine in the heart of Monte-Carlo
The chef provides tasty dishes for sharing - © Monte-Carlo SBM
The pop-up restaurant has taken up residence on the patio of the Hôtel de Paris.
“Taera” means “strength”. Borrowed from the dialect of the Waraos, Venezuela’s indigenous people, the term describes the career path of the 29-year-old chef, Victoria Vallenilla, as she says herself.
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Currently working at Coya, she has just opened a pop-up on the patio of the Hôtel de Paris, after more than a year’s planning. “It’s a project that has had its ups and downs, since it involved creating a brand. In human terms, it’s been marvellous. (…) But it was also a real challenge that required a lot of work,” she says.
Her vision? Simple, “no glitz or glitter,” inviting cuisine, but one that would fit in with the Monte-Carlo SBM’s guiding principles. “My career to date has been in palaces and Michelin-starred restaurants, because that’s where I wanted to work. But I couldn’t quite find my identity: I liked the techniques of fine dining, but I wanted to add something a bit more ‘fun’, to break with tradition. At Coya, I was able to find a South American identity that I’d been missing. I’m proud of the fact that cooking knows no social barriers or borders. Venezuelan food is not very well known in the world, so Taera’s primary objective is to provide relaxed and inviting cuisine,” she smiles.
Typical Venezuelan dishes
This translates, on the plate, to “simple, easy-to-understand cuisine, with good quality, tasty ingredients “: tequeños clasicos (crispy cheese rolls) with guasacaca sauce, pabellón criollo (shredded beef, rice, black beans, plantain and quail eggs), or for dessert, quesillo tradicional (a creamy vanilla-caramel custard, using the young chef’s grandmother’s recipe). Of course, there are also other sweet and savoury creations on the menu.
The menu is short and uses products that are sometimes imported from South America, such as black beans or avocados. But to avoid too negative an impact on the environment, most of the products are sourced in Europe. For example, typical Venezuelan cheeses come from Spain.
In theory, the pop-up will remain at the Hôtel de Paris for a year. However, the chef isn’t ruling out the possibility of continuing the brand elsewhere in the future.
Our opinion
With its beautiful colours both on the walls and on the plate, Taera provides a fabulous South American interlude. The dishes are an invitation to travel and to share.
As for the flavours, they are surprising and delicious. Regular visitors to Coya may find that Venezuelan cuisine is not as spicy as Peruvian, but it is nonetheless spicy and full of flavour.
The restaurant offers a whole range of arepas: crispy corn patties that serve as a base for dishes with clever blends of ingredients. Like the arepa de queso de mano con cecina de Wagyu: a vegetable charcoal corn cake with crineja cheese and Wagyu ham. The pabellón criollo, features extremely tender shredded beef, with a hint of sweetness thanks to the plantain.
Those with a sweet tooth won’t want to miss out on the excellent desserts. From the light vanilla and caramel custard to the creamy chocolate mousse and the surprising scoop of ice cream with a hint of chilli… There’s plenty to enjoy. Our favourite: the rice pudding with crunchy caramel, vanilla and tonka bean, a must-try!
Practical details:
- Venue: Patio at the Hôtel de Paris
- Times: noon to 7 pm
- Price: €€