Taproot 2.0: Chef Jeff Taibe Launches Southeast Asian Menu...And It's Delicious

Kristin L. Wolfe March 14, 2021

“It was like having a sparkler in your mouth,” says beloved Connecticut Chef Jeff Taibe on his early food experiences in Singapore.

Many of us regular CT diners are familiar with his passion and talent for cooking, and his following is testament enough to know that his food….well, sings. There’s even been pomp and accolades from the big whigs, and “Best Ofs,” and yet, he’s been holding out on us. Joking aside, he has flung his flair for Southeast Asian cuisine our way for some time through Kawa Ni, in Westport and, more recently at the original Taproot, and, even more recently, from the On the Fly food truck. BUT, after twenty years-ish, he’s ready to pull out all the stops and bring us his love affair with Singapore on a plate, every single day. Well, the days they are open.

Having spent time in Singapore first as a teen baseball player, then again as a serious cook, you can imagine how that “sparkler” left a lasting impression. Chef Taibe says, he just had to have that depth of flavor on the new menu. “I remember the Miang Kum (which is actually Thai); or The Mee Goreng that he’d have three times a week for lunch. He’d have dosa and chai tea most mornings in Little India or the chicken murtabak, “at 2 in the morning, while a bit tipsy; it woke me right up with how perfect of a bite of food it was.”

Singapore is a multicultural city, so, from wide-eyed experiences as a new chef to having access to such a variety of ingredients, it is a likely enough climate for any cook to fall in love. Flash forward to today, being able to pay homage to a special time and place, and re-imagine those experiences on a plate for your community. It kind of sounds like winning the culinary jackpot, and well, we’re here for it, Chef. Holy F...we’re here for it.

Even though chefs are rockstars, and very cool in my eyes, they geek out like the rest of us mere mortals. When I asked Chef about the ingredients he’s excited about using, I should have braced myself for serious levels of enthusiasm. Shrimp Paste, Fish Sauce, Thai Basil, oh my. “Even though they [the shrimp paste and fish sauce] are as pungent as they are to smell, the flavor, when incorporated with other ingredients, is AMAZING. The depth of flavor they provide and roundness to a dish is hard to substitute.” Let’s take his word for it: like walking through a fish market, true; but the results for your belly, divine. And Thai Basil also has a very strong smell and flavor, but really works well with lighter dishes. When put on the side of a dish, as you often see Chef do, it acts as a fresh, cleansing bite amidst so many really powerful aromas and flavors.

Let’s Eat.

Bedazzled with variety and complexity from Singapore, with dashes of Thailand, and India, you can’t deny the bright multicultural palate this region cultivates. “The flavors pop,” Chef notes, and, “although the food is generally spicy, it is not overwhelming; there are so many other parts to a dish which tame the heat.” Homework: The food from Singapore is known as Peranakan or Nonya cuisine. Spend a few minutes exploring the historical explanation. Then try not to sweat with anticipation.

I remember telling Chef that when I think about his food thus far, it is recognizable, approachable on the one hand, AND YET, there has always been a wild surprise. I’d say he’s passed the “sparkler” to us now.

Welcomed with Pig’s Ear Miang Kum, with crispy ears, lettuce, and coconut/tamarind sauce, we were awakened immediately by a delightful cross section of tastes; there’s just nothing like that salty, sweet, crunch thang happenin’ in your mouth. By the way, I could have slurped the sauce on its own. The Chicken Satay was, of course, a recognizable treat, and yet, as is the case with Chef, there’s an extraordinary, unexpected component that takes everything up a notch. Very moist thighs, and that punch of lemongrass made the difference for me. Now, here’s where I was truly stopped in my tracks: Smoked Mushroom Spring Rolls. Okay fine, they look very familiar, which is already smile-inducing, but you will NEVER look at spring rolls the same way again. They smoke the king oyster mushrooms for four hours; you’d swear it’s a gorgeous beef, all deep and jerkified; it’s life altering, frankly. Mee Gareng noodles with housemade sambal mamak (a chili paste) brings the popular street food stalls to us here in CT. Bright, zesty, spicy, and a little sweet. Fish Sauce Caramel. Are you kidding me? The Whole Fried Sea Bass was served on a beautiful bed with a mango slaw, but had that edge (like caramelized anything), that tastes like finding food gold.

If I wasn’t already seeing angels at this point, after a brief moment of digestion, Chef and Steph served us a bright icy dessert sure to give the Ice Cream Man a run for his money this summer. Boss Lady, Steph Webster, and I already discussed the urgency of this by the truck load, pronto. Known as Ais Kacang, or Ice Kachang, which translates to “bean ice,” it is a rainbow mountain of wild, fresh, milky flavor. In short, a party in a bowl

The space for Taproot 2.0 is vibrant and colorful with plants, and global music to match the vibe. Each plate has just the same pop, and offers an unforgettable moment of delicious dining. Chef's wife, Steph Sweeney, has not only added her eye to the new look, but she’s also created a SWEET, FRESH fusion of cocktails. I might have fallen in love with the Further East, with rum, Shachu, coconut milk, lemongrass, pandan, and yuzu/lime; but the Gin Slinger with gin, curacao, grenadine, smoked pineapple, and cherry bitters, or the Golden Child with vodka, mango, galangal (blue ginger), lime and cava, ranked pretty high on the list as well. But I might have been seeing double by the time those rolled around.