Tugga (closed) Overview
Say Ciao to Italian and Bon Voyage to French, because Portuguese is the new kid-on-the-Chelsea-block. Well, maybe that’s a slight gastrological exaggeration, but Tugga is certainly turning heads on the King’s Road.
On a purely aesthetical level it’s easy to see what’s captured such a large client base. Vibrant hand-painted flowers cover the wall whilst exposed brickwork and rustic floors give a more authentic quality to the restaurant. Add this to the coolest and most comfortable sofa’s you’ll ever perch your demanding bottom on and you’ll be unsure whether you should be ordering food or asking for curtains to match the interior.
Let’s put the shallowness aside and talk about the food – after all it takes more than just good looks to win hearts over. Taking its inspiration from a Portugese/Mediterranean tradition the menu presents a wide range of flavours from the various regions.
The courses are small and perfectly formed. For starters I enjoyed the goat’s cheese and honey pastry, an enjoyable combination that almost felt like I’d started on my pudding early. There is also a good Tapas menu for those in the mood of a bit of drawn-out dining.
Main courses comprise of a good selection of meat and fish dishes (prices average £14.00). After falling in love with the freshness of the seafood, my hungry companion and I selected scallops and sole. Both excellent choices – particularly charming were the scallops because of the creamy coconut sauce that they were marinated in.
The wine list is all true to its Portuguese heritage, with prices starting at £15, and the deliciously fresh cocktails combine traditional classics like the Porto Diabo alongside more daring modern creations.
Drinks and dinner finished – but are you done? Well you don’t have to be, because Tugga boasts Nova, a sleek but comfortable chilled out club downstairs where you can sample even more of the extensive list of intoxicating Portuguese delights. It’s open till 1am so you have plenty of time to work your way through as many of those Mediterranean mixers as you can manage. So, if you weren’t in love with this Chelsea hotspot at first glance you certainly will be by the end of the night. (Updated 03/10/2006)
Additional Info: Food, Cloakroom, Security, Outside Drinking, Late License, Hire Available, Cocktails, Non-Smoking Area, Cocktails Recommended, Disabled Access
Nearby Venues:
- Babushka, Modern European (0.00km)
- Buona Sera at the Jam, Italian (0.04km)
- Big Easy, American (0.07km)
- Napket, International (0.07km)
- Stockpot (The), Italian (0.08km)
- Made in Italy, Italian (0.13km)
- Pig's Ear (The), Pub (0.14km)
- Bluebird Restaurant & Club, Modern British (0.17km)
- My Old Dutch Pancake House (Chelsea), Dutch (0.20km)
- Ed's Easy Diner (Chelsea), American (0.25km)
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