Emma Bartholomew tries out the ‘Mediterranean fusion’ menu at Tuyo – the latest addition to Broadway Market’s foodie scene
“My chef really likes making croquetas,” Tuyo’s owner proudly told us, when we told him how much we’d loved them but were surprised to see them popping up on the menu so often.
Not only has chef Ricardo Pimental put a date and picos blue version in the nibbles and charcuterie section (£6) of the new Broadway Market restaurant, he’s slipped an oxtail version into the meat main courses (£6.50).
In both cases the light fried breadcrumb casing crunches delicately in your mouth to expose their richly flavoured innards.
Apparently he had made some with cod the other day, and the former Salt Yard protégée is going to showcase his croquetas in a TV competition soon.
Before Tuyo opened in Pritchard’s Row last week Pimental spent six months passionately tweaking his unique array of “pinchos” or small bites to perfection.
Even the homemade bread (£4.50) was exceptional and I was happy to fill up on moist white slices peppered with big green olives, slathering them in a sweet homemade butter more like a sweet mousse.
There’s a blue neon “Tuyo” sign and a gorgeous blue padded bar serving house cocktails designed to complement the menu’s flavours, like the ‘Beso De Lavanda’ with gin and lavender syrup, and the ‘Chilli Gunners’ with run, raspberry liqueur and homemade chilli syrup.
A mini pork burger (£6) comes with a delicious sweet homemade ketchup painted on the wooden board it’s served on, and the smoked sardine special (£5.50), presented with dots of curry yogurt and a sprinkling of dessicated coconut, tastes as delicate as it looks. Sometimes I find restaurants can fly high with the sharing plates and things take a downward turn when it comes to the main courses. But the lamb tagine (£12.50) with smoothest roasted sweet potato purée did not disappoint.
The bright airy space next to the Regent’s Canal has the feel of a jungle with creeping plants hanging down from the ceiling, and it hasn’t taken long for its innovative offering to take off as on the Sunday night we visit it’s packed out already.
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