What: Independent restaurant group Tattu’s fifth restaurant, located on the rooftop of the new The Now Building in the Outernet development. It is the group’s first London venue, joining its locations in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Edinburgh.
Who: Brothers Adam and Drew Jones are behind Tattu, which was established in Manchester in 2015. The menu is devised and overseen by Tattu’s executive chef Andrew Lasseter.
The food: Beautiful plating is part of the Tattu experience, which serves a menu of Modern Chinese cuisine that’s designed to be shared. The menu is divided into parts including dim sum, small plates, larger plates, and rice, noodles and vegetables and features almost entirely new dishes, with some Tattu favourites thrown into the mix. Highlights include chicken truffle shumai; a red and white striped pearly king crab dumplings; lobster and scallop toast; a striking royal koi fish gau (pictured) and small plates of seven spice seared tuna and yellowtail and kiwi sashimi. Larger plates include XO scallops; Szechuan red pork belly; Chilean sea bass; green pepper lobster; and Grade 5 wagyu beef ribeye. The desserts list is much tighter by comparison, with options such as bubble tea and cotton cheesecake; wood smoked dragon that comes to the table under a smoke-filled cloche; and a koi fish panna cotta.
The drinks: A short but sensible selection of red and white wines is enhanced by a solid cocktail offer. There’s also a range of ‘select serves’ of vodka, gin and tonic, and tequila infusions and seven-strong list of sakes.
The vibe: Tattu’s London interior is inspired by a traditional Chinese courtyard house, in which four ‘residences’ surround a central garden. There are a number of dining room areas with design features such as pearlescent shell and rippled glass textures; a marble floor and Chinese motifs throughout. As well as a bar area there’s an outdoor terrace offering panoramic views of the West End.
And another thing: The word Tattu is derived from a combination of ‘tattoo’ the art form that inspires the restaurant’s interiors and ‘tatau’, an ancient word from eastern culture that means to make a mark.
The Now Building Rooftop, Outernet, Denmark Place, WC2H 0LA