Inside The Chinese Restaurant Slinging Out Theatrical Cocktails And Decadent Dumplings

With locations in Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, and Edinburgh, Tattu is a restaurant that I always had on my bucket list. So when I found out it had opened in London, I was absolutely clamouring to go. From the decadent cherry blossom decor to the upscale Asian cuisine and signature cocktails, the venue had a lot to live up to in my mind. Finally, I got the chance to visit the lush venue on Denmark Street and guess what? I was drooling with anticipation. But was it worth it? Read on to find out.

Everything is served with that extra wow-factor.

When my date and I first walked in, we were met with a sleek spot called the Phoenix Bar - each area is actually based on a different animal, including the dragon koi and tiger. Situated on The Now Building Rooftop in Fitzrovia, the boozer had the perfect view of the Shard. We also immediately noticed the pagoda-style beams and Chinese hanging lamps as we settled into our cosy booth. 

We kicked things off with a drink each, which was served in a theatrical fashion. I opted for the Hidden Dragon (£20), a heady mix of coconut, rum and espresso. Oozing with coffee flavour, it gave me a nice little bolt of energy to start the evening off. However, what made it stand out was how they presented it, inside a glass case with smoke inside. The waiter even let me say ‘when’ so I could snap a cute video of the whole moment. My boyfriend went for a more sweet route with the Skull Candy (£16), a vibrant hot pink-coloured mix of Crystal Head Vodka, lemon and candy. 

The London venue goes for a more intimate style than its other sites.

Now onto the food. We started off with the pearly king crab dumpling (£19.50) with apples and pears inside the filling as well. It was fresh and the fruit added a little bit of sweetness, while the other dim sum, the royal koi fish gao (£14.50) veered more on the savoury side. Packed with Chilean sea bass, yuzu and miso, it was equally delicious and served in a pretty aesthetic with an edamame bean delicately placed on each dumpling.

We also got stuck into some other small plates, including the Szechuan red pork belly skewers (£16.75) topped with a crackling. The perfectly spiced slabs of pork belly were tender - absolutely faultess. Another highlight had to be the truffled wagyu carpaccio (£34.90), paper-thin slices of fillet bathed in a truffle, ichimi pepper and wasabi soy. A few of the morsels were also accented with small bits of fried garlic which took the flavour to the next level.

The cherry blossom negroni is a must for an Insta moment.

One dish we were recommended was the seared spiced tuna (£16.90) - gorgeous cuts of tuna placed in a citrus ponzu and topped with truffle aioli and caviar. It was sublime, with the acidity of the ponzu balancing out the richness of the aioli, making for a delicious bite. As we polished off our food, we had to try a few more cocktails. My other half went for another iconic libation, the Cherry Blossom Negroni (£17), a nice blend of Roku Gin, cherry blossom and Campari. While I’m not a huge negroni gal myself, I took about 50 pics of this one as it had a huge ice cube in the centre of the blush-coloured drink with a freaking cherry blossom on top. A great way to finish the night.

The DesignMyNight Digest 

While there was a tonne of hype behind Tattu, it absolutely delivered. Situated in Fitzrovia, it's definitely on the pricier side when it comes to dining in London, but worth every penny. So if you have a special occasion or looking to impress on date night, head here for decadent small plates and cocktails served in a theatrical aesthetic. Oh, and be sure to show up with a fully charged phone so you can snap half a dozen pics.

Craving more? Click here for our guide to the best Chinese restaurants in London. For more London restaurant inspo, sign up to our weekly newsletter.