Last summer the first Tigermilk restaurant opened in the UK close to Tottenham Court Road in Central London, having already opened five restaurants in France and one in Belgium.
This year sees the second restaurant open close to the City in Spitalfields and Tigermilk’s largest restaurant to date with a brand-new 280-seat flagship restaurant and the company’s 13th since they first launched back in 2019 by founders Nina and Alexis Melikov, who commented:
“We see Tigermilk as the Latin American answer to the European brasserie. With Spitalfields, we want to go further, bigger, louder, and more alive, while keeping what matters most: generosity, atmosphere, and a place people come back to without thinking twice.”
The launch party, which I went to, was a big, glamourous affair, filling the restaurant’s three large rooms with around 200 guests.
The main entrance to the ‘hacienda’ is designed to replicate a courtyard which leads into the ‘house’. As you pass through a sequence of interconnected spaces, from the main dining room to a vast orangery with shelves filled with books that can seat over 80 guests, you can’t miss the eye-catching centrepiece bar with an impressive six-metre-high stack of over 2,200 bottles rising above it, somewhat reminiscent of the sweeping bar that stretches across the large dining area in the Tottenham Court Road restaurant, with its glowing wall of over 250 mezcals and tequila.
Inspired by the grand estates of Cuernavaca, the design of the Spitalfields restaurant embraces scale. It is somewhat theatrical, dramatic and deliberately over the top and a fun place to spend a few hours.
A menu designed for sharing
Inspiration for the menu comes from Tigermilk’s love for Latin America, from the coastlines of Peru to the mercados of Mexico. Dishes tend to be on the generous side, designed for sharing, and the ingredients are freshly sourced, such as the MSC-certified fish and free-range meats. The menu also caters for both vegetarians and vegans as well as those with allergies which is good news, as my guest is gluten intolerant. In that respect the menu is particularly helpful as it tells you which dishes are gluten-free. It also indicates which dishes are spicy, which I appreciated as I am not good with spicy food. But if you do have any allergies do make sure you emphasise this when placing your order.
The starters (from £7) include things like Sweet & Creamy Tacos, a Salmon Tiradito and Tacos De Cochinita Pibil, filled with tender pulled pork or you could simply choose some Truffle Nachos or Guacamole, which is what we ordered as we made the difficult decision as to what to choose for our main course.
After some deliberations we decided to share a dish of the Salmon a La Parilla (£21.90), which is a delicious combination of seared salmon, mashed sweet potatoes and caramelised hazelnuts and coriander. For a bit of variety, we also chose the Carnitas Quesadilla (£17.50), which is a large quesadilla filled with tender British pulled pork, carnitas, triple cheese, smoky chipotle with jalapeño cream and a side of Spanish rice.
Although I didn’t have it this time, I can also recommend the Smoky Mole Rojo (£17.90), which is Tigermilk’s take on classic Mexican mole rojo, made with shredded chicken in a rich, smoky red sauce of chiles, warm spices and a hint of chocolate and is best enjoyed inside a tortilla.
If you are particularly hungry, the sharer dishes include a Lamb Al Brasero that is slow roasted and accompanied by warm tortillas and a T-Bone Al Agave Y Chile marinated in mezcal and a sweet agave and smoky chili blend.
If you have a weak spot for all things sweet, then do make sure you leave some room for one of their rather indulgent desserts, such as the Maracuyá Tiramisu (£6.90), made with four layers of passionfruit and cream. Then there’s either a silky chocolate mousse (Mousschacho) or Chocolate Brownie (£7.90) for the chocolate lovers or, if like me you have a weak spot for cheesecake, then the fabulously delicious Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (£8.50) is the perfect way to round off an enjoyable, relaxed lunch.
Latin American inspired wine and cocktails
A special mention needs to be given to Tigermilk’s drinks menu which is as bold as its food menu and includes remarkably good value cocktails such as the signature Tigermilk-Spritz (£9) made with yuzu and Aperol, a Paloma Vieja (£11) with Tequila, grapefruit and hibiscus and a choice of six classic and alcohol free Margaritas (from £7.50). They also have over 250 bottles of tequila and mezcal to choose from.
The reasonably priced wine list has a focus on independent producers from France, Spain and South America. We choose a delightfully fruity 2021 Valdivieso Pinot Noir from Chile, which is available by the glass (£7) or bottle (£37) and paired really well with our meal. The also have a Chilean Merlot, an Argentinian Malbec and a French Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a couple of nice rosés from France and Brasil. When it comes to the white wines, there is a Chilean Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well as a French Chablis and I do like the fact that the majority of the wines are available by the glass (125ml or 175ml) as well as by the bottle.
Although we were quite late leaving the restaurant there were still people coming and going giving the place a lively vibe. Whether you are looking for fun place for an after work cocktail with colleagues or a nice meal with friends, then this newest addition from Tigermilk offers something for everyone.
The Details
Tigermilk Spitalfields, The London Fruit & Wool Exchange, Crispin Street, London, E1 6AG, England.
Website: www.tigermilkrestaurants.com
Located a short distance from Liverpool Street Mainline and Underground stations on the Central, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. The restaurant is open Monday to Sunday from midday to 11:00pm.
Type of Restaurant: South American Restaurant
Price Band: Medium
Insider Tip: Do try and leave some room at the end of your meal for one of their superb desserts!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8/10
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Tigermilk and by Simon Burrell
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