It’s been less than a year since the UK debut of Tigermilk here in Central London, having already opened five restaurants in France and one in Belgium.
Walking through the door, you quickly forget about the hustle and bustle of Charing Cross Road. The ambiance is cosy and stylish with bold, vibrant colours and comfortable seating, while the many cactuses dotted around try to give a South American feel to the place. There is an open kitchen at the far end of the restaurant with additional seating downstairs which would make for a good private event space. Designed like all their locations by Tigermilk’s in-house creative team, Studio Leche, in collaboration with celebrated Soho House interiors alumna Christie Ward, the interior design is reminiscent of the faded grandeur of the old estates around Cuernavaca where life used to take place between marble courtyards, mirrored halls and lush gardens.
Seated at our comfortable banquette overlooking the sweeping bar that stretches across the room, with its glowing wall of over 250 mezcals and tequila, we order some Guacamole, served with crisp tortilla chips and an Oaxacan Negroni each and peruse the extensive menu that caters for both vegetarians 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.
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, and the ingredients are freshly sourced, such as the MSC-certified fish and free-range meats.
The starters (from £7) look tempting and include things like Sweet & Creamy Tacos, a Salmon Tiradito and Pollock tempura loaded with zesty pickled red cabbage (Cabo San Taos). However, we decide to skip them and jump straight into the mains and order a few dishes to share., starting with the Salmon a La Parilla (£21.90), which is a delicious combination of seared salmon, mashed sweet potatoes and caramelised hazelnuts and coriander. We also choose 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. Lastly, we add the Carne Asada cured beef flank (£19.50), marinated in spices and grilled to give a tender, smoky finish.
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.
Do make sure you leave some room for one of their “naughty but nice” desserts, which have a rather indulgent theme to them, 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 amongst you or, if like me you like cheesecake, then the fabulously delicious Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (£8.50) is the perfect way to round off an enjoyable, relaxed lunch accompanied by a double espresso, while my guest opted for the Berry Bliss (£6.90) made with fresh berries, whipped cream and a tangy yuzu puree.
Latin American inspired wine and cocktails
A mention needs to be given to Tigermilk’s drinks menu which is as bold as its food menu and includes very reasonably priced cocktails such as a 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. 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 2023 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. When it comes to the white wines, there is a Chilean Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well as a French Chablis and I like the fact that all the wines are available by the glass as well as by the bottle.
Sunday Brunch
At the end of January Tigermilk launched their brand-new Sunday Brunch that is available from 11:00am to 4:00pm, designed to be a relaxed, indulgent fun, family weekend event. It has been inspired by the mercados of Mexico City, the café terraces of Lima and the lively brunch culture of Bogotá and celebrates Latin America’s love of sharing, warmth and unapologetic pleasure.
Priced at £29 per head, it includes one savoury dish, a sweet and hot drink. If, however, you want to make it a Bottomless Margarita or Mimosa brunch, you can simply add £25 or £20 respectively.
Savoury dishes include things like the Big Truffle Quesadilla which pairs soft scrambled eggs with melted cheese, while the Chicken Waffle is packed with crispy fried chicken soaked in agave syrup. The Salmon Brioche is soaked with milk and muscade and if you are looking for a sharing plate then the Barbacoa Sharers are just ticket, made with tender slow-cooked beef.
You can then follow with something sweet, such as the Classic Pancakes, served tall and fluffy with seasonal fruit and maple syrup, while the PBB Pancakes combine peanut butter and banana. Or there is of course the Blueberry & Speculoos Cheesecake, which is creamy, crunchy and topped with a red berry coulis.
There is an array of drinks to choose from that include barista-made coffees, organic teas and fresh juices, not to mention the brunch cocktails.
While the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy like many restaurants at lunchtime at the moment, given the current economic climate, it meant we could enjoy our meal in relaxed comfort and received good, attentive service. However, I am told it tends to be much busier in the evenings.
They do, however, also offer a special lunch menu from midday to 3:00pm on weekdays, priced at just £30 per head that includes a main and side dish, a dessert and drink.
Well and truly sated after our almost three hour lunch, we stepped out into a busy Charing Cross Road and went on our way agreeing that we would return for an evening meal or to try their Sunday Brunch.
The Details
Tigermilk, 127 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EW, England.
Website: www.tigermilkrestaurants.com
The closest Underground station is Tottenham Court Road on the Central, Northern and Elizabeth lines and is just a couple of minutes’ by foot. Tigermilk is open Monday to Wednesday from midday to 3:00pm for lunch and from 5:00pm to 10:30pm for dinner. Thursday from midday to 10:30pm, Saturday from midday to 11:00pm and Sunday from 11:00am to 10:30pm.
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 delicious desserts!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10
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
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