Tutto in Marlborough Place has only been open a matter of months, but if you ask for recommendations for a fancy dinner on your local Facebook group, it’s already likely to be one of the first mentioned.
But it’s not often recommended as a family-friendly destination – which is what the restaurant is trying to change with its new Sunday feasting menu.
The menu – which they’ve called Domenica (Italian for Sunday) – keeps the sharing concept, but instead of lots of small plates, the offer is extra big ones for two or three people to share.
And for those definitely treating Sunday as a day of rest, there’s also a flight of drinks – starting with a spritz made with one of their homemade ‘cellos, i.e. fruit-infused vodkas, fizz and soda.
These were brought to us with a small flourish of table theatre. The drinks trolley was brought over with an array of the ‘cellos in decorative glass bottles.
The cherry looked beautiful, but nectarine beat it in the taste stakes, sweet, sharp and floral.
Arriving soon afterwards, the antipasti platter was a beautiful combination of salumi and ricotta, complemented by the rich flavors of walnuts and olives. The crunchy crostini added a delightful texture to the dish.
Moving on to the primi course, our choice of rigatoni verde with asparagus, broccoli, peas, and pecorino was a refreshing and light dish that left us impressed. The use of fresh vegetables added a burst of flavor, and the pecorino cheese provided a lovely, savory note.
The secondi course was an absolute highlight. We chose porchetta with nduja gravy and crispy sage leaves, which came with roasted garlic potatoes, cavolo nero, and hispi cabbage.
The pork was succulent, melting in our mouths, and the crisp crackling added a delightful contrast. The sage-infused flavors were deeply savory, elevating the dish to another level.
As for dessert, the giant tiramisu sundae was a visually impressive end to the meal. Though it may have tasted a bit like rum and raisin ice cream, it was still enjoyable, and we couldn’t resist finishing every last bit of it.
The other choice a lemon meringue pie, was similarly photogenic, so much so a woman at the next table took hers over to the window to snap it in the best light.
The service at Tutto was impeccable, and our waitress Fran deserves a special mention. We left the restaurant replete and content.
So will this tempt more families in? Well, as with Tutto’s menus the rest of the week, it’s not the bargain option, with antipasti and main priced at £27 per person, three courses at £32pp and four at £37pp (and the trio of drinks at £20).
But I could definitely see this menu being ideal for a big family gathering to mark a special occasion.
As someone with aging parents, I also noted that everything – including the toilets – is on one level and the spacious restaurant is easy to get around.
The food was simple enough to give all but the most picky eaters an option, but executed with enough flair to satisfy those with more grown up tastes.
