Tootoomoo

Pan Asian eatery Tootoomoo in Crouch End does a bang up job offering a range of crowd pleaser dishes focused on Chinese, Southeast Asian and Japanese flavours. Kemey and I enjoyed sampling a few small plates from the menu before heading out for a show at the nearby Hornsey Town Hall Art Centre. Highlights were the shichimi squid (£4.95), soft shell crab maki (£6.95), and tiger prawn tempura (£6.95). An Asahi Super Dry (£4 for a 330ml bottle) paired well with the dishes.

Both this post, and the next couple that will appear on my blog, are scheduled, as I'm currently in Japan on a sake tour! And oddly enough, this one, and the next, are both reviews of Japanese restaurants in London. Long time readers will know how much I adore Japanese food, so to get to go to two restaurants in London serving one of my favourite cuisines, then to the place itself, is pretty magical. Starting with Tootoomoo. Though not strictly Japanese, Tootoomoo serves a range of pan Asian (from Thailand, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan) inspired dishes at its four restaurants in London (Whetstone, Islington, Highgate and Crouch End - where we went). The Crouch End branch has had a recent makeover and is all brightly coloured wooden tables, chairs and walls - we were sitting in the red area, hence the ruby glow in all my photos!To get my taste buds going, we started with warm sake. I'm not (yet) a sake expert but am hoping the next eight days will teach me a thing or two about this Japanese rice wine, that's made by fermenting rice that's been polished to remove the outer layer. As I was off to Paris the following day and eating with Moosh who's not a meat fan, we stuck with the lighter dishes on the menu, starting with the mixed sushi (tuna and salmon) and yuzu sake maki (salmon, avocado, yuzu and citrus mayo). The sashimi pieces were incredibly fresh and light, and cut from the perfect part of the fish for sashimi. The rolls were good - not the best I've had, but certainly not the worst - though could've had a bit more going on. They too were fresh, just a little bland.

[Update!]

A few months ago, I told you I went to the opening of a restaurant in Crouch End that seems like a good addition to the area for me : Tootoomoo of Crouch End.

Well, I went back for more and I wasn't disappointed!

The restaurant was created by Phillip McGuinness with the collaboration of Chef Ricky Pang, the executive head chef at Tootoomoo, a well renowned chef who works in top class restaurants.

Phillip's desire was too provide people of Crouch End with great asian flavours using only the freshest and healthiest ingredients. Every is organic, the meat is free range, and the techniques are impeccable.

Interior : the decor is inspired by Asia and has little something of a street food market feel to it.

On the wall, you'll find a mural made by local street artist Milo Tchais, which represents Tootoomoo, a little girl who bravely fed the Giant who was coming in her village. That's the legend the restaurant takes its name from.

The rest of the furnitures is a mixed of designer chairs and reclaimed wooden boxes that add to that "street" feeling.

Menu : Tootoomoo is a pan asian restaurant, which means you'll see a range of dishes from all over Asia : ramen, sushi and gyoza from Japan, Duck rolls from China, Beef Rendang from Malaysia, Bo Lu Lac from Vietnam, ...

The difficult thing with pan asian restaurant is that they usually try to make too many different things in the same place and they don't excel at any. Well, at Tootoomoo, they do it well! I went to the opening night in November and tried a few of their starters like maki, duck rolls, chicken satay skewers ... I won't say it's the best maki or the best duck rolls in London, but they surely are well executed and with high quality produce.

They also created their very own cocktails range : the Hungry Giant (Vodka, coconut milk, lime juice thyme infusion), the Tootoomoo Martini (with Passion fruit!), and many others.

tried for you : Chicken ramen and Water Chestnut Gyoza. The chicken Ramen goes all the way to my top 5 in London. And you know I tried a lot of them in January and February! The broth is light and clear, the noodles not too soft. And the Chicken is high quality. Definitely a good choice if you visit Tootoomoo for the first time and don't know what to try. Or if you try Ramen for the time and are in North London.

The Water Chestnut Gyoza were also really tasty. Even when cold, you could feel the yummy juice inside the dumplings. A nice vegetarian gyoza.

The + : The restaurant has an "epicerie" corner where you can buy asian ingredients, from soy sauce, nori, sesame seeds, rice, sake, ... to cookware and tableware. And the price are more than honest compare to the likes of Japan Center or Atariya Food. So if you feel inspired by what you've just eaten, you can just ask a waiter and they'll help you choose all the ingredients you need to cook at home. Remember, Chef JP is just behind the counter.... so ask him fo tips!

On Fridays and Saturdays nights, they organise "Street market" evening, where you get to try their cocktails half price, chat with people and eat little "tapas style" asian dishes while waiting for your take away order to be ready.

And if you leave quite close by, there is a delivery service available. Your food will be delivered with one of these electric bikes!

Disclosure : I was invited by the Tootoomoo team to try their menu. This review is my own and I'd like to mention that I wouldn't have written this review if I hadn't really enjoyed the food.

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[Previous review]

Hi guys!

On Friday night, I went to the opening of a brand new restaurant in Crouch End : Tootoomoo !

Based on pan asian cuisine, this new comer to London foodie scene promise to be a nice stop on the North London map!

Just a few pictures for now, but I intend to go back soon to taste the WHOLE menu for you (that's how dedicated I am! )

The restaurant also offers a "mini market", where you can shop for basic ingredients for asian cuisine like soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, fish sauce, ... and also some kitchen equipment (wok, bamboo steam baskets,...). 

And from January, Tootoomoo will start a delivery service around the area ! Watch out for those bikes!

  
I'm looking forward to go back and properly taste the menu. On the launch night, I sampled some salmon maki, and lots of others little things that made me think that Tootoomoo should be a nice addition to the area.

It's hard to know what's best about Tootoomoo. It could be the sweet and succulent Crispy Duck Rolls or the melt-in-the-mouth Beef Rendang in roasted coconut and sweet potatoes. Perhaps it's the Steamed Seabass in superior soy, ginger, mushrooms and chilli or the subtle yet powerful 'Nasi Goreng' Fried Rice, all washed down with a couple of chilled and refreshing Japanese Asahi beers. Whatever it was when we had our first sit-down meal in the cute Crouch End restaurant this week - rather than having it all delivered to our N8 door - it worked. It worked not just because of the lively atmosphere and friendly, attentive staff but because we could sate our Pan Asian culinary cravings in just one sitting! Go! If you're disappointed, then honestly - I don't know what you're looking for!

Love coming here, nice and cosy environment with great quality food. I was served by the staff, who are always very friendly and helpful when it comes to recommending dishes. Would recommend 👍🏻 special thanks to the bartender.

As soon as I entered this restaurant I was impressed because everything was close at hand I didn't have to sit for anything Omer was always ready to serve me I would definitely recommend this restaurant and request others

Tootoomoo Crouch End offers a delightful culinary journey. The pan-Asian menu features an impressive array of dishes, and each one is a masterpiece. The sushi rolls are beautifully crafted, and the pad Thai is rich and flavorful. The restaurant's modern yet cozy atmosphere adds to the overall charm. The staff is knowledgeable and attentive, providing excellent recommendations. Don't forget to try their signature cocktails, which perfectly complement the cuisine. Tootoomoo Crouch End undoubtedly sets the bar high for Asian cuisine in the area!

I and my Wife dinned in at this restaurant last week and we had a wonderful experience. The staff was well-disposed. The food was also tasty. In short its a nice place for dine in with your partner specially because of ambiance.

Small place that gets very busy, which I think is a good sign. The food and atmosphere was awesome. I had two different Dim Sum and Katsu Chicken Curry with rice. And The Chilli Beef. And it was fantastic. I absolutely love this place. I will travel from South London to eat here. I like it this much. The food is amazing, the staff are nice and open, welcoming. I love the atmosphere. One minus is that is always PACKED, but hey! That's a good sign! I'm just bad at reserving tables, really.