I have visited Highbury and Islington station many times, as my father-in-law is an Arsenal season ticket holder, and I am now delighted to have an amazing venue to have either pre- or post-game drinks and dinner, as Tootoomoo is just a stone’s throw away from the Emirates Stadium.
Tootoomoo is set up as both a restaurant and takeaway, and if we hadn’t known it was there we could have easily missed it or passed it off as just another local takeaway, which would have been tragic, as this is a great little spot for dining. Although it is also a takeaway, this doesn’t detract from the restaurant itself, and in fact adds a busy vibe to the restaurant. The warm lighting coming from the bare light bulbs and the bird cage designs, coupled with the colourful furniture and tables inlaid with pretty tiling patterns, gives a fusion Asian street market themed restaurant.
Tootoomoo’s food has an Asian fusion menu, which combines Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese styles, and does so really well, taking the best of each to satisfy everyone’s tastes, and certainly mine. I understand that the food also takes a strong influence from their great matriarch Grandma Pang, whose secret ingredients and recipes have been incorporated with modern techniques, and I wish I had such a Grandma, as the food is truly delicious.
My wife and I visited on a Sunday and opted for the bottomless brunch which allows you to select anything off the menu for a set price. This brunch is flexible, allowing either 1 1/2 hours or 2 hours, and offers a food only price or a price that includes unlimited drinks. Prices range from £30 to £45 per person and are excellent value.
After we ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (£23) we started our trip across Asia with some Edamame (£2.95) followed closely by some Crispy Duck Rolls accompanied with a lovely rich hoisin sauce (£4.50) and a lovely Wanton Soup with Chicken Dumplings (£2.95). These were quickly followed by some fabulously rich and meaty BBQ Pork Ribs (£4.95), and Satay Chicken (£5.75) which was slightly crispy on the outside and succulent in the inside. Our final starter was some Crispy Smoked Chicken in chilli salt and spicy mayo (£4.95) which was just perfect and hugely enjoyable to eat.
After another glass of wine we turned our attention to one of my favourite part of any Asian menu, the Tempura and Grill section. As we were on the bottomless brunch we selected the Popcorn Rock Shrimp with nori dust and yuzu mayo (£7.50), the Soft Shell Prawn Tempura with shichimi salt and jalapeno mayo (£7.95) and Aromatic Duck in pancakes (£8.95), with more of that rich and warming hoisin sauce. The shrimp was almost addictive, and the saltiness of the shrimp was well supported by the gentle citrus tang of the yuzu mayo and the spiciness of the jalapeno added substance to the Soft Shell Crab Tempura. What I do know is that the chefs know how to deep fry things, as the batter was light and crispy and as good as you would find anywhere in Asia.
What is nice is that dishes come when they are ready, so our table kept being filled with goodies, but after such a feast we decided to take a slight break before tackling the Wok section of the menu. This break allowed me to fully investigate the mains, and the more I looked, the harder the choice became as all appealed. After much deliberation we chose a Thai/Chinese combination with Singapore Noodles with squid and shrimps (£6.95), Pad Thai Noodles with chicken (£6.95) and a Chicken Thai Green Curry (£6.95). The Singapore Noodles had just enough heat as did the Thai curry, all be it this time with a lovely creamy sauce, but the Pad Thai was a little sweet for my taste, but maybe that is me being picky considering the quality of the rest of the food.
Desserts are limited to a selection of Frozen Yoghurts, but after such a complete meal a light ending is always sensible.
The service matched the impeccable food, and please look past the frontage, because if you do you will be treated to exceptional street food all served in a restaurant environment all under the shadows of the Emirates stadium, and if you are an Arsenal fan you may need cheering up after the game!
287 St Paul’s Road, Islington, London N1 2LH
Telephone: 020 7704 6687
Website: www.tootoomoo.co.uk