FOOD + DRINK
PASSION , WARMTH AND AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FLAVOURS AT …
TUTTO
PHOTOS BY DAVID CHARBITT
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD , I CAN NAME AT LEAST 10 ITALIAN RESTAURANTS IN BRIGHTON AND HOVE ; IT ’ S ONE OF THE MOST POPULATED CITIES IN THE UK WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD VENUES PER RESIDENT WITH A WHOPPING 763 RESTAURANTS ( AT LAST COUNT ) ALL OF WHICH ARE COMPETING FOR THE LOCALS ’ EVERMORE VORACIOUS APPETITE FOR EXCEPTIONAL FOOD . AS LAID BACK AS THE CITY SEEMS , BRIGHTON IS A DEMANDING MISTRESS WHEN IT COMES TO DINING AND CERTAINLY DOESN ’ T ENTERTAIN PRETENDERS . TUTTO – A CLEVER AND IMMEDIATELY STANDOUT ADDITION THE CITY ’ S FOODIE SCENE – COULDN ’ T PRETEND IF IT TRIED . BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
Driven by the ethos : ‘ Bring Everyone , Eat Everything ’, Tutto ’ s point of difference is the jovial sharing spirit that pervades the entire dining experience here . The restaurant may well be in the company of some good Italian restaurants dotted across the city , but none of its counterparts speaks directly to the heart of authentic Italian dining where sharing delicious food and drinks takes centre stage like Tutto does . This healthy disregard for the ‘ rules ’ that many British-Italian establishments follow by offering a standard menu of pasta and pizza dishes has resulted in a fantastic menu that encourages diners to sit in the company of their favourite people and eat a bit of everything on the table – just like the Italians do .
Embodying the character that the restaurant ’ s name alludes too – Tutto means ‘ all ’ – the menu is divided into six sections : Snacks , Raw & Cured , Fried , Pasta & Rice , Wood Oven & Grill , and Sides – and it was recommended by our charming waiter that we try it all by choosing at least one dish from each section .
Slightly sweet and perfectly chilled Nocellera olives preceded crispy fried sardines with deep salty flavours of the sea made punchy by a zhoug dip of chilli , coriander , fresh lemon and garlic . For our pasta dish we chose a classic cacio e pepe and black truffle tagliatelle , a rich and indulgent combination of Parmesan , pepper and butter which coated each ribbon of pasta like silk and was elevated further by earthy hits of black truffle . Tender , buttery pan-fried scallops served in their shells on top of a pool of savoury , spicy ‘ nduja butter paired perfectly with sides of garlic and chilli brassicas , and the most delicious plate of crunchy crushed new potatoes with confit garlic , pistachio pesto and mascarpone . The dish of the day ? Beef carpaccio crostini with pickled walnut , truffle and Parmesan – beef as soft as butter , zingy , salty , rich and crispy with every single bite .
Set in a former banking hall with beautiful cornicing , colourful abstract artwork adorning the walls and flooring and furniture in stylish shades of walnut and natural wood , Tutto ’ s setting is warm and instantly welcoming , but it ’ s the buzz of happy , satisfied diners chatting over great wine ( the wine list and cocktails are exceptional ) that truly makes eating here a multisensory experience . If you can ’ t choose from the menu , or simply want it all ( which you will ), an inspired Taste of Tutto set menu and a three-course Sunday lunch run alongside the à la carte sharing menu , so my advice – in true Tutto style - would be to try them all . The restaurant staff are knowledgeable and friendly but never intrusive ; the atmosphere is positive and inviting , and the food is genuinely faultless .
Tutto 20-22 Marlborough Place Brighton BN1 1UB 01273 031595 tutto-restaurant . co . uk
TuttoUK tutto . uk
96