By Christine Fleming
‘Bring everyone, eat everything’, is the ethos at Tutto – one of Brighton’s newest restaurants intent on bringing people together over seasonally-changing sharing plates.
The latest opening from the group behind acclaimed Brighton dining spots Burnt Orange, Coal Shed and Salt Room, Tutto is an Italian-inspired eatery that will have you itching for an occasion to bring your friends and family together.
Set in a former bank, its high ceilings and carefully curated Art Deco styling give a sense of grandeur, as does the Mad Men bar-esque that greets you on entering. All of which makes for a lovely backdrop for the warm welcome guests receive as they nestle in for plate after plate of indulgent food.
Tutto suggest three to four plates per person to be shared among the table as the equivalent of a traditional starter and main. With this in mind we set to work seeing how we might be able to order a selection that would work whether we were visiting with meat eaters, pescatarian or veggie pals.
First up on our sharing plate extravaganza was a light and zesty Sea Bass Crudo with Pickled Lemon, Fennel and Rosemary (£9). Served semi-raw and still curing on the plate, this little piece of sunshine on a plate was devoured while sipping on a classic Limoncello Spritz aperitivo from Tutto’s Spritz Trolley, invoking memories of European holidays spent lounging in piazzas watching the world go by.
The freshness was a great contrast for our other choice, a Beef carpaccio with Porcini, Pine Nuts and Parmesan (£10.50). A dish so rich and earthy that somehow the porcini, served as a powder sprinkled across the wafer-thin slices of meat, became truffle-like in taste.
The star of the show when it came to our first round of sharing plates was undoubtedly the Burrata (£12.50). It was not the cheese, lovely as it was, that left a mark on the tastebuds, but the homemade Walnut and Olive Trapenese that, given the option, I would happily sit and eat vats of with a spoon.
Next up was a bowl of Fennel Sausage Ragu, Pork Belly and Nduja Pasta (£13) kindly served with gluten free pasta – to accommodate my allergies – as opposed to their usual homemade fare. A comforting bowl of meaty deliciousness, it was the kind of thing you might order with a glass of red as a treat to cheer yourself up on a rainy day.
To round off the mains, there was a crisp-as-you-like Charred Fillet of Bream on Puttanesca (£16), sprinkled with plenty of salty samphire goodness, and a brilliantly rich Green Risotto with Basil, Courgettes, Goats Curd and Pine Nuts (£12.50). Both were delicious and fresh tasting with no need for additional sides.
One thing we’d advise is ordering your dishes a few at a time, instead of all in one like we did. This is because we found they actually filled us up pretty quickly, so you may not need as many if you are planning on squeezing in a dessert, which we highly recommend you do.
The dessert not to be missed here is the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte (£8), presented like the fanciest Toblerone you’ve ever seen. It’s rich, indulgent and has fast become Tutto’s signature dessert. We’ve been assured it will remain on the menu even as other dishes change with the seasons.
Best for: Italian food, gluten-free, vegan, friends and family get togethers, birthday celebrations
Tutto is at 20-22 Marlborough Place, Brighton, BN1 1UB and is open 12pm to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 9pm on Sundays
Plates start from £4.50 and go up to £18 on the main menu. The lunch and pre-theatre menu is two courses for £20 and three for £25. The Domenica (Sunday) menu is made for sharing and starts at £27pp for two courses. Vegan and gluten-free options are available
Read next: UK restaurants sure to impress
Read next: New Michelin star restaurants
Comments are closed.