Review of Tangra

Soho has always always been the beating heart of London’s west end, attracting the movers and the shakers, the bold and the brave, the disrupters and changemakers. It’s colourful, creative, and often a bit naughty. To stand out in Soho’s myriad eateries, you have to have all of these qualities, and one place may just tick all boxes. Positioned on Soho’s Frith street, Tangra puffs out its chest, ruffles its bold colourful feathers and invites your tastebuds to tingle at their exciting vegetarian Indo-chinese menu. Describing themselves as “spicepunks” the gauntlet is set, does the punch match the patter? Let’s find out.

Inside, imagine all the colours of a bustling Indian cafe, then imagine it illustrated in a futuristic comic book. The hues of red and pink feel like they have been plugged into the mains, Soho far…Soho good.

The menu jabs you with sweet sticky lefts, and occasionally throws a big fiery right blow to the chops, and there’s not a formerly living thing in sight (all dishes are vegetarian). With Chinese takes on Bhel, sticky popcorn style bites, momo’s, wok dishes and of course rice and noodles.

With every dish looking as exciting as the next, this food is best shared, so we cover our tabletop with a few recommendations and dive in. The honey chilli waffles are insane. Crispy, sweet and sticky, with a side of garlic pickle mayo which compliments it beautifully. Garlic aubergine continues the sweet sticky theme and I reflect on how anyone can give an aubergine this much “bite”

As the dishes fly out, a somewhat earthier, and somehow herbier momo is actually a welcome break to the tang of the other dishes. Then, we return to the saccharine theme with glistening balls of “chick’n” and soy glazed manchurian kofta. There isn’t too much to complain about with this menu, but if I was picking again, I’d suggest breaking up the sweetness with perhaps a fresh salad, to give more flavour balance.

Then again, I wasn’t complaining when I rounded my sitting off with a chai spiced vanilla soft serve, drizzled with a jaggery syrup and mango pureé. Vegan ice cream lovers rejoice, this vegan soft serve is the best I've ever tasted.

If sweet and spice, and all things meat free nice is your jam, Tangra is most definitely for you, and it’s served with a splash of colour. I’d recommend trying Tangra.

For more information and to book click here.

Written by Rick Hartley

Photo courtesy of Tangra