TOTA

I recently checked out TOTA, a restaurant which is very local to me, in Tooting Broadway. The head chef and owner, Gary Doherty, has cooked on cruise ships all around the world and as a private chef, but has decided to bring his skills to South London and open his own restaurant!

There was a lot on the menu that appealed to me, but in the end I opted to start with some butternut squash ravioli. The pasta was very good, with a flavoursome filling and I liked the accompanying goats' curd and fresh tomatoes but I felt that the pasta was slightly too al dente and the dish was a little oily.

I also managed to taste the crab cakes which my mum chose. They were very good, bursting full of crab meat, and with a crisp finish.

For mains, I couldn't resist a wild mushroom risotto. It was certainly intense, with a penetrating truffle aroma and rich sauce. Like the pasta, I found it too oily, although it was still delicious!

I finished off the very enjoyable meal with a decadent berry pavlova, creamy and fruity with an excellent light meringue.