Manitoba Tigella Fitzrovia
82 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1HB
020 7436 8231 / www.manitobatigella.com
Manitoba Tigella (sounds like an R&B star) is a new opening on New Oxford Street serving ‘authentic Italian cuisine with a focus on tigella, a surprisingly reasonably priced traditional disc shaped stuffed bread from Northern Italy.’ I’d never heard of the tigella either so was interested to be invited to the opening for a taste or two. Made with Manitoba flour from Canada the tigella originates from the chestnut forests of the Apennine mountains in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.
The Tigella has a similar texture to a buckwheat crepe but has a firmer shape. There are traditional dishes such as the Gnocco Fritto (tigella, fried gnocco with Parma ham D.O.P. – £1.50), Prosciutto + Stracchino (tigella, stracchino soft cheese and Parma ham – £2.20) and Tagliere Misto (mixed salami, parmigiano cheese, stracchino cheese, Italian olives, sundried tomatoes, tigelle and gnocco fritto – £10). For the more adventurous, the gourmet Tigella menu features such dishes as the Burger T (tigella with burger, confit tomatoes, cocktail sauce and provolone cheese – £2.90) and Pink Pistachio (tigella with mortadella foam and pistachio crumble – £3). The Veggie Burger (tigella with beans, red onion and embers onion sauce – £3) and the Aubergine Parmigiana (tigella with funghetto aubergine, parmigiano D.O.P. cheese, tomato sauce and basil pesto – £3) will tempt the most hardcore carnivore. 
The rest of the menu includes fresh pasta options include classics such as La Carbonara (spaghetti in carbonara sauce, pecorino romano cheese and crispy bacon – £9.50), and meat and fish courses including Lamb Cutlets (served with fried polenta and salmoriglio sauce – £18) and Fish Jar (a medley of sea bream, king prawns, squid, mussels, clams, olives, capers, datterini tomatoes served with focaccia – £9).
For a lighter choice their are salads including the amazing sounding Minestrone Freddo (avocado, strawberries, mango, pineapple, mixed salad, olives, tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, cucumber, chives, eggs, anchovy, pecorino cheese and home-baked focaccia – £9.95). There are also light, fluffy focaccia served in a number of ways: Verdure (olive patè, roquette, mushroom, aubergine and broccoli -£4.50), Culatello e Burrata (Burrata cheese and culatello – £6.78) or Mortadella (Mortadella and sundried tomato – £4.80).
The dessert menu includes a Panne Cotta e Fragole(strawberry coulis and lemon streusel – £4.95) and a Tiramisu (with coffee and dark chocolate – £4.80). For delicious fast food with a Tigella twist Manitoba Tigella is well worth a try. It’s a stylish space that is perfect for a quick drop in-the barman blends a mean cocktail too!
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