Right on the waterfront, Tootsies caters for a mainstream crowd and, thanks to the cheerful and dedicated management, is doing a fine job.

The Venue
Originally an American creation, the first UK Tootsies opened in Holland Park in 1971 and is now owned by the same people who run the successful Gourmet Burger Kitchen chain. Taking up a prime spot on the river the Richmond site is big (250 capacity), consisting of a ground floor, first floor and balcony area. The decor is light and breezy with its cream colour scheme, whicker chairs and light wooden tables. There’s lots of natural light in the daytime and spotlights and big pink lampshades at night. It’s open from 11am to 11pm and the choice of food is flexible—from breakfast, brunch or a snack to a full meal. There is a separate kids’ menu too, designed by child nutritionist and author Annabel Karmel.

The Atmosphere
Tootsies can get extremely busy, especially during the summer weekends, when people have been known to queue for over an hour to get a plum balcony seat. It’s testament to the hard-working, well-organised staff that they can keep things running efficiently even when the place is heaving. The diners range from young to old and it’s very popular with families. The upbeat pop background music can get repetitive, but the punters seem to enjoy it.

The Food
For a mid-range chain, the food at Tootsies is of a good, consistent standard. For starters there’s king prawn, calamari, chicken wings - or go for the platter for two which includes a selection. The chicken wings are coated in a sweet teriyaki glaze and the pork baby back ribs are rich and sticky; the calamari are slightly chewy (but they are notorious hard to get right). The bites come with four sauces, of which the subtly flavoured garlic dip is particularly good.

For mains there’s a choice between steaks, fish dishes, salads (seafood, butternut squash, Caesar) and burgers (classic, smoked, chilli) all for around £8 - £11. The most popular dish is the blue cheese and mushroom burger, which is garlicky and juicy and the cheese is not too overwhelming. A house special, the steamed catfish is tender and flaky; it’s stuffed with spinach and cheese and comes with a plain white sauce. The accompanying mash is smooth and creamy and the baby Chantenay carrots (a recently revived variety) are utterly delicious: buttered, sweet, al dente and plentiful. The desserts are well presented. The knickerbocker glory with its mass of whipped cream is magnificent, but unless you’re ravenous it should probably be a meal in itself. The coffee chocolate fondant pudding is also extravagant with its posh chocolate sauce drizzle and is served warm with vanilla Jersey ice cream (£4.95).

The Drink
The wines are supplied by Bibendum, so a certain quality control is guaranteed. The list is particularly strong in premium French and Australian bins and, at £14.95 a bottle (£5.25 a large glass), the St Etalon Merlot is elegant and balanced—or for a white, the Pinot Grigio is a reasonable choice at £15.95 a bottle. Otherwise there’s bottled beer (San Miguel, Becks, Kronenbourg) and classic cocktails (at £4.75/£5.75), as well as hot drinks, soft drinks, smoothies and shakes.

The Last Word
If you are looking for a dependably good, mid-range meal in Richmond plus a great view and a place that obviously cares about its customers, then Tootsies is a good choice. It’s maybe even worth an hour’s wait.

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