Tooley Street,
London,
SE1 2TF
(020) 7407 4883
The ViewLondon Review
This spacious all you can eat pan-Asian restaurant provides excellent value for money for hungry guests.
The Venue
Located in a brick building on Tooley Street, Tuli stretches underneath the railway arches of London Bridge station. Its vast space seats up to 180 people. Upon first entering, the thick plush carpet, high ceiling and enormous space gives it a feeling of a hotel lobby, complete with a small bar area of low tables and leather sofas. Further back, the restaurant space is reminiscent of a canteen, with a large, open space filled with inoffensive furniture, minimalist decor and a help yourself buffet.
The Atmosphere
Tuli’s aim seems to be functional as it’s very straightforward in both the food and decor. Staff are sweet and attentive, bringing over menus and drinks – the food, however, you go and get yourself. The clientele consists of a variety of people but it’s most popular with office workers and night owls. At lunchtime, it’s absolutely packed. The music is very low, meaning there’s a constant background buzz of the kitchen and other diners.
The Food
Tuli is basically posh, high quality Chinese buffet with the addition of Malaysian and Japanese dishes. Being a buffet, there are a whole variety of options on offer, including starters and desserts, and you can happily eat until you pop. Lunch costs £7.80 during the week and £8.80 Fridays and Saturdays, whilst dinner is £13.80 Sunday to Thursday and £14.80 Friday to Saturday.
Choices seem limitless and change frequently, so if you come back the week after your visit you might see a completely different selection. Some of the options include sweet and sour chicken, beef in black bean sauce, crispy shredded chicken and beef, chicken wings, breaded calamari, Malay chicken curry, spring rolls, sesame prawn on toast, chicken satay, fried prawns in salt, lemon chicken, roast duck pancakes, mussels in garlic, crispy seaweed and fish pieces in Thai sauce, plus different styles of rice and noodles, just to name a few. Desserts include fresh fruit, cakes and jelly, all freshly made on site.
The best bit, however, is the small teppanyaki counter were you pick up raw ingredients such as meat, seafood and vegetables and bring them to the chef, who cooks it while you wait – it’s this option that’s mainly popular on weekends and evenings. On request the chef will also cook you a barbecue roast and there is also sushi on offer. If you do go for the teppanyaki, make sure you try the salmon, which is expertly cooked and so succulent that it practically melts in your mouth. It also comes with noodles and rice, making it a good option for a filling dinner.
The Drink
Wine, beer, tea and soft drinks are all available. A bottle of Tiger beer costs around £3. A bottle of wine from their international list is around £13 and £3.60 for a small glass and £4.50 for a large glass. Tuli is currently in the process of creating a bar on their top floor, which will offer some more drink choices.
The Last Word
For very nicely cooked food in vast quantities, Tuli does the job.
Tuli has been reviewed by 12 users