Tuk Tuk Glasgow review

When eating out in Glasgow city centre, you’re truly spoiled for choice. There are so many restaurants to choose from so when my boyfriend and I decide to go out to eat, to help narrow down our choices, we always first decide what cuisine we fancy. When Scott said he hadn’t had an indian meal in a long time, I knew exactly where we’d dine next.

One Friday lunch time we decided to meet up during our lunch hour to celebrate the start of the weekend (not the best excuse to eat out but, I have to admit, it’s not my worst!). We needed something quick, delicious and warming for this cold winter weather – spicy indian food would be just the trick. I had been to Tuk Tuk a few times and never disappointed so it was time for Scott to be delighted, too. At first he had a few doubts; we wouldn’t have enough time for an Indian meal, it would be too heavy for lunch and too pricey. But Tuk Tuk was here to prove him wrong.

Ideally located on Sauchiehall Street, we went for the start of lunch service and got the pick of the place to sit. We chose a table by the window as I love to people watch but, unlike many other Indian cuisine restaurants, the whole restaurant is bright and airy so you’ll never be placed in a dark corner. The decor is one of the many reasons why I love Tuk Tuk and what makes it stand out from the crowd. The colourful theme is a beautiful celebration of the Indian culture and history.

During the week there’s the option to have the a la carte menu, but as we were looking for something tasty at a great price we opted for the £12 per person lunch deal. It includes a starter, two curries, and rice or naan – amazing. Everything is served at the same time meaning there’s less time wasted between courses, ideal for a quick lunch. Thankfully, it’s all served in small pots in order to lock in the heat. To start I chose the chicken lollipops which were juicy chicken wings in a spicy, thick batter and Scott picked the Tuk Tuk Samosas that were hot pockets of spices and vegetables in a crispy pastry. Both were so delicious and gave us a taste for the wonderful flavours to come.

For the main course I chose the bombay chilli chicken and railway station lamb curry with pilau rice. The flavours were so rich, delicious, and spicy with the added bonus helping me breathe through a wee cold! Between the two, my favourite had to be the lamb dish as the meat was so tender that it just fell off the bone. Scott had the same chicken dish but went for the lamb koolhapuri and garlic naan. I had a bite of the naan and instantly wished I had picked it, the garlic butter topping perfectly complimented the vibrant flavours. I did wish we had chosen a better variety between us as the dishes were very similar, but I couldn’t fault them at all as each one was so tasty.

I love spicy food and believe you shouldn’t have Indian food without a real kick. All of the dishes we picked, and all of the ones I’ve had there before, were reasonably spicy, but if you’re not someone that thrives on the spice then fear not! Tuk Tuk serve the most delicious Lassis, an Indian take on a smoothie made of yoghurt with a choice of fruit flavouring. As Scott has a much milder palette he decided on a coconut Lassi which was perfectly creamy and sweet to combat the hot spices.

The portion sizes in the lunch menu are spot on. We finished our food feeling full and satisfied without a looming food coma that you can often experience after rich and heavy Indian food. Despite having just the right amount I still managed to convince Scott into staying for dessert (plus I had spent a lot of lunch raving about it). Scott went for a second coconut Lassi (he just couldn’t resist) while I went for the highly anticipated gulab jamun, warm milk dumplings with cardamom syrup, served with ice cream. However my dessert didn’t last very long as after one taste from Scott, I ended up sharing it with him. Declaring it as the highlight of the meal, he soon wished he had ordered one for himself (I guess this means we’ll have to go back soon then.

The food and decor at Tuk Tuk Glasgow are amazing and, alone, are well worth a visit for. For me, what takes Tuk Tuk over the edge are the cheery, friendly staff. Everyone who walked in was greeted with a huge smile and warm welcome. Our waiter, Jassi, was so lovely and perfectly attentive without being overbearing. Upon leaving he walked us to the door and said he hoped to see us soon – I promised we wouldn’t disappoint him (and meant it!).