Tyga Preview

Indian food lovers in the city will remember a venue on Peter Street some time ago now, called Asha's.  It was a premium offering as part of a compact international chain which was very much an Indian Restaurant, exceeding the tag of what people see as a curry house, even sporting a listing in the Michelin Guide at one stage.  Sadly soon after losing this accolade, it closed almost without notice and left a gaping hole in the Indian restaurant market over on that now booming end of town.

So fast forward to 2025, and out of nowhere the unit, part of the FortySeven Hotel, has been occupied by a new Indian restaurant named Tyga from the same team behind other well-regarded restaurants in the city including Ziya in Rusholme!  We were invited down to give things the once over.

Inside the space is reminiscent of its one-time Michelin listed predecessor!  Things are suitably glamourous with lovely booth style seating all down the side and all tables are decorated splendidly, with centrepieces coming via a glitzy bejewelled tiger to tie in with the Tyga brand.

General table settings were similarly impressive and high end, with bespoke cutlery, fully in keeping with the plus general surroundings.  We were gratefully given a booth despite there being just 2 of us, so were able to get super comfy and settled.  We were ready to get stuck in.

The menu is comprehensive, containing all your favourites plus a huge selection of slightly different and interesting looking options.  Chaat has its own dedicated section alongside small plates, a strong grill/tandoori section and even an Indo-Chinese range to showcase North Indian and even some Nepalese dishes.  So whether you want something familiar or dishes that offer something new, Tyga has you covered.

As our cocktails were on order from Tyga's great drinks list, we started with the obligatory barometer of any Indian restaurant's capability, the humble veg samosa. On the menu they are aptly listed as Golden Punjabi Samosas (£9.99).  No plain rice paper/folded triangles in sight, just a proper pastry stuffed shell, wrapped precisely and generously stuffed with spiced potato and peas.  A deliciously strong start.

Our next dish was the Lasooni Tyga King Prawns (£18.99).  Huge prawns of stunning provenance, with the tail section of their shells left on for presentation, spiced expertly and then grilled in the tandoor for a matter of seconds to give some char on the outside, without wrecking any of that internal juiciness and sweetness.  Superb.

In tandem with the prawns' arrival, our cocktails were also served.  We went with a Masala Margarita (£12.99), which was a Tyga spin on the classic spicy Marg only made with masala syrup, along with a masala salt rim on the glass.  We also sampled a Mumbai Negroni (£12.99); the 3 iconic ingredient classic which has also been given a Tyga upgrade; made with spiced Campari, along with a hit of star anise to an extra burst of scent.

Lamb Chops rightfully sit amongst the elite starters in any Indian restaurant and these were absolute gems.  Imperial Lamb Flamed Chops (£17.95) were cut to a nice meaty thickness, spiced with precision and then given the same tandoori love as those prawns.  It was just exceptional tandoor Cheffing and in a novel spin, these came served with a South American nod in some chimichurri, which is a proven winner with all grilled meats.

Following the chops was our first main course of Butter Chicken. It's honestly as good as any other Butter Chicken that I can recall eating without a side-by-side comparison, and that's coming from somebody who's eaten Butter Chicken at London's iconic 2 Starred Gymkhana earlier in the year, and even in its birthplace of Delhi.  It's a super decadent curry, and you'll thank yourself for ordering it.

The second main course was a theatrical serving and created a couple of 'oooohs' as it was served.  The Nihari Lamb Shank was a wonderfully braised piece of protein, which came away from the bone at the lightest touch, sat in a pool of delicately spiced gravy.  Outstanding and a fitting centrepiece.

We also ordered some Garlic Naan to soak up all that lovely sauce, which created the perfect combination.  Crispy edges from the tandoor's char, with a soft, pillowy-like interior, spiked with plenty of toasted garlic.  Textbook flatbread making.

Speaking of side carbs, we also ordered some obligatory pilau rice which was as deliciously scented as you always hope, but Tyga's was boosted with the additional topping of some crispy fried onions, and was a super generous portion.

It was only right to explore Tyga's wine list, and there's something for all tastes and price points.  We went with the house red, which on this occasion was a great quality Cotes du Rhone Villages sourced from local stars who are Boutinot.  For the wine purists out there saying that we should have ordered the Gewurtz with Indian food; you're correct of course. But then this was a comped invite and the Gewurtz was double the price of the red, plus we don’t like to take liberties.  But generally the wine list is great value and well compiled.

Onto the final course we went, which was the Saffron Tiramisu Royale to share (£6.99).  After the feast beforehand, this single portion was plenty for two people.  It was super creamy, rich, with loads of coffee flavour along with that all important addition of some spice to add that Tyga personality.  After a year of seeing the tiramisu become broadly overused, it was a refreshing change for it to be presented in a different way.

Passing a huge gold cat, we headed off after a lovely experience, and most importantly felt content that Tyga has confidently stepped into the shoes of the operator who came before it.  We have a lot of good Indian restaurants in the city, but we've been crying out for something that bit different.   Our calls have now been answered.

** Our experience was gratefully comped **