TANGRA Head Chef Nikesh Sawant shares his inspirations and insights behind curating an eclectic menu that celebrates the unique flavours of Indo-Chinese cuisine.

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What vibe did you want people to step into the moment they arrive?

Growing up in Mumbai, Indo-Chinese food was always the food of friendship, the kind of thing you’d eat with mates after a late shift. It’s full of flavour and fun. That’s the feeling we wanted TANGRA to capture.

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Who did you picture walking in and instantly getting it?

TANGRA is for anyone who loves big flavour and good energy. Vegetarians, vegans, and the South Asian community will feel right at home, but it’s just as much for anyone in Soho who wants something exciting and different; theatre goers, late night eaters, people finishing service, or anyone who loves spice and texture. Indo-Chinese food hasn’t had its moment in London yet, so it’s exciting to finally bring it to Frith Street.

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Indo-Chinese food is often associated with bold, punchy flavours and dishes built around meat. What did it take to rework Indo-Chinese classics through a plant-based lens without losing that fire?

In India, restaurants have huge vegetarian menus that have evolved to cater to the world’s largest vegetarian population — and in India, vegetarian means no eggs. Traditional Chinese cooking uses very little dairy, so a lot of the food is naturally vegan, with loads of creativity and innovation that make it easy to enjoy plant-based.

From my experience cooking Indo-Chinese in India, London, and developing menus for vegans and vegetarians at Mildreds and Mallow, I’ve seen how exciting this cuisine is to cook plant-based — there’s so much room to play with spice, texture, and depth, while keeping the same bold, celebratory spirit at its heart.

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Where did the menu begin — what feeling or flavour lit the spark?

For me, this food has always been about sharing — sharing food and drinks around a big table and loading up on flavours. That’s the vibe we wanted the menu to create. It’s a mix of wok-fired dishes, our take on popular Indo-Chinese classics, and Indian bar snacks, such as Chinese bhel and masala papad.

We also had some fun, playful takes on dishes from my hometown of Mumbai — for example, using thecha, a pounded, burnt chilli relish from my family’s kitchen, combined with cheese to create our version of Bombay chilli cheese in a quesadilla. The menu is all about energy, generosity, and those little twists that make the food feel personal and celebratory.

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Tangra has its own beer and a focused cocktail programme. How did you build a drinks list that keeps up with the heat, the fire, and the late-night pace?

Our drinks follow the same idea as the food: bold, balanced, and a bit nostalgic. We made our own beer because Indo-Chinese food needs something cold and crisp to cut through all that chilli and garlic. The cocktails are just as bold, fresh, punchy, and built to handle the heat. Perfect for late nights and long stories.

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