Last Updated on September 14, 2026
Proper, creative, and innovative cooking at Tasca
4.5 out of 5.0 starsPop-ups are a tricky thing; to start with, you have to find them. Having first headed towards Tasca’s location on Google Maps, we had to make a hasty retreat back the way we came to make our booking at their residency in Project 44, near Old Street. We arrived at the venue. Transformed minimally from its day job as a trendy East London coffee place, Tasca had made its presence known with thumping but relaxed music and those trendy candles you see nowadays placed artfully on stainless steel sizzle plates.
Tasca is the brainchild of sommelier Sinead Murdoch, who was our gracious host for the evening, and her partner and head chef Josh Dalloway. After starting off at Sager and Wilde before taking on the head chef role at Silver Lining, Dalloway then travelled across the world, taking this concept to Thailand, France and beyond. Tasca, named for the Iberian tasca restaurants, had previously held a residency in Bethnal Green last year also.
We started with cocktails. A Dirty spritz (£10). This was Red vermouth, olive brine and topped with cava. Expertly balanced, as olive brine is such a tricky ingredient and pleasingly adult. Aperol meets martini dialled up to 11. Along with a Kalimotxo (£9), a traditional Spanish summer tipple made of Red wine, cola and cherry, it was Summery, tannic and herbal but not syrupy or too medicinal.
Next came toasts; I remember many of the pintxos I enjoyed in San Sebastien were similarly served on oblique slices of crusty bread. Cecina de Leon and cep butter toast (£8) was a real delight, like incredibly buttery Marmite on toast which is, in my opinion, one of life’s great blessings. Similarly. Picquillo pepper, goat’s curd and salsa ruda toast (£10) was sour and spicy, with the pepper covering an almost imperceptibly light whipped goat’s curd like a blanket
We then enjoyed salt-baked beetroot, coffee cream and hazelnut (£15). Being based in a coffee shop at the moment, it was explained to us that they were given access to any of the leftover ingredients from the day, including coffee in salt dough and in the slightly salty cream. This added a warming hum along with the spice mix on the beetroot, which thankfully still had some bite, not a given for anything salt-baked. A well topped off with the shattering snap of perfectly toasted hazelnuts and nasturtium leaves, which to me always add a little touch of the otherworldly to a dish.
Our first wine was called Easy Orange (£10); it was a Mount Farm pinot cru. An English wine, this orange originated from the Stour Valley; it was apple-ey with a hazelnut finish. To go with this, we had a Rapagón Pedro Ximénez Madeira white from Samuel Párraga in Andalusia; it was dry and fresh, with notes of liquorice, nectarine and orange zest.
Our drinks were enjoyed with an aged beef tartare al pilpil (£18). The pilpil was an emulsion, as is done traditionally, not like Gambas pilpil where it is simply in hot oil; it was punchy and sweet from Portuguese mustard. Much more was going on beneath the foamy topping: the capers, beef and mustard mixed to indicate a very chunky tartare.
Our penultimate small plate was cured red prawns, tomato, plum and fig leaf (£19). This was a real winner: tender, melt-in-your-mouth, umami, then a hit of sweetness from the plums, and a kick from the fig leaf vinegar, all combined into an inspired take on pan con tomate. This was evidence to me of really creative and innovative cooking.
All this before a nice hearty plate of Cornish mussels and chorizo rice (£26). Our main skirted the edge of a risotto and then ended up in quite a different location. It was lemony and fresh, but had a real depth of flavour from the seafood stock; stirred through were nice chunky bits of lemon zest, soft and bursting with oil without being bitter or ungainly. A wodge of fresh herbs was tucked in a topping, which, once stirred through, gave the whole the vibe of a seafood pho.
Greek ‘complex’ orange (£12), with an oregano and egg yolk nose; apt, it was creamy and aromatic. We also tried the Respiri Sicilian red, not too mineralised for the volcanic soil of Sicily but still fruity with dark berries and a little spice.
A nibble before the dessert arrived. The Tasca hot dog. This is one of their classics and a favourite drinking snack. More Portuguese mustard with guindilla pickled sauerkraut; this was hot, sour, tender and filling.
Our dessert was a delight: a brown butter cake with apricot and saffron cream (£10). The corn miso inside the cake added salty-sweet and toasted notes, while the apricot cut through with a nice kick of acid. We enjoyed this with a white vermouth, which was nicely mild and not too sweet.
While the pop-up format may not be for everyone, I was distinctly impressed with Tasca. Proper creative and innovative cooking can feel like it’s everywhere in London at the moment, but I know the real deal when I see it, and Tasca definitely fits the bill.
While Tasca’s pop-up at Project 44 is now over, they plan on hosting events there through the Autumn. Tasca is also available to cater events.
Find Tasca on Instagram
Project 44
44 Rivington St, London EC2A 3QP
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