Meet Restaurant Maverick Carlos Couto, Co-Founder of TUGA Singapore

Tuga: A Culinary Journey to Portugal in the Heart of Singapore

If there's one thing I've learnt from my travels, it's that the essence of a country is most profoundly felt through its food. So, when I heard that Tuga, the only truly authentic Portuguese restaurant in Singapore, had a new chef and a revamped menu, I couldn't resist returning for a second visit. My recent family vacation in Portugal had left me with a craving for the rich and vibrant flavours of Portuguese cuisine, and I was eager to see if Tuga could transport me back to those sun-soaked days in July.

As I stepped into Tuga, I was reminded of their commitment to offering a genuine Portuguese experience. From the moment you walk through the door, you're not just dining; you're embarking on a journey of immersion into Portugal. The ambience is designed to make you feel as if you've stumbled into a cosy wine cellar in Lisbon, surrounded by the finest Portuguese wines. It's a celebration of Portugal's culture through its food, wine, music, and art and it's a journey you won't want to end.

The culinary journey at Tuga begins with a dedication to using the freshest ingredients. Everything, from the succulent octopus to my personal favourite, the clams, is flown in fresh, ensuring that each dish bursts with authentic Portuguese flavours. For our entrées, we indulged in a variety of delectable dishes. The Roasted Pepper Salad with Portuguese Canned Sardines was a delightful start and the enormous Garlic Tiger Shrimp had a satisfying kick of spice. The spicy Sautéed Mushrooms with Black Pig Chorizo were a treat for the taste buds and the "Pica-Pau" style Beef made with fillet mignon and home-made pickles was a carnivore's dream.

For the mains, we couldn't resist the allure of "À Alentejana" pork meat and clams, a classic Portuguese dish that blended tender pork with the briny goodness of clams. The "À Bulhão Pato" Manila Clams were another standout, a testament to our clam obsession. Each dish was a symphony of flavours that transported us to the charming streets of Portugal.

And then came dessert – the famous Portuguese Tart. It's a dessert that has become synonymous with Portugal and Tuga's version did not disappoint. It was easily one of the best I've had, with its crispy, flaky pastry and creamy custard filling. One bite and I was back in a Lisbon cafe, sipping espresso and savouring this sweet delight.

Tuga's commitment to authenticity is not limited to its ingredients and flavours. They have a deep-rooted knowledge of Portuguese gastronomy, led by their Portuguese Executive Chef, Luís Barradas, who ensures that each dish is a true representation of his beloved home country. Their extensive wine list, with over 600 labels covering all Portuguese wine regions, is a testament to their dedication to providing a comprehensive Portuguese experience.

In only three years of operation, Tuga has garnered several awards, including "WGA New Restaurant of the Year 2020" and the "Epicurean Star Award for Best Western Restaurant (Casual Dining) 2021." These accolades are a reflection of their unwavering commitment to excellence in delivering Portuguese cuisine.

Co-Founder Carlos Couto beautifully sums up the essence of Tuga: "We've created a very engaging space where guests can fall in love with Portugal and a place where they can come back to immerse themselves in Portuguese culture even if they don't travel to Portugal." It's a sentiment that captures the spirit of Tuga – a place where guests are not just diners; they are welcomed to feel at home, Portugal's home.

To enrich the Portuguese environment further, Tuga offers a retail corner where guests can browse and purchase a curated selection of Portuguese products and merchandise, allowing you to take a piece of Portugal home with you.

Tuga is more than just a restaurant; it's a culinary journey to Portugal that you can experience without leaving Singapore. It's a celebration of Portugal's rich gastronomic wonders and every visit is an opportunity to fall in love with Portugal all over again. If you're in search of an authentic Portuguese dining experience that will transport your taste buds straight to this wonderful country, Tuga is the place to be. Don't miss this delightful gem in the heart of Singapore, where you can savour the true essence of Portugal, one delectable dish at a time.

TUGA is a Portuguese restaurant but at the same time, it is more. TUGA is a celebration of Portugal – through its food, wine, music and art.

As we still can’t travel, I am even more determined to live my favourite travel memories via exotic food and dining experiences. One of my stand-out destinations in Europe (and often highly underrated) is Portugal. Fantastic weather, food, wine (and port!) plus Disneylandesque castles, culture and architecture. It has something for everyone (while also being very budget friendly) and is on my list to return to as soon as possible – I only got to visit Lisbon, Sintra and some of the nearby beaches so there is much to explore still.

Stepping into Singapore’s only Portuguese restaurant, TUGA, I am immediately transported to those wistful days winding the streets, sipping gorgeous Portuguese wine and sampling the local gastronomic delights. TUGA (a colloquial term meaning proud to be Portuguese) is modern, clean and bold in its appearance (thanks to owner David’s architectural background) and we are reminded that it is first and foremost a wine shop. But TUGA is so much more than that – it is a joyous celebration of all things Portuguese, from the wine and food to the art and music. The first point of interest we notice is the small retail shop, where guests can browse a range of specially curated, gourmet Portuguese products and perhaps take home a small reminder of their TUGA experience.

We wind past floor to ceiling displays of wine as we are shown through to our table located in the Douro room. Each space in the huge 4000 sq ft restaurant is cleverly organised to represent a specific wine region of Portugal, showcasing only wines and art from that region. Our room has a large sharing table, perfect for those family or work gatherings but other spaces are small and intimate – quaint enough for a romantic date night or a secluded dinner for four.

We are exuberantly greeted by the two gentlemen at the helm of this emporium, David and Carlos, both of whom exude TUGAness to their core. This is not their first Portuguese F&B venture, TUGA Singapore has been adapted from their sister restaurant in Taipei – a similar concept but with broader ambitions here.

Our server is knowledgeable and on hand with thoughtful advice to guide us through the extensive menu and wine list. At TUGA the food is most definitely made for sharing – bold, hearty, comfort dishes which are generous in size without comprising on taste and grace. Some of our favourite appetisers were the spicy sauteed mushrooms with black pig ham (Cogumelos salteados e presunto de porco preto), the Pastéis de bacalhau or codfish cakes (codfish being a very classic Portuguese ingredient) and the padron peppers. For mains, highlights included the Bacalhau com Natas no forno - deliciously sweet codfish with cream baked in the oven and presented not dissimilar to a lasagne. The Carne de porco à Alentejana – which is pork meat with clams – a juicy juxtaposition of the soft salty clams with the bolder more robust pork meat.

The wine list is immense and only serves Portuguese wine – they have plans to hold 12,000 bottles eventually. But to make it even more fun you can walk around the wine racks and choose a wine from the region and price point of your desire. Rest assured you will not go thirsty here and they have everything from sparkling wines, to robust reds and ports to sweet as honey dessert wines – all well priced and of excellent quality.

Our experience at TUGA easily lived up to what they are trying to achieve – a journey of discovery where one can embark on a total immersion into Portuguese food, wine and culture – “perfeito” as they say in the local lingo. Despite opening in extremely challenging times, the popularity of TUGA is testament to the passion for Portugal that David and Carlos are bringing to Singapore with charm and finesse.

Lovely new addition to the Singapore food scene! Portuguese cuisine and wines are offering an amazing new experience. The owner and crew are friendly and extremely helpful selecting your meal and matching wines! Well done! Love it!

Marcus Martin Klein recommends TUGA Singapore.

Thought of Portuguese and found Tuga. The restaurant has stacks of so many wine which serves as good partition for distancing and adds character to the place.

We started with nice clams & mussels. Picked Hake Fillet and Octopus for mains. The latter was a bit chewy though. We could have wanted to order more food but the portions are big. Tip: opt for rice sharing.

The wine selections are vast. We had the White Vulcanico and bought home the red. Dessert was nice too. Staff are very attentive and we appreciate the exchanges. We had a pleasant experience and will be back again soon.

Heidi Lizz Broekema recommends TUGA Singapore.

Very nice experience overall:

Amazing selection of Portuguese wines. Like anything else in Singapore the wines are expensive, but as a Portuguese I can say they carry some of the best producers, and those wines aren’t really cheap back in Portugal either. You can buy bottles to take home. The “by the glass” offering could be a bit larger.

Incredible beautiful design and layout, providing intimate dining experiences.
The food is authentic, notably harder to deliver a truly Portuguese experience given the distance and probably lack of some key authentic ingredients, but overall quite good.

Congratulations to the team and we look forward to come back again soon!
Casual, Stylish interior, Child-friendly, Outdoor dining, Large wine list.

Ricardo Cupido recommends TUGA Singapore.