Thursday, 15 March 2012

Ceviche - my first taste of Peru

Salmon Ceviche
I always enjoy trying something completely new and experiencing an unfamiliar cuisine. Fortunately living in London there is always the next big food craze coming along that makes eating out exciting and which is not too dissimilar to the changing trends we get to experience in fashion. After Mexican burrito bars springing up just about everywhere and burgers gaining cult status last year the next big thing when it comes to food for 2012 is meant to be...Peruvian. Yes, I know I'd never really heard what exactly the Peruvian diet consisted of but Ceviche the first of I am predicting many Peruvian small plate restaurants to open in London this year was definitely going to teach me a thing or two exactly about what it entailed. Me and my friend Ella thus entered the narrow space on a Soho side street with a completely open mind and I have to say that I left positively surprised and definitely won over by the taste of Peru I was able to experience. What is particularly Peruvian here then one might ask...well as the name says it is all about ceviche, raw ingredients like salmon and sea bass cured in a special marinade which like the rest of the menu reflect the several culinary influences that have become part of their national cuisine, Japanese and Chinese cooking methods  particularly in the ceviche dishes and the rather unique noodle dish fusing with local South American flavours to create tastes like nothing I have had before. Another favourite was the rather intriguing corn cake which was creamy, moorish and with a slight tang from the red onions on top. Here like all current restaurants of the moment it is all about the (sometimes a little too) small dishes so that you get to sample a wide range of what Peru has to offer. It's all very fresh, well executed and presented beautifully within a vibrant environment that makes you forget that you are just off one of the busiest party streets in the centre of London. I will definelty return to try more of the menu and have to say that I'm excited how this newest of restaurant trends will develop over the year- Peruvian cuisine definitely one for the foodie map in London.
Vegetable Tallarin Saltado- a very interesting mix of Chinese and South American flavour elements
One of the best salads I've had in a while: Solterito made from broad beans, feta, olives and corn
Mussel ceviche
The delicious and rather unexpected corn cake

2 comments:

styleeast said...

Yum yum! Looks delicious, I will have to seek it out and especially try some of that yummy bean salady thing! Xx

Anonymous said...

Yummy! <3

xox