With a handful of the best Peruvian restaurants in London operating under the watchful eye of chef Martin Morales, it could be said that he has something of a monopoly on the Peruvian food scene in London.
And rightly so – he is, after all, a well-known ambassador of Peruvian food and arts, and since moving to the UK at the age 11, Morales has managed to bridge the far-flung gap between these two cuisines effortlessly.
Though we were sad to see the Shoreditch outpost close, the Soho rendition of Ceviche remains the mothership; an affable, animated restaurant defined by a central counter running the length of the narrow bar space. For those who prefer their elbows untouched, there’s a dining room out back, too.
Ceviche is named after Peru’s national dish (we didn’t need to tell you that) and what never fails to impress us is how many versions there are of this light, vivacious dish that’s all about celebrating the main ingredient. Here, there’s a theatre to the slicing and dressing of the fish that makes a perch at that counter the right move.
You’d be foolish to only go in raw, though. The charcoal grill plays a major role here, too, with the Peruvian love of barbecuing offal all present and correct here. The beef heart skewers are fantastic, and their smoked chilli marinade that turns into a self-saucing experience on the plate, even better.
Address: 31 Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JH, UK
Website: cevichelondon.com