Review: Ceviche
In a funny sign of the times, Ceviche opened on the strength of social media reaction. The founder, Martin Morales, asked his followers on Twitter if they would like to see a Peruvian restaurant in London, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Despite these unusual beginnings, Ceviche is typical of many Soho restaurants. A little dingy with a lot of character, it is rammed any night of the week. Waiters and waitresses are smiley and invariably cool - the bar staff even more so - the establishment is as much about the background music as the table fare.
That is not to say, however, that it can skimp on quality. For many, Soho is the epicentre of our capital’s culinary scene, so the restaurants (Twitter-backed or otherwise) have to prove their worth.
The hall mark of Ceviche is its eponymous dish (honoured as one of TimeOut’s ‘100 Best Dishes in London’). It is a Peruvian speciality which combines raw fish, chilli, lime and salt to create a delicate dish with ambitious flavour. We opted for the King Scallop version and my word, it was unfathomably tender. It achieves that rare feat of being incredibly healthy yet tasting incredibly decadent.
In fact, it is the meaty offerings which really stand out here. Our steak was salty and succulent, while the chicken skewer was chargrilled to perfection. The salad was tasty but not especially memorable, but the cassava were wildly addictive (they’re basically chips which aren’t chips, so indulge with abandon).
The small plate scene which is taking London by storm is meal marmite – some love it and others find it wholly unsatisfying. I fall in to the former camp, not least because it makes me feel I’ve left room for pudding. The chocolate physalis volador are bite-size indulgences, while the dulce de leche ice cream which accompanies the encanelado de pisco (cinnamon sponge) steals the show.
It’s worth flirting with the cocktails here too. Don’t be alarmed by the prevalence of egg white in the recipes – they add a gratifying amount of froth to the concoctions. The eucalyptus chilcano, in particular, is wonderfully tangy and spicy and salty and before you know it you’ve drunk it all and need another one.
Ceviche is the sort of place you’ll intend try once then find yourself desperately eager to return. It’s vibrant and loud and full of lemons (well, limes) – a bit like Twitter, really.
For more information www.cevicheuk.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL WINCH FURNESS
Despite these unusual beginnings, Ceviche is typical of many Soho restaurants. A little dingy with a lot of character, it is rammed any night of the week. Waiters and waitresses are smiley and invariably cool - the bar staff even more so - the establishment is as much about the background music as the table fare.
That is not to say, however, that it can skimp on quality. For many, Soho is the epicentre of our capital’s culinary scene, so the restaurants (Twitter-backed or otherwise) have to prove their worth.
The hall mark of Ceviche is its eponymous dish (honoured as one of TimeOut’s ‘100 Best Dishes in London’). It is a Peruvian speciality which combines raw fish, chilli, lime and salt to create a delicate dish with ambitious flavour. We opted for the King Scallop version and my word, it was unfathomably tender. It achieves that rare feat of being incredibly healthy yet tasting incredibly decadent.
In fact, it is the meaty offerings which really stand out here. Our steak was salty and succulent, while the chicken skewer was chargrilled to perfection. The salad was tasty but not especially memorable, but the cassava were wildly addictive (they’re basically chips which aren’t chips, so indulge with abandon).
The small plate scene which is taking London by storm is meal marmite – some love it and others find it wholly unsatisfying. I fall in to the former camp, not least because it makes me feel I’ve left room for pudding. The chocolate physalis volador are bite-size indulgences, while the dulce de leche ice cream which accompanies the encanelado de pisco (cinnamon sponge) steals the show.
It’s worth flirting with the cocktails here too. Don’t be alarmed by the prevalence of egg white in the recipes – they add a gratifying amount of froth to the concoctions. The eucalyptus chilcano, in particular, is wonderfully tangy and spicy and salty and before you know it you’ve drunk it all and need another one.
Ceviche is the sort of place you’ll intend try once then find yourself desperately eager to return. It’s vibrant and loud and full of lemons (well, limes) – a bit like Twitter, really.
For more information www.cevicheuk.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL WINCH FURNESS