By Carlotta Stephens – Food writer
Nestled on the second floor of the bustling Kingly Court, this Peruvian restaurant has taken London by storm and eight weeks into opening there is a huge buzz around the place.
The popular pop-up Señor Ceviche is now a permanent fixture with neighbouring eateries that include The Rum Kitchen, Pizza Pilgrims, Whyte & Brown, The Life Goddess, Stax Diner and Shoryu.
Whilst Christmas is in full swing around Carnaby Street, once you set foot in Señor-Ceviche you feel like you’ve stepped straight into Lima, not that I have been to Peru, if that makes sense?
The music, a random mix of salsa, rock ’n’ roll and Motown, which keeps the vibe upbeat. The place has a pulse, with neon beach bar styling, charismatic & friendly staff and excellent chefs who you can see hard at work, I was excited before I even saw the menu.
The food is equally as exciting though, progressive, with quality meat & fish served with fresh piquant accompaniments. The food is tapas style and they recommend four per person, you can opt for the Ceviche and Tiradito or Peruvian barbecued fare, we did both with an amazing side salad.
We ordered three of the Ceviche and Tiradito dishes, the Limeno classic, the Spaniard and the Mercado mixto. To balance it out we also went for the Super chicken and pachamanca pork rib and a pink pickled cabbage as a side. Like all tapas food, it arrives in the order it is cooked, and as expected with South American cuisine, it was fairly spicy but not at all unpalatable.
As ever after a hearty meal, we were full but still went for desserts. We ordered a passion fruit posset and chocolate brownie with coconut ice cream, which were both finished promptly. I guess a brownie isn’t traditional Peruvian cuisine, but everyone loves them, so who cares.
Finally to the drinks menu, Señor-Ceviche is worth a visit for the cocktails alone, if you like spice as much as I do then go for the Mamacita! If it were up to me all drinks would be served with Tequila and Jalapeños, don’t worry if you are not a fan of the spicy drinks, the cocktails have got something for everyone, including the delicious Barranco Babe which is passion fruit heaven.
If you want to escape the cold and Christmas shopping hell outside then take a trip to Peru via Señor-Ceviche, you won’t be disappointed.
Señor-Ceviche can be found on second floor, Kingly Court, Soho, W1B 5PW