It’s clear to any Londoner that the city is going through a restaurant boom right now. From new swanky Michelin-starred restaurants at its many recently-opened five-star hotels like Raffles London at The OWO to more intimate boltholes serving Italian nibbles and wine (be sure to check out Forza Wine at the National Theatre), there’s no shortage of brilliant fresh restaurants, bars, cafés and street food joints to satiate our appetites. If it’s South American food you’re craving, however, there’s only one place to visit – Chayote.
A Mexican-Peruvian-Spanish culinary mash-up headed up by acclaimed chef Thomas Baranski – who just so happens to be named as one of the world’s top chefs by Forbes – you’ll find Chayote in a charming waterfront location a short 15-minute walk from London Bridge station, along the river and across Tower Bridge at St Katharine Docks Marina. Feeling a world-away from the city’s hustle and bustle of sight-seers, traffic and overspilling Soho bars, so far, so good.
While slightly unassuming from the outside, step inside and you’ll be greeted by sophisticated interiors inspired by the Mexican vegetable the restaurant is named after. Décor reflects the rich and tropical environment of South America with deep greens, tan browns, moody blacks, natural wood and warm, exposed brickwork, while beautiful statement lighting creates a cosy vibe, as do all the luxury velvets and refined leathers.
We were there, however, for the food, and given chef Baranski’s remarkable 18-year career that has seen him mastering South American and Spanish cuisine at prestigious and Michelin-star restaurants in Spain, Mexico and London (think Donostia in San Sebastian and Barrafina in Soho), there was no disappointment here – as to be expected.
Designed to create what its owners call a mess-free Mexican dining experience, kick things off with an expertly-crafted tequila cocktail like the Chayote Margarita or Carajillo, a hot coffee cocktail. Ironically, one too many of these and there’s definitely the potential for things to get at least a little bit messy. Non-tequila drinkers can opt for several other concoctions including Mezcal and Pisco-fuelled drinks including an aromatic and smoky Mezcal original and a Mezcal Mule with fresh flavours of ginger, mint, lime and Indian bitters. A select choice of non-alcoholic options grace the menu too for anyone on a new year’s health kick.
The menu itself is divided into starters, tostadas and tacos, mains to share, sides, salads and desserts. We suggest ordering a bowl of the deliciously chunky guacamole with totopos and chicarrónes with rocoto jam while you peruse the impressive selection of dishes. We also opted for the seabass and green mango aguachile which, while well-executed, perhaps came with a little too much spice. Top tip: the back of the menu includes a very useful glossary explaining any terms you may not be familiar with like rocoto (one of Peru’s hottest chillies) and tiger’s milk (a fish marinade made with lime juice, chillies, celery and salt).
Onto the tacos and we suggest sharing a few plates – the oxtail with chicharrón, pickled onion and pineapple salsa are particularly moreish, while vegetarians should try the girolle mushroom and oaxaca style cheese taco for a juicy flavour hit. As for the mains, it’s a toss-up between the Iberico pork cheeks carnitas with red and green mole, lamb barbacoa in adobo and wrapped in banana leaf, and hake a la veracruzana – a lightly seared fish dish prepared in a mild tomato sauce with olives and capers. To add some greenery, a mixed leaf chayote salad brings together South American and European leaves for a generous bowlful of interesting flavours topped with the sweet-sour of pomegranate seeds.
As to be expected from any fine-dining restaurant, its wine list is striking and designed to complement the food, using grapes from Mexican, Spanish and South American regions including Tempranillo, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Carignan and Merlot, as well as some orange wines. So we’re told, the team has worked hard to ensure that most of their wines are organic, biodynamic and natural, and it’s easy to see in its well-rounded selection.
You’ll be happy to know that Chayote also gets brownie points for its sustainability ethos, which includes selecting B Corp certified drink brands like Pensador Mezcal and 58 and Co, food tracking, reducing waste, and clamping down on its carbon footprint through energy efficiency and sustainably sourced ingredients. All topped off with a smoky Mezcal Espresso Martini and you’ve got a stellar new London dining experience on your hands perfect for everything from a romantic date night to dinner with friends.
Factbox
Address: 2 St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1AA
Phone: 020 3031 7601
Website: chayote.co.uk
All imagery credit: Chayote
