Ceviche

Wandered in for lunch, because Ceviche looked nicer than the other places we were walking by. Was immediately welcomed by a big, open kitchen – always a good sign that the restaurant isn’t hiding anything. A team of pros was marinating ceviche, making pastries, or making drinks. What they were preparing was excellent. My colleague and got the rotisserie chicken. The skin was crisp, the chicken was moist, and the accompanying sauce has a delicious spiciness. We also had the tuna ceviche (yum!). My colleague also had good things to say about the short rib. Not sure about the night scene, but it was easy to walk into and pleasant for lunch. It was perfectly chic without being pretentious. The wait staff was also attentive. I wasn’t surprised to find out that it is in the same group as Andina. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for good Peruvian food. I didn’t sense anything perfectly innovative, but the staples were very well executed.

Excellent and very fun, lively restaurant. Service was attentive and each of the courses (two ceviche, appetizers, a quinoa salad, duck) outdid the one before it. Highly recommend the Don Ceviche and a pisco sour.

La verdad es que me gustó un montón. El sitio es una monada, estaba a la vuelta de la esquina de nuestro hotel y era un lugar francamente agradable para nuestra cena de trabajo. Éramos cuatro, nos sentamos y nos trajeron la carta. Decidimos empezar con unos vinos blancos (yo luego cambié al tinto) y he de decir que tienen una carta muy decente de vinos, sobre todo sudamericanos.
Pedimos varios platos, para compartir. Al ver las cantidades he de decir que creo que están más pensados para que una persona coma varios, pero la verdad es que nosotros nos lo montamos bastante bien, y nos pareció que estaba todo muy rico. Comimos: un tiradito que estaba muy bueno, un ceviche un poco raro (yo creo que estoy acostumbrado a que lleve menos salsas, pero estaba muy rico). Un anticucho ESPECTACULAR (qué rica la carne de corazón, madre mía); el cordero; el tacu tacu (también muy bien, un poco escaso, yo siempre tiendo a pensar que el tacu tacu es un plato muy abundante) y una especie de huevo escocés que yo no había comido en mi vida y que OH CIELOS. Qué rico estaba.
De postre tomamos tarta de lúcuma (impresionante este postre, de verdad) y unos donuts de calabaza deliciosos, aunque un poco menos ricos que la tarta de lúcuma. Todo regado con bien de vinos, y con un pisco, que aunque yo no probé, nuestro acompañante dijo que estaba de lujo.
Buen ambiente, muy buen servicio (muy simpático, la verdad) y comida rica. ¿Qué más se puede pedir?

I had high hopes but I was not impressed.
Pros — didn’t have to make a reservation, just walked in on a Tuesday night. Cool, hipster atmosphere. Non-​alcoholic cranberry, mint, and something else drink was very good. Pollo a la brasa was also good.
Cons — unfortunately the ceviche wasn’t that good. I got the Don Ceviche and it was only about 4 – 5 pieces of fish and then the rest of onions. I was just eating a spoonful of onions at some point.
It didn’t live up to Peruvian ceviche and I won’t be back.

Ceviche! Rotisserie! Wine! Peruvians do it right.
This Ceviche is the twin to Ceviche Soho and sister restaurant to Andina on Shoreditch High Street.
I’ve been to Ceviche twice now for dinner and drinks, and here are the highlights:
*ceviche (hopefully, right!?): fresh way to start a meal or enjoy with some drinks.
*Peruvian «scotch» egg: made with quinoa! A true delight.
*wine: the Cabernet Franc for £25/​bottle went down a TREAT on a chilly fall night.
*service: both times, very nice. Host/​greeting always a bit unorganized, but table staff great.
*space: gorgeous, expansive, comfortable, good vibe yet casual. It fills up during the week after 7pm! Make a booking through their website.
*pumpkin doughnuts — a MUST on the Autumn puddings menu.
So, why 4 stars?
The food is nice, but the presentation is a bit weird. Everything feels kind of slapped together. Things are served sort of sloppily and the presentation just feels like a bit of a miss. For this price point you expect a certain caliber of presentation. This is not a super casual takeaway place. Our dinner (with a lot of wine!) for 3 last night was nearly £200 — and I didn’t quite feel like the food looked as if it should cost that much. I felt this way on my first visit early on and just hoped that they’d work it out, but unfortunately not.
Having said this — great for a meal with casual groups/​friends — but if you are aiming to impress, this might not be the best spot.
Seems like an easy fix, not sure if its’ intentional but both visits it sort of threw me off. The one exception is the pumpkin doughnuts which were served in something like a wooden trough with ice cream dipping space, well done on that one.
The Scotch Egg though — that thing was beautiful and I don’t care if someone throws it at me, I’m gonna eat it and love it and not care how it looks.
A nice spot to add to your Old Street dining options — fun, comfortable, festive, easy, nice food, make a booking. Enjoy!
*also have nice midday lunch specials for those of you working in the area!

Great space, excellent food and cocktails, wish it was a bit cheaper.
My wife and I went to this Ceviche location with some friends for an impromptu get-​together early on a Saturday evening. This was my first time at this location, and I definitely prefer it over the cramped Soho version. Many elements of the dining room have apparently been preserved from the old days when it was a cafeteria for working men, and they’ve done a great job with the refurbishment. We got a high table by the window, and while the atmosphere was energetic, it wasn’t nearly as deafening as their Soho spot.
We arrived first, and three different bartenders checked in with us in a low-​key way to make sure we were taken care of and find out if we had any questions. When we finally settled on some cocktails, they were expertly prepared and delicious.
Then our friends arrived, we were seated, and we ordered mountains of ceviche. It was all very tasty, especially the hamachi, seabass, and the octopus from the grill. We ordered a bottle of dry, minerally white on the waiter’s suggestion that went well with the bright acidic flavors. And then we ordered more food after we polished off the first round, as the ceviche is more delicious than it is filling.
All in all, we had a great time, were there for a couple hours, and enjoyed everything very much, I just had a little bit of sticker shock when we got the bill for £250 for the 4 of us (one of whom wasn’t even drinking). For an informal place, it’s pretty easy to spend a lot, which I’m sure doesn’t bother the management at all. If their ceviche dishes were about 30% cheaper, I’d be here all the time, but as it stands, it’ll probably be a once-​in-​a-​while kind of place.

Such a good place. I just love everything on the menu and believe me I tried almost everything!
It taste fresh and it’s also a nice place to take someone on a date

Ever since Ceviche announced a new restaurant opening for the Barbican area, I was on the list for the launch event, but unfortunately couldn’t make it. After a few months of waiting, I finally made it for Sunday lunch. It’s in a great location, minutes away from Old Street station, nice, spacious and trendy looking inside. Nice tables, and high stools near the window, perfect setting for lunch.
As the menus were presented, we were advised that the Ceviche bar wasn’t open, which was a let down, as that’s what we were there for. I think they should make it known on their website for future preferences. The main aspect which attracted me is that they use the freshest of ingredients, I opted for the Jalea Mixta — Baby squid, prawn and seabass belly fritto misto, chilli tartare, crispy garlic, salsa criolla and for sides Yucas — Cassava chips with cheesy amarillo chilli Huancaina sauce. I was impressed with the Jalea Mixta, not too fishy tasting, the chilli sauce matched perfectly with the freshness of the batter coating. The salsa was refreshing, nice, cleansed the palate really well. Wasn’t so keen on the Yucas — not something I’d want to try or order again.
For starters I opted for Guava and Chard Tequeños — Wonton fritters filled with guava jam, cheese and Swiss chard with amarillo chilli dip. It had a sweet, savoury taste, the sweetness of the guava jam and tangyness of the cheese, with the subtle kick of the chilli dip. It was a bit weird, the pastry on the otherhand was good, light and crisp.
I think I will need to revisit for a proper review, but so far I am keen to go back, preferably on a week night or a Saturday

This would be four stars if based solely on the cocktail I had but the ceviche has brought it down to three (I mean really, if a place called ceviche can’t get their ceviche perfect…)
Adam and I live right near here and decided to check it out as the options near us are few and far between. As we walked in, Adam shared that the décor reminded him of a TGI Fridays. I didn’t really think much either way about the décor; however, one thing to note was that the lights were on WAY too high for a restaurant. There were candlelights that were basically obsolete due to how bright the whole restaurant was. I feel like the vibe they are going for is more of a date night spot but the lighting wasn’t really doing them any favors. Random thought but something that really stuck out to me.
Anyway, I started with the La Jarana (£8.50) which consisted of limo chilli infused pisco, pisco impostor tequila, pomegranate liqueur, Somerset Wild sour beer, and smoked paprika. The cocktail was exactly what I was looking for. A good amount of smokiness with just a touch of tartness and sweetness from the pomegranate and sour beer. The smoked paprika also lent some savoriness to the cocktail. Unique and yummy — I could definitely see myself ordering this again and again.
As we had dinner plans, we opted for just one ceviche to share, the Don Ceviche (£9.00), which was described as
seabass, amarillo chilli tigers milk, sweet potato, red onions, and limo chilli. For the price, the portion was quite small. Additionally, some of the pieces of seabass tasted quite fishy. Even with these two strikes, I would say that overall the ceviche was pretty good with a nice balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy.
Maybe we caught them on an off day, it was Sunday after all. So, I would be willing to give them another shot as the balance of flavors on the ceviche was really nice; just gotta ensure the fish is fresh!
Since it’s right in our neighborhood, I’m sure we will be back. Maybe we will stick with their non-​ceviche items in the future.

Solid Peruvian restaurant recommended by timeout magazine. Live right near it so we decided to check it out tonight. On the fence-3.5 stars but rounding up for good measure. May be a little harsh that I am comparing it to the last time I had Peruvian food, which was in Peru. (Twice as good for half the price).
Anyway we started with the chicken wontons and a pisco sour and an old fashion imposter cocktail. At £7−9 a drink there are much better choices In the area for cocktails, but these were tasty. The chicken wontons were very good and crispy and the dipping sauce was fantastic.
For mains two of us split
the pork cheek– really tender with spicy mash and some fried cassava chips.
The quinoa salad– fresh with avocado and some other sauce. Definitely my favorite dish and a must order.
The corn forget thing– my dates favorite but a little like very glorified cornbread. Still tasty.
Lastly we split a so so merlot and the donuts for dessert. Donuts were hot and fluffy but I wish they served a smaller serving for less money.
Total as about £60.
Service was prompt and they could sit us at 730 on a Friday. However we were sat next to a lady who spoke far to loud and another lady who had taken her shoes off and put her feet up in the bench seats. Wish the place was quieter
All in all a good meal but probably will never return. Looking back, will round down to three stars.

Aqui se cocina con cariño. Again. From the creator of Andina, a new restaurant recently opened in Old Street. With respect to the first one, here we find less vegetables and more meat, especially giblets. And the result is as awesome as the main restaurant, maybe even better!
Me and my lady went here for a special lunch, and we haven’t been disappointed. The entrance of the place is on a secondary road from City Rd, be sure not to miss it as it could be a bit difficult to find. The décor of the place is upper casual, elegant but not intimidating, perfect for a business lunch or for a special lunch for two. I loved the openview kitchen where you can see chefs finishing the various dishes, that’s something I’m happy to see!
After being seated in a table in front of the view, we received the menu: front for food and rear for drinks: the style is very similar to the one you can find in Andina, an assortment of small dishes you eat 2 – 3 per person. I love this style, small dishes you can order together, so many different tastes! anyway the dishes range from small snacks like toasted corn or sweet potato fries to fishes and seafood (guess what? yes you have it, ceviche of course!), several giblets (chicken hearts, beef hearts, they had a lot of choices, brain included! And I love brains) and a couple of meat main (ooh lomo saltado, I missed you in Andina). Awesome, very good menu!
High spots: torreja de sesos (lamb brain fritters with tomato and sweet chilli jam), awesomely fried, incredibly moist and in perfect conjunction with the sweetness of the jam, ostras pitucas (fresh rock oysters with a sour sauce), with the freshness of the oyster was perfectly balanced by the acidity of the sauce, pure deliciousness in a small plate. Far from perfection the beef hearts, slightly overcooked and a bit too simple for ticking my palate.
A personal bravo for the presentation of the dishes, I loved the care they put in every dish, the eye always wants his part in the deal!
In the end, that is a bright awesome spot I definitely would like to come back. They just need to set up a few things, adjusting a bit the dishes and their prices (some dishes are definitely too expensive), but I expect this place to become one of my favourite south american spots in a short amount of time!
We love cocina con cariño!

Dinner on Thursday night — very attentive service from the moment we stepped in. Food was great! Cocktail with the paprika and the coffee (two different cocktails!) were brilliant. Food highlights: salmon ceviche, tuna ceviche, pork cheek with cavassa mash.

I managed to score a reservation here during their soft opening, which offered 50% of all food and drinks. This is the first expansion of the Ceviche brand (beside Andina) after a successful run in Soho, and the location could not be better — it is right around the corner from Old Street station. They have a merchandise shop by the door when you come in, and an «art gallery» decorating the walls — all for sale, with prices around 300 pounds for the pieces of art that I was able to get close to. The restaurant looks like a diner with an open kitchen in the middle, and it’s got a young, hip atmosphere. Trendy and very Shoreditch.
For food, we got the Cancha (crunchy corn), Pastelitos (corn fritter fingers), Ceviche del Dia, Panza con Sauco (pork belly), and Pulpo Parrillero (grilled octopus). The Cancha was basically like the Corn Nuts snacks that I ate growing up… I didn’t particularly care for them, but it was like a bar snack. The corn fritter fingers resembled polenta chips, and they came with a creamy avocado sauce that I wish had been more like guacamole (instead it was like one of the smooth dips that you see packaged in the supermarkets). The ceviche was good, as you would expect, but unexpectedly very spicy as well. The pork belly was my favorite, as it had an amazing glaze and a tasty corn cream as well. The slight drawback is that it had cartilage bits in it, which isn’t what I expected in pork belly — that is something that you would be more likely to see in pork ribs. Finally, the grilled octopus was only a close second behind the pork belly. We had two large meaty tentacles that were very well grilled (I happen to like a chargrilled taste), and came with a plentiful helping of vegetables.
For drinks, I got the pisco sour (mandatory, of course), the Peru Boom, and the Pisco Punch. Both the Peru Boom and the Pisco Punch were extremely strong drinks, and also very fruity and well mixed. The cocktail menu is very pisco centric, and they only have a few options that don’t feature pisco, which they call «the impostors.» They also have a number of beer options, including local brews like the Hammerton brewery in Islington, and my friend got a half pint of one of them.
At the end of our meal, we were asked to fill in a feedback form, which I thought was very interesting, given that they have already had so much success with their first Ceviche restaurant. It’s good to know that a restaurant like them is still trying to improve. I think it is a very fun place to go and I am sure that it will have a lot of success.