Absolutely delicious Peruvian cuisine in central London: Restaurant Coya Mayfair (2. February 2020)
Of course I’m always a bit skeptical about food from Latin America when it’s served in Europe but given I haven’t actually been to Peru, I cannot really say if it is good or not – but I can say if I liked it or not. Now, the “crocantes con guacamole (corn tortillas, shrimp crackers, guacamole)” (GBP 9.00) is basically guacamole prepared …
… right in front of your eyes by the waiter …
… from fresh avocado until it’s ready for you to eat. And it is very good and the fact that it is hand-made results in some big junks of avocado with your chips – making it a lovely nibble!
The concept of the Coya is to share dishes which is something I love as you get to try more different dishes. We went for the “ceviche atún chifa (yellowfin tuna, soy, sesame seeds, shrimp crackers)” (GBP 12.00) which was delicious but also on the rather spicy side and the “ceviche corvina trufa (corvina, truffles, ponzu, chives)” (GBP 16.00) which was also good but very different as the sauce was thicker and, therefore, not as light as the atún chifa.
The “tacos cangrejo (Cornish crab, avocado, yuzu, tobiko)” (GBP 11.00) looked tiny and like there was a lot of fried elements in it – but it turns out that there actually wasn’t and that you really get a perfect two-bite taco which was absolutely mouth-watering! Loved it!
Unfortunately, they had run out of the ox heart skewers which was a bit of a disappointment, so I went for the “lomo de res, 110gr, skewers (beef fillet, aji panca, coriander)” (GBP 15.00) which were okay but really nothing special. I mean, it’s a beef skewer with a bit of sauce. Compared to the flavorful dishes I had before that, this was really a disappointment (even when the meat was good). The “arroz con choclo (white rice, corn, sweet garlic)” (GBP 6.00) as a side dish was great – especially due to the sweet garlic and the two different types of corn.
The “salmón a la brasa (salmon fillet, stir-fry quinoa, soy, green vegetables)” (GBP 21.00) was something I was not so sure I wanted to try but gave it a shot in the end – and it was amazing! The salmon was rich, juicy, full of flavor – just really savory. And the quinoa was almost as amazing!
Given, I was in that rush of flavor and taste – I decided to also go for a dessert and picked the “chocolate fundido (Illanka Chocolate fondant, almond ice cream)” (GBP 9.00) which did not only look amazing when it was served (prep time about 10-15 minutes) but it was also great because when you broke open that little cake, it would still be very liquid inside which made it an intense chocolate flavor which was very enjoyable. Furthermore, the ice cream was refreshing – and if you like almonds, actually delicious!
I liked the place a lot. When I arrived at around 1pm it was still almost empty – about 20 minutes later, it was almost full. Therefore, booking a table in advance is highly recommended (once more)!
The staff is very friendly and professional – and a big shout out to Chiara, our waitress, who did an excellent job! Keep on going and keep that friendly smile of yours! All in all, I really liked the Coya Mayfair – lovely place, lovely atmosphere, proficient service, mostly delicious dishes, and actually overall also fair in price!
Rating:
| Atmosphere: |   |
| Service: |  |
| Dishes: | |
| Price-Performance Ratio: | |
| Overall Rating: | |
Contact Details:
Restaurant Coya Mayfair
Piccadilly 118
Mayfair
W1J 7NW London (UK)
Tel.: +44 20 70 42 71 18
Homepage: http://www.coyarestaurant.com/london-mayfair
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
