The team behind, Zuaya restaurant and cocktail bar have brought the wilds of the jungle to their new London opening in High Street Kensington. The wild plant walled interior, eccentric dishes and conceptual presentation of plates and cocktails all combine to form a rich sensory journey.
The restaurant & bar itself are split into a different mood zones. You enter through outdoor seating and a cocktail bar, perfect for hot summer evenings. Immediately as you enter there is a suspended DJ booth above steep dramatic stairway, which follows on to formal and cosy dining booths downstairs. Each boasting a stunning retro lampshades with hanging tassels, creating a cosy and secluded atmosphere.
The aural ambience is curated by London taste-maker DJ’s playing a mix of world music, chill out house and tribal beats. These genres play perfect mise-en-scene to your journey through signature dishes like Corn Brulee, a mix of the famous Peruvian corn cake with organic Italian Burrata & edible flowers!
We personally loved their Ceviche A La Brasa, A dish dominated by Fresh Sea Bream, red onion, Peruvian corn, Rocoto and Tiger Milk, topped with delicious creamy Sweet Potato Ice Cream. Another sure hit was the Amazonic King Prawns, where gigantic Madagascar Tiger Prawns are stacked on a Sweet Potato Panko and sweetened with Passion Fruit & Yellow Aji honesy.
Daringly, the cocktail menu does not offer a Pisco Sour’s, as the concept is all about challenging assumptions and new experiences! However the menu is still heavily inspired by Peruvian classics, seasoned with fusion elements from Brazil, Mexico, Peru & Mediterranean.
However, for this writer, the real show-stopper here was their homemade ice creams. The texture and depth of flavour was beyond what I had experienced before and I’ve eaten a huge amount of ice cream! Make sure you sample their Avocado, Pumkin or Mango flavours, served in coconut shells.
