118 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London, W1J 7NW www.coyarestaurant.com/
My apathy regarding the two nations’ history does throw up further complications – it leaves me ignorant of the exact particulars of Japanese influence on Peruvian food, which seems to be the flavour of the year. They both like fish, that’s as far as my knowledge extends; but, I don’t know where one ends, and the other begins. Writing on food, perhaps I should take the time to learn. The answer is only 9 strokes of the keyboard away keys away, starting with’W’. I’m a lazy man though and the cumulative effects of an Argentinian sparkling wine, a glass of red, a glass of white and a glass of dessert wine don’t help.
Coya occupies a building that surely impresses more than just lowly freelancers like me. Sturdy, tall ornate doors open-up to an equally ornate staircase, leading down to an opulent and surprisingly light basement. Exactly what I expect from Mayfair, although I did have to open the door myself. I was lucky enough to have a tour though.
The space and calm of the dining room was welcome, as was the glass placed in my hand and the ceviche placed on the table. This was a’masterclass’ where people came to learn the art of ceviche – lessons on perfecting a very popular dish. I contrived to forget it all. Not that I didn’t try, I’m just useless at listening, and while Instagram is great for providing visual memories of a meal, it doesn’t yet capture sound. Such a shame.
The ceviche was served on ice, I do remember that. A bowl of food sat within a bowl of ice, something I’ve not seen before. The fish was cold, so carried a similarly fresh feeling to sushi. It was sweet, not overpowered with bitter citrus. Something was said about the first squeeze of the lime being the only part of the juice to use. The memories, like the wine, in full flow. The same can be said of the spice accompanying one of the dishes. A warm sweet spice, not at all overpowering.
Of the courses directly following the ceviche, the octopus was the standout dish. Fired in the Josper oven (everyone loves a Josper!) it was delicate, delicious, and I could have eaten an entire bowl of the stuff. Splendid. Of the mains, the earthy flavours of the mushroom, truffle and potato dish was strangely one of the highlights. I say strangely, as it looked amazing sat on the table, but listed on the menu next to sea bream and sirloin it really didn’t catch the eye. I’m very glad we ordered it. The sirloin, not so much. For a Josper’d steak, it lacked that crispy seared outer and juicy locked-in juicy flavour. Instead, it had too soft a complexion and too soggy a texture. I wasn’t a fan.
Coya is a true Mayfair experience, albeit one with a friendly edge. Professional staff smile politely and provide hints, tips, suggestions and as much information on each dish as you’re willing to hear. Sitting in the calm restaurant, watching the chefs toil behind bars in the kitchen (literally), you do get the sense of the hard work that goes into each dish.
The ceviche’masterclass’ demonstration was meticulous and the finished product delicious. One of the best ceviche I’ve eaten, although in truth I’ve not eaten that many. If I return, it’ll be with a small army of ceviche fans (all 3 of them) to load up on the fish plates. The octopus I’ll keep, the steak meanwhile, I’ll leave firmly in the Josper.