The ground floor bar at Amazonico. And yes that IS a stuffed peacock on the bar...
What do we need to know about Amazonico?
This Mayfair restaurant burst onto the scene late last year. An offshoot of the Spanish original which caused a sensation when it opened in Madrid the rainforest-themed restaurant looked like nothing else in London. If you were after somewhere understated, this wasn't for you.
Where is it?
You'll find it on Berkeley Square, tucked in between Benares and Sexy Fish, smack bang in prime Mayfair going out territory. The nearest tube (although we'd lay bets everywhere here arrived by cab) is Green Park.
Where's good to go for a drink first?
Happily, they've thought of that. There is a bar as you enter the restaurant, but really you want to be heading down to their Speakeasy - an underwater themed bar for a cocktail. We'd seen pictures of The Ritual on Insta (see below) and have to say that while it looks quite beautiful, served in its glass conch shell, this rum-based take on the Manhattan was also one of the nicest tasting cocktails we'd had in a while.
The Ritual - Zacapa XO Rum, Balsamic Vermouth, Pussanga. SO good, but be warned it does cost £35.
Where should we sit?
There are two distinct dining rooms here. The front section - the bar and lounge - has a view over the glass-fronted kitchen and has more of a vibey scene with DJs playing. At the rear is the main dining room with a live band supplying the music. There's also a separate sushi bar if you enjoy watching the sushi chefs doing their thing.
OK, so it looks amazing, but what's on the menu?
They describe their food as "a blend of tropical and Latin American cuisines" - so that means everything from Peruvian sushi to South American chupe and a lot of Josper-grilled meats.
Here's what we had:
Atun Okinamasu con Caviar - Toro tuna tartar, coconut with Baerii Vintage caviar (£33) - just simply one of the nicest tuna tartares we'd had in an age. This was beautifully seasoned and worth every penny of that punchy starter price. And yes, the raspberries weirdly did go well with it.
Arepas de Cangrejo - Nikkei crab salad, corn shell, Ikura (£23) - corn shells stuffed with white crab and topped with ikura (Keta salmon roe).
Chef's selection of sashimi (£30) - a mixture of wonderfully fatty Ora King Salmon, Yellowtail and Akami.
Chimichurri marinated skirt steak (£42) - served on a charcoal grill to keep it warm, this was great steak and while pricey for skirt, that flash on the Josper was all it needed.
Merluza Negra - Patagonian black hake, grilled eggplant, plantain crisp (£35) - it's been a while since I've had the black cod at Nobu, but we honestly think this was a lot better. Beautiful fish with a delicate marinade and cooked to perfection.
Papas al Horno - Josper grilled rosemary new potatoes (£8) - all smoky and woody herb tasting.
Room for dessert?
Amazingly yes, and we were glad we did...
Pastel de Dulce de Leche - Dulce de leche cheesecake with hazelnut financier and calamansi jelly (£13) - a very deconstructed cheesecake, but one that was demolished by our usually dessert-avoiding dining companion.
Pina Rostizada - Roasted caramel glazed pineapple, corn cake, coconut sorbet (£12) - you'll see these pineapples on the spit as you enter the restaurant. There was easily enough for two to share.
And to drink?
The wine list is Mayfair-punchy, so a glass starts at £10 and ratchets up to £60 for a glass of Corton-Charlemagne Grand Crus. You could do some serious damage to your credit balance here - but judging from everyone around us, that wasn't proving problematic. We stuck to the by-the-glass section including a very good Chateau Genot-Boulanger Mersault for £16.
Overall thoughts:
Booking dinner here just weeks after the 10pm curfew came in, we opted for what would have previously seemed like an insanely early time of 5.30pm, on a Tuesday. So we were pretty surprised to find the restaurant already filling up and packed by the time we were leaving. Everyone was dressed up to the nines and there was a band playing. If you're looking for somewhere to forget the horrors of 2020 for a short while, then this hits the spot exactly. Fun, frivolous and over-the-top. Just what the government killjoys didn't order.
More about Amazonico London
Where is it? Berkeley Square House, 4-19 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BR
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @amazonicolondon
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Amazonico. Prices correct at time of publication.
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