The Handbook Reviews: Mexican-Peruvian Fusion At Chayote
I, like most of London it appears, had been battling a minor but tenacious cold prior to my visit to new opening Chayote, which means I was especially involved in whether it would come good on its promise of heat and flavour. The new restaurant from Chef Thomasz Baranski, who brings a Spanish tweak to the Mexican-Peruvian fusion, in St Katherine’s Docks aims to fill a rare gap in the London culinary market – relatively upscale, but still sensibly-priced genuine Mexican food.
What sets it apart
Mexican food has a unique and slightly contentious place in London’s culinary world. It will often be the main grumbling point of stateside visitors and expats, and their supposed trump card in the often prosaic debates of which country does it best – the it being food, which always slightly misses the point. There are a few main reasons: The obvious geographical discrepancy, and a relative lack of diaspora compared to that which has helped other cuisines flourish in the capital. There is also the persistent misconception that your local Burrito stand consists of Mexican food. While undoubtedly delicious, it is Tex-Mex.
That is not to say it is unattainable – and the tide does generally seem to be turning as of late – but whereas for the most part you can stumble into any Punjabi-inflected curry house and strike gold, with Mexican food in London to be aptly rewarded you have to do your research, and the potential for disappointment is ever more prevalent. But it also means new restaurants have more of an opening to create a splash.
Mexican is not the only inspiration at play here, however. Peruvian, with its focus on seafood, citrus and heat, pairs seamlessly with lots of cuisines making it a popular fusion culinary particle, and means they get to add ceviche to the menu, which offers instant improvement to most.
Our experience
St Katherine’s Docks is about as maritime as dining gets in London, apt when you are heading into what is predictably going to be a seafood-heavy meal. The interior is sleek and glassy, with the tables at the front gazing out at the marina and the upper turrets of the Tower of London overlooking the mini-promenade, while the ones at the back cater to a more intimate affair. I was there for lunch, so opted for the brightness of the front, whose view allows you to wonder what Anne Boleyn would have made of yellowfin tuna tostadas.
Such is the rush to open, sometimes restaurants can feel half-baked in their early days, but Chayote feels effortlessly settled. Waiters are confident and friendly, and the menu has evidently been carefully selected and crafted. The beauty of the dishes, ranging from small to medium in size, means it has the appealing flexibility of small-plate fare and also the comfort and structure of a meal. Prices are reasonable, and you could feasibly get away feeling perfectly satisfied for about £40pp, drink included.
What we ordered
To start, I order guacamole with totopos – as a snack, really, but also a litmus test – and prawn and jalapeno croquettes with spurting guajillo cream, where the Spanish influence shines through. They’re delicious and, my cold-now long forgotten, are quickly followed by the tostada course – crunchy and wildly flavoursome bites of squash, chilli and pumpkin, and the aforementioned guajiilo-enhanced yellowfin tuna.
The highlight was the shareable main – an almost creamy fillet of hake in a veracruzana sauce packing a delightfully generous thwack of chilli, pierced through with the added sweet, tangy and slightly smoky pineapple salsa, and accompanied by warm, fresh tortillas wrapped in cloth – the balance and combination worked beautifully.
The execution is great, but it is perhaps slightly let down by a lack of daring to try something new. No exciting new flavour combination, or inventive course – nothing that definitely stands out as a unique Chayote signature. Perhaps that will come as it grows into itself, but it almost feels like a missed opportunity that would push the opening over the edge.
Verdict
Despite this, while polishing off a particularly nice Carajillo – coffee with mezcal – you can’t help but feel that what Chayote does well, it does very well. It is undoubtedly a welcome new addition, and can seamlessly rub shoulders among the now plentiful army of evidence we Londoners can hold in our holster, primed to rebuff those that dare to undermine our Mexican restaurants.
Chayote
2 St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1AA
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