A Tasting Menu Worth the Hype at Bamboo Mat

When Grace Dent coins a restaurant’s dishes as ‘Plates of Peruvian Joy’, you know it’s going to be good, right?

To celebrate the opening of a brand new Bamboo Mat in Stratford (the original restaurant is in Leyton), we headed down to the gorgeous indoor/outdoor style terrace, treated by a rare day of Great British sunshine.

Once seated, and perusing the menu, I was surprised to see the Tasting Menu options (three), marked at such reasonable price points (£30.00pp, £43.00pp and £55.00pp with optional wine pairings from £20.00 – £25.00 per person).

We opted for the middle ground option, featuring three sharing style starters for the table, paired with a beautiful, chilled Gewurztraimer from New Zealand. Beautifully vibrant and chilled crudo-style dishes were served including Hamachi Tiradito which was adorned with an indulgent yuzu truffle soy. As well came a summery Seabass Ceviche topped withpassion fruit and mango tiger’s milk, sweet potato, red onion and chancha corn.

Each dish was presented with a flourish by the friendly and bubbly waitstaff with a polite, almost bashful wave from the chefs in the open kitchen. Ordering off-menu now we also wanted to try the Scallop Sashimi with was perfection and a worthwhile side order. As well, we needed to hero the Padron Peppers served with mango miso – a salty, punchy and overwhelmingly different way to serve the much-loved side dish.

For mains, we were served classic Chicken Teriyaki with spring onion and sesame seeds which was delightfully rich,alongside marinated Lamb Chops in anticucho sauce with coriander – the highlight dish of the menu. Served alongside a rich Portuguese red wine, it’s worth noting the gargantuan size of the main dishes. Don’t get carried away like we did, as there is still a sushi course!

When we say sushi course, we mean a serious sushi course. Next up was the Vulcano Maki, rolls of salmon, seabass, cucumber, asparagus and avocado, as well as Salmon Nigiriand Bluefin Tuna Nigiri. Each element was fresh, seasonal and divine, although we definitely hadn’t left enough room after the mains to do this course justice. Although we devoured the Kawatsuru Sake.

At this point, we needed rolling out, but our marvellous, funand very knowledgeable waitress insisted we have dessert, and who are we to argue? The Chef Selection was a remarkably unique Yuzu and Raspberry-style Crème Brûlée and a soft and spongey Chocolate Fondant that was in the shape of a heart – how sweet!

Whilst the food was a sure highlight of this restaurant experience, the vibe and relaxed nature of the space was standout. Throughout the evening, the team even welcomed in families with young children (with remarkably refined palates) for tasting experiences. The staff were very knowledgeable of the Peruvian practices and also notable, was the creativity of the mixologists, whipping out Japanese Izakaya-inspired concoctions throughout the night.

Bringing a fresh perspective on Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian-Japanese fusion), chef-owner Denis Gobjila (formerly at Chotto Matte,) and his business partner, Victor Rosca(formerly at Sushisamba and Lucky Cat), have peeled off from their previous Peruvian and Japanese restaurant establishments to join forces and stamp their own mark on London’s burgeoning Nikkei cuisine scene.

Find out more >www.bamboo-mat.co.uk

Written by Kara Buffrey