The lovechild between a nightclub in Mykonos and a Manhattan SOHO restaurant, Piraña London brings the best of Nikkei cuisine – Peruvian Japanese fusion – to London in a club-like setting sure to set the tone for an unforgettable evening.
As you cross the threshold of Piraña London, you enter a world of vanguardist design. A sleek bar leads the way to a dining room that reminds me of the original Pachá. Black everywhere, swanky furniture, textured industrial walls… the whole thing is interior designed within an inch of its ceilings.
It is obvious too that the team in charge are well versed in the art of charming and entertaining guests. We were received by Larbi Agrebi, Operations Manager and Claudio Obinu, Reception and Reservations Manager. They are humorous, they are attentive, they know how to please and impress and they do it very well. First, it is cocktail time. After explaining my preferences, Bar Manager Eric Le Pape recommends a Palomita, a version of the tequila-based cocktail in which mezcal is also added and Hawaiian black lava salt used to finish on the rim and side of the glass.
Three of the most popular cocktails at Piraña London: from the left, Chocolate & Orange Expresso Martini, Palomita and Old Fashioned.
As we peruse the extensive menu, we realise that everything looks so good that it would have taken us days to make up our minds about what to order, so we ask the Piraña team to choose for us. Immediately, our waiter, Waly K., brings us Spicy Edamame with anticucho miso and Sweet Corn Ribs. You may think these are boring choices, but not here. Honestly, the best edamame I’ve had in my life and the corn ribs – seasoned with Yuzu Kosho – pack a punch of flavour.
From the raw options, we have Chu-Toro Tuna and Salmon Sashimi, both marbled and delicate, the salmon buttery and the tuna brinier. The stars of the raw show though are the Prawn Ceviche with grapefruit leche de tigre, and the vegan option, made from Fennel and Golden Beetroot.
Selection of appetisers and starters at Piraña London: from the left, Corn Ribs, Golden Beetroot and Sunchoke Ceviche, Chu-Toro Tuna and Salmon Sashimi.
The specialities at Piraña London are all quite remarkable. Butter Roasted Chilean Sea Bass and Lamb Chops Anticucho have become hero dishes on the menu. We go a bit off-piste though and choose to share Grilled Black Cod with caramelised miso and pickled myoga. Smooth velvety texture, with a slightly smoky, very rich and buttery taste, almost sweet. Sommelier Francesco Tahiri bravely pairs it with a limited edition Pantocrator 2011 from Rioja; spicy and full-bodied as you’d expect, but with a touch of zest and vibrant acidity. It works beautifully.
Wally accompanies the cod with Truffle Rice Hot Pot, a creamy risotto-style side dish with lots of wild mushrooms and a generous helping of black truffle. Quite extravagant and utterly delicious. Even more indulgent is the Caviar and Belvedere Bump Experience, which includes Baerii and Beluga caviar paired with shots of the very luxurious Belvedere B10 vodka.
The cherry on the cake of our dinner at Piraña London was literally a (giant) cherry, accompanied by a Palomita and Eric Le Pape’s spontaneous cocktail creation, a gin-based version of a Palomita.
To finish, Cherry Cherry is a stunning-looking dessert that, as it name suggests, looks like a giant cherry. An Amerena cherry core is wrapped in semifreddo whipped coconut, finished with a mirror-like red glaze and a chocolate stem.
Open for lunch and dinner, with live DJs on the decks until 1 am, Piraña definitely lives up to the hype. Another triumph for Strongarm Hospitality, the company that has brought so far to our capital The London Reign, Yūki and Tabū London.
Words: Julia Pasarón
Piraña London
7-9 St James’s St, St. James’s, London SW1A 1EE
Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday Lunch 12-4 pm, Dinner 6 pm-1:00 am | Sunday & Monday – Closed. Make your reservation, HERE.
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