Lima Floral

Eastern flavours

Salmon tiradito, beetroot, black quinoa

Peruvian cuisine is an interesting one for me, the freshness of Southern American flavours in combination of the cleaniness of Far East flavours are somewhat special and are adored by chefs around the world. Lima Floral is the second Peruvian restaurant in London under the much celebrated chef Virgilio Martinez. His first restaurant with the same name in Fitzrova gained a Michelin star for its unique flavours and colourful presentation. Lima Floral is very similar to its biggest brother, but perhaps a touch more casual judging from the pricing on the menu. We opted for the pre-theatre menu, which cost under £20 for 3 course and came with a glass of house wine. 

Aubergine ceviche

Squid tempura, corn puree, red onion

The starter of salmon tiradito was fairly pleasant, it was light, fresh with a touch of sweet tone from the beetroot while the black quinoa offered a lovely crunchy texture. However the portion could have been slightly larger. The crispy squid tempura is somewhat a strange main course, however I did enjoy the flavours of the corn puree in combination of the tender squid, but again the portion was tiny. The beef sailtado was head downs the best dish, it had some very impactful, bold flavours, the beef was moist and I really enjoyed the peppery and spicy tone from the red onion and coriander. The dessert of elderberry mousse was a proper summer delight, light, fresh, with an eye pleasing plating. 

Beef saltado, red onion, coriander

Alfajores

Elderberry mousse

Overall my meal was fairy decent, some lovely fresh and clean flavours but it was no where near to the level of the original Lima at Fitzrova. It was understandable that it was only a set menu and I expect the a la carte menu would offer a much better experience in terms of the quality of the ingredients. Service was a little sloppy and forgotten our drinks order, also we weren't given the set menu from the start even when I specially requested that when I made my booking. Beside the service hiccup, the overall level of cooking was above your typical chain with some very fresh, flavoursome and interesting tastes that should get your taste-buds buzzing, if you are after something unusual.  


Food 2.5/5

What I paid: 
£22 per head

Average cost without drinks and services:
£30

14 Garrick St, London WC2E 9BJ

http://www.limalondongroup.com/floral