Ceviche at Coya, Mayfair

Trying out the set lunch menu

Until recently you really needed to possess an expense account, a doting boss, or a generous partner to seriously consider dining at Coya. You’d have to accept that a meal here would soak up rather a lot of your hard-earned dinero, with mains priced in excess of £25 each. Of course this is not an uncommon affliction when dining in Mayfair, a spot of concentrated foreign wealth which manifests most often as crisp Hermes scarves wafting with Arabian Oud. The new launch of a set lunch menu helps to take the sting out of the experience, and there is a choice between either 3 or 4 courses at £26.50 and £29.50 respectively. Although there is an absence of premium produce, the better value for money is still something to be celebrated.

This newly-affordable lunch menu spans Peruvian classics of tiraditos and ceviche (marinated fish sliced or diced) , anticuchos (meat grilled on skewers), and parrillada (barbecue). To start, try the punchy seabass and salmon ceviche with lime-spiked red onions, ginger, wasabi and white corn.

Moving on to the antichuchos, there are skewers of scorched chicken marinated in garlic and aji amarillo, or try the adequately handled baby squid (admittedly not as accomplished as the peppery-beauties at Busaba – you know the ones). A vegetarian stew is the richest and most deeply flavoured dish we order, featuring hot clumps of potato, butternut squash and a poached egg in a viscous and well-spiced sauce.

We go off-piste for dessert, switching to the A La Carte options for the simple reason that they read so much better. Be warned that doing this will incur a higher bill; each off-set-menu item is charged at the normal rate. If you have to choose just one, then it is worth plumping for a coconut-crème filled chocolate fondant with roasted white chocolate ice cream.

Whichever way you choose to do it, Coya has become that much more accessible for the likes of you and I – reason enough to give it a go.

Tube: Hyde Park Corner
Address: 118 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7NW
Tel: 020 7042 7118
Website: www.coyarestaurant.com/landing
I was invited to review Coya