Ceviche is the latest raw fish dish delighting foodies - and there are vegan twists on it, too

10 November 2019, 18:32

By Emma Gritt

@emmagritt

Popping to Lima in your lunch break is one step closer to reality with the opening of London's latest Peruvian cafe.

Sashimi is losing its grip over the ‘people who like eating raw fish’ market as more poke and ceviche restaurants set up shop across the UK.

The latest opening in London, Crudo Cevicheria, brings a colourful taste of Peru to a grey corner of central London - and despite its basement restaurant area not being quite open for business yet, is already causing a buzz among the city’s foodies.

But it’s actually the grab and go element that is making Crudo - Italian for ‘raw’ - stand out in the market.

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The restaurant keeps it simple with three staple ‘bowls’ that you can personalise with some tasty extras, like plantain chips, cancha corn, nori and sweet potato, or you can use your imagination and build your own dish from scratch.

Each bowl (served complete with quinoa or rice is a filling meal) is priced at £8.50, which might seem steep, but at more formal ceviche restaurants in nearby Soho this is less than the price of a few strips of uncooked fish.

Thankfully for those who aren’t fans of fish (raw or cooked), one of the offerings is vegan, substituting the seabass and salmon options for trusty chickpeas.

Everything on the menu is freshly prepared to order - and it’s great news for people who hate coriander, as the controversial leafy herb can be added or removed on request.

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Their in-house chilli sauces - leche de Tigre - are also delicious, adding even more zesty freshness to each bowl.

Additional extras, priced from £1.50, include beetroot tartare, guacamole and pomegranate quinoa.

As the days get longer - and gloomier - at least this is one way to get some South American flair and colour in to your life.

Crudo Cevicheria, 35 Riding House Street, London W1W 7EA, visit their website here.