Homegirl London’s Restaurant Review: Monmouth Kitchen. Homeboy and I were on a mission to buy his dad an umbrella from James Smith and Sons on New Oxford Street. I searched for a nearby restaurant and spotted Monmouth Kitchen serving Italian and Peruvian tapas. It sounded intriguing, so we headed on down to Seven Dials in Covent Garden to check it out. If you’re looking for places to eat in Covent Garden or Peruvian restaurants in London, this eatery is well worth a try.
“Sophisticated restaurant where you can share tasty Italian and contemporary Peruvian small plates with your lover in London’s West End,” Homegirl London
Monmouth Kitchen Menu
It might sound a bit strange, serving a mix of Italian and Peruvian dishes together. However, when you read about the history of Peru, you’ll discover that Italian immigrants were the second-largest European group to settle in the country. You can order a selection of small plates to share – some dishes are Italian, others Peruvian and a few are a fusion of the two. We were there Saturday lunchtime and ordered from the a la carte menu. We tried the slow-roasted padrón peppers (which are Spanish but who cares I love them!) which arrived in a very cute mini Kilner jar. We also tried a delightful little avocado and corn salad with a blackberry dressing which was refreshing and very pretty.
Padrón Peppers with Maldon Sea Salt
From the pizza, pasta and risotto section we went for the wild mushroom and ricotta ravioli with sage butter. This was delicious, the ravioli was perfectly al dente, and you could taste the sage coming through. Other pasta options were tagliatelle with Frutti di mare or penne with cherry tomato crème and green chillies. Pizza choices were Margherita with buffalo mozzarella, spicy ‘nduja salami with soft cheese or smoked BBQ chicken with coriander and chillies. Alternatively, you can try the chicken and spinach risotto.
Wild Mushroom and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter
The tiny crunchy tacos are tasty, but they are tiny. You get two per servings with a choice of tomato salsa, salmon with jalapeno sauce, tuna with chilli lemon, scallop ceviche or spicy chicken with yoghurt. These are more of a flavour hit than something which is going to fill you up. They are just too cute, so worth ordering just so you can admire them.
Mini Tacos
Homeboy enjoyed his sea bass ceviche with avocado, white corn and red onion. Other options included rock shrimp, lobster, organic salmon with celery or tomato. If you haven’t tried ceviche before it’s a seafood dish made from raw fish cured in citrus juices spiced with chilli peppers.
Sea Bass Ceviche
Meat eaters can enjoy the signature dish of smoked lamb cutlets with red anticucho or the lamb and taleggio sliders with truffle mayo. The robata meat selection features lamb cutlet, wild boar with apple sausage and poussin and pork slider. Robata is a charcoal grill used in Japanese cooking – Japanese immigrants also settled in Peru which influenced the cuisine. We tried the robata grilled baby aubergine, which was delicious.
Robata Grilled Baby Aubergine
Of course, we tried a dessert, or two! We were recommended the chocolate Caliente which are warm Peruvian chocolate spring rolls served with fresh passion fruit and coconut sorbet. I loved this, particularly the fact that the chocolate was warm. We also tucked into the Café Alendra, which is a coffee brûlée, chocolate cacao, almond ice cream and mascarpone amaretto crème. This was presented in a cute cup and was yummy. While you’re there, try the Pisco cocktails for a real taste of Peru. We enjoyed a couple of non-alcoholic cocktails which were fabulous.
Chocolate Caliente and Café Alendra
Menu prices range from £3-20 for the small plates and desserts are £6. You can try the set menu for weekday lunch where you get three dishes for £20 or four dishes for £25 per person. Groups of ten people can share a set menu which also includes a vegetarian option. They also had an exciting Peruvian and Italian inspired afternoon tea menu which I saw a few groups of friends enjoying… perhaps I’ll try that another time.
Monmouth Kitchen Interiors
Restaurant Interiors
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel with excellent views overlooking the busy Monmouth Street in the Seven Dials area. The space is open and airy with 106 covers. Interiors are smart and stylish with a strong monochrome palette. Black and white marble tables are paired with white chairs while architectural black brick screens divide the room.
Monmouth Kitchen Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to the Monmouth Kitchen Website. The restaurant address is 20 Mercer Street, London WC2H 9HD. It’s very close to Seven Dials which is a famous point where seven roads meet. The nearest tube stations are Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line), Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern Lines) and Tottenham Court Road (Northern Line). Check the website for opening times because they vary according to whether you want breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. I hope you enjoy this restaurant. It’s near many theatres so you can book a table if you see a show.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London and restaurant. Thanks: Ben Chambers for sending me information and photography. Thanks to Homeboy to dining with me.
