Pachamama’s menu is inspired by Peruvian cuisine and focused on using “natural” and “rustic” cooking techniques. The ideal dining experience is one that involves sharing many plates between many people, and the space is bustling and vibrant.
They have done well with the space - despite being underground, it is nicely lit and doesn’t feel stifling. The seating is quite closely packed, and sat in the middle of three two-person tables, we felt somewhat like we were sharing a meal with the people between whom we were sandwiched. That said, the noise was quite well-controlled, and as it got later and people cleared out, we were able to relax into it more.
We were recommended the tasting menu, which, for £65 per person, is a total steal. It includes a Pisco sour - saving you from spending £15 on a cocktail on top of your food - as well as seven dishes from the main section of the menu and a delicious dessert. When you order the tasting menu, you are warned that dishes are designed to be shared between a minimum of two guests, but some portions were really quite small; whether you would be advised against ordering this menu as a solo diner I do not know, but I would worry about those plates being halved. That said, there were plenty of courses, and we were very satisfied by the end of it.
Although the Pisco sour appears first on the list, we did not receive ours until a few courses in. We supplemented their signature cocktail with Palomas and El Dios Collins, which were both great choices, but ultimately returned to the Pisco sours for the best combination with the meal. As for that, we started with padrón peppers and Peruvian fried chicken. The padrón peppers were nothing to write home about - totally serviceable but unremarkable - but the chicken was to die for. Incredibly tender and beautifully seasoned, my boyfriend put forward that it was the best fried chicken he had ever had. High praise, of course, but warranted; if you opt to order à la carte, this should definitely be on your list.
Then, the two fish dishes arrived: the sea bass ceviche with red onion, cancha and coriander, and the yellowfin tuna in tiger’s milk. What arrived to our table wasn’t utterly faithful to the menu description, mostly because there were additional elements: red pepper in the sea bass, and avocado in the tuna. Whilst not described as a ceviche on the menu, this was effectively what the tuna dish was, and the lack of fundamental textural and structural variety between the two dishes at the same time was a bit of a shame. The flavour profiles were quite different, but both were quite acidic, and I felt a bit ceviched out by the time we were halfway through them.
Next came the glazed aubergine, and the jury was a little bit out on this one. Aubergine is, in my opinion, delicious, and too often used as a vessel for something completely different when it deserves some space of its own, and it could be argued that Pachamama made this error in the thickness of the sauce and the intensity of its flavours. That said, the wonderfully fresh smoked yoghurt in this dish balanced it out as a complimentary taste to the fragrant aubergine. This was very tasty, but if it was aubergine specifically that I was looking for, this wouldn’t have ticked that box.
The crispy milk fed lamb and the tenderstem broccoli arrived at the same time. The broccoli was subpar - I am a big fan of tenderstem, but found this, much like the padrón peppers, quite bland and also a little undercooked. The lamb, though, was another story. The miso glaze was sweet and incredibly moreish, and the meat was juicy. Usually I find lamb to be prone to stodginess or chewiness, but this was light to the point of being almost unbelievable. I only wished it had come a little earlier in the meal, before I was getting full. This, like the fried chicken, should be on your must-order list.
By the time we got to the duck on rice, I felt quite saturated and definitely not in the mood for heavy red meat. The rice - flavoured with saffron - was aromatic and quite palate cleansing, but I didn’t feel the duck was able to be enjoyed to its full capacity because of where it came in the meal. This will, of course, vary person to person, and is something that I know I personally tend to dislike, so I can’t hold the dish accountable.
The Peruvian chocolate for dessert was creamy and delicious, served with a light toasted quinoa ice cream. Like the very best chocolate melting pudding, saved from being overpowering by the ice cream pairing which cut through beautifully. On top of this, we indulged in some churros, which were cooked to perfection and came with both a spicy chocolate and a dulce de leche sauce. If you get the chance, I’d strongly recommend both of these desserts, and since we were served four churros, it was very shareable.
One qualm that I have - both with this menu, and more generally - is what I would class as a misuse of the tasting menu format. Not only does the tasting menu function as a great option for showcasing all of the restaurants’ top dishes, but it also offers an opportunity for the kitchen to curate a carefully designed dining experience. However, when the dishes arrive in small clumps as and when they are ready, and the pacing between servings is irregular, it seems that this opportunity is squandered a bit. You still get to enjoy what the restaurant feels to be its best output, but this is only a portion of the appeal. It felt more like a stringing together of a selection of menu favourites than a cohesive meal plan.
That said, the tasting menu is, as aforementioned, excellent value. To get so much delicious variety as well as a drink and a dessert for £65/person, in a charming Marylebone setting no less, felt like a pretty good deal. Ordering à la carte might suit some better, but the selection we enjoyed was very tasty and filling, and we certainly would dine here again.
