Andina, Shoreditch

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Now I've head of Andina - it's one of the sister restaurants to original G Ceviche, founded by genius (where is he from?) Martin Morales. Now I've head of Andina - it's one of the sister restaurants to original G Ceviche, founded by genius (where is he from?) Martin Morales.



I can't stand a chain, but when it's good, there's a reason so many more restaurants have opened: to accommodate the masses, and Peruvian eats, ceviche in particular (raw fish cured with citrus, flavoured with chilli, traditionally served with potato and corn), has been on the come up.

2015 was a marked year for Perucian eats with a total of (how many), turning up across London. Andina opened in 2013, but still feels new.

I dined with friends at the restaurant in Shoreditch (2 minutes from the overground Shoreditch High St station), and it was absolutely packed. It was a blessing I'd booked a table because at 2.30pm Andina was completely booked and we saw two sets of groups get turned away for not booking in advance; it's really not about walk-ins on a Saturday at lunch time, but you live and learn.

We were seated downstairs, which was equally busy, right next to the open kitchen, but this made it easier to choose what we wanted.

I'll admit I'm a bit of a ceviche connoisseur, but my friends were newbies. Thankfully, our waiter explained every dish, advising that they are all to be shared, but the not-starving diner portions are perfect for the smaller appetite.



We were full after our three dishes, but my friends chose dessert. I wasn't in the sweet mood but I did give them a try. My goodness the avocado chocolate mousse was s thick, rich decadence. I only needed a forkful to satisfy my sweet tooth, but it was a glorious intense chocolate dessert: perfect for cocao addicts (if you like dark chocolate this will really do it for you, my friend wasn't entirely comfortable with how rich it was).

I'll admit I loved the food and a four-way catch up was great- we were undisturbed. But they forgot one of our salads, which my 'I'm-only-eating-wholefoods' friend took to heart. And the said desserts, compared to the rest of the service, were delayed.

We decided to forgo the service charge, and the management offered us a free coffee/iced lemonade by way of apology.

It was his sincere "I apologise" that cinched it for me. No real problem, just not perfect. Mistakes happen. And the food really was good.

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#Latin-American-Restaurants-
#shoreditch
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