Forget the nightingales singing in Berkeley Square. Maybe watch out instead for toucans on the wing – for the jungle has arrived in Mayfair.
When you step through the discreet doors of Amazonico you can expect a riot of colour and orchids and all manner of exotic plants weaving their way through the restaurant (they have a gardener who comes in every day to tend them). Now, I’ll admit they don’t have any parrots flying between the tables – they’d be in trouble there, no doubt, with health and safety – but the ambience couldn’t be more green (in the most literal sense). There’s a laidback atmosphere with a delicious thrum of live music (we’re talking smoky-voiced bossa nova here – you can definitely have a conversation) and the service is simultaneously punctilious and friendly. They know what they’re doing here and you can sense it.
Even better, on weekend lunchtimes (12-4pm) you can put yourself entirely in their hands and not even bother to order. Instead, there’s the Asado menu. Asado? Simply put, it’s the South American version of a barbecue but it is much more than that. It’s a social gathering that is a byword for relaxation, conversation and lingering over the table. At the heart of the meal, it’s all about the meat – Amazonico is probably not going to be the go-to restaurant for vegetarians – but there is much, much more than that here.
Did I say no menus? In fact, there was one for the cocktails that had some pretty luscious sounding concoctions with a strong South American accent. Javari, for instance, featured tequila, mezcal, marigold, basil and papaya. Their Rainforest Old Fashioned had rum, hops, açai and green strawberry bitters while Tigre had rum, Brazil nuts, Batida de Coco, passion fruit and lime.
I went for a delicious Amazonegroni intrigued by the inclusion of sesame (along with pineapple-infused gin, vermouth and Campari). In fact, it was sesame oil which sat on the top of a giant ice cube and was more about the smell than the taste.
There again, this is a place that’s all about the senses. When Donna and I got to our table we sank into deep blue-green velvet sofas with beflowered cushions and tableware featuring jungle frogs and parrots. The food arrived in waves. There were bite-sized balls of Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cassava cheese bread) while we chose the wine (Billi Billi, a big-flavoured Argentine Shiraz, perfect for the meat-feast to come).
Then came guacamole (made from its constituents at the table by our waiter) and the Amazonian salad (more avocado but this time with mango, tomato and citrus), both light and delicious and served with plantain crackers and followed – slightly unexpectedly, given the South American context – by salmon maki and hamachi (yellow tail tuna tartare with spicy cassava cake and coconut aioli). In fact, Amazonico has a separate menu devoted to sushi and the two menus intertwine surprisingly comfortably here.
The next course, though, was most certainly the main event – the Parrilla mixta a substantial sharing platter of grilled meats that included pork belly, lamb ribs, Brazilian-style grilled chicken thighs and some of the best steak I’ve had outside of Argentina, cooked to perfection (so barely seared). The platter had some veg too – chargrilled broccoli, baby carrots and chunky sweetcorn with panca chilli butter, as well as a simple salad with a delicious orange truffle dressing.
After all this, there was even a dessert. It looked huge (it was to share) – a riff on the banana split – and I felt that cream, at this point, was just beyond me. Donna, though, was undaunted and said the cream was, in fact, super-light and just melted away.
By now, we were in full Girl from Ipanema mode (rarely have I found restaurant music to suit the place so well) so it was odd to emerge blinking back into the sunlight of Berkeley Square and not spot any passing toucans. A delight.
Amazónico London, 10 Berkeley Square, W1J 6BR. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.amazonicorestaurant.com.
