Tierra Peru

The first time we went to Tierra Peru, we had made other plans and could only spend 40mins there for brunch. We decided to go anyway given it had come highly recommended. We loved it and decided we needed to go back and give it our full undivided un-rushed attention.

Lucky for us, their Facebook offer was back: Peruvian all you can eat buffet for £16 instead of £21 (price excludes dessert and drinks)

It is difficult to put together a good all you can eat buffet without compromising quality. The only other place that has managed to do this is one of our favourite Mexican restaurants ('Mestizo'- and yes you should go there). Tierra Peru succeeded in providing a beautifully done brunch. The way it works is that they have a section with items that have already been cooked, but they advise that other things on the menu like anticuchos (meat skewers), ceviches (three types available), etc are also available upon request.

Hot section on the left

Cold section on the right of the table including causas on the bottom right. These are made with different types of potatoes and in this case with tuna and avocado topping. I absolutely love the range of colours. 

In this occasion we were not in a rush and expected to devour the table set out. However we found the food was pleasantly filling so could not manage more than 2-3 visits as we ensured we tried a bit of everything. The plates you are given are not huge. This encourages multiple visits and the restaurant kindly asks you not to waste any food- never a problem for us!

The food was freshly made and had a great homemade meal feel to it.

In my first visit to the table I tried the causa, aji de gallina (creamy chicken cooked with walnuts and yellow chilli), the quinotto (quinoa cooked with yellow chilli, mushroom and halloumi) along with some of the side salads, cassava balls and of course plantain crisps. I was also happy to find toasted corn kernels that go well sprinkled on most Peruvian dishes: cool for presentation purposes but also tasty on the dish and as a snack!

Amongst other dishes tried there was lamb stew, seafood stew, quinoa salad, rice with vegetables...

Everything worth trying and there was some variety in the dishes on display from the last visit so be prepared to come with a good appetite and a willingness to try everything. Beware though: By the time you have tried a bit of everything and find your favourite to have more of, you may be full!

We ordered a couple of the ceviches- the ceviche al olivo below which we were told was also made with a particular purple Peruvian olive and their original ceviche with chilli and lime. Both ceviches were fresh and tasty with the zingy lime- a bit more chilli was added this time around from what we recall on our prior visit. It was a therefore a bit spicier from what we are used to but it didn't stop us from finishing both.

Ceviche al olivo

Ceviche original 

We found tequeños in the menu which are nothing like Venezuelan tequeños if you have ever tried them. These were okay: cheese parcels with what we believe to be olive inside as well. Tasty enough but disappointing if you have tried Venezuelan tequeños, which makes me think I may have liked them more if they had a different name. The comparison did not work in the dish's favour.

Warning: the picture below is missing a piece as I was too slow to take the photo! The last item from the menu we tried was an anticucho of beef heart. There were three decent sized pieces grilled perfectly, quite rich in taste and worth a try for those willing!

We didn't have room for dessert but checked out the menu anyway for inspiration:

There was definitely an interesting selection so we thought we would at least try one between four of us. We ordered the sweet rocoto chilli pepper ice cream served wrapped in a crepe encrusted with Japanese breadcrumbs. You could definitely feel the heat from the chilli on the back of your throat. It was quite interesting. I can't say it is something I would definitely crave to have again but glad to have tried it.

In short, we had a lovely brunch and I would certainly go back. The staff are friendly, the food is tasty and freshly made. The place is quaint and they offer a good variety of dishes.

With the number of Peruvian restaurants that are now in London, you have different ones for various occasions. On the higher end of the scale, you will find the excellent Coya and Lima restaurants. At a more affordable level and more casual places for Peruvian style tapas you have Ceviche and Señor Ceviche. 

For the quaint, quieter homemade feel, you can head here to Tierra Peru. 

Tito's near London Bridge is the closest comparison I can think of for this restaurant, though I am not aware if they offer a brunch option as well. I will try to visit Tito's in the near future so I can have a better comparison across the two. I have also heard of another Peruvian called Pachamama so the Peruvian cuisine tasting will continue this year for sure...

Tierra Peru

164 Essex Road

Brunch around £22 with the Facebook offer that expires at the end of February. (Price per head including drinks, shared dessert and service)