Chef patron Adriana Cavita heads up the pass at her eponymous new restaurant
So what do we need to know about Cavita?
It's this year's hottest Mexican opening in London. The powerhouse behind the operation is chef-patron Adriana Cavita whose background includes big hitters like Pujol in Mexico and El Bulli in Spain. You may also have caught her popup last year up on the rooftop at The Dorchester where there were raves about the food.
And she has her own place now?
She does and it's a gorgeous space. You'll find Cavita on Wigmore Street (a very welcome upgrade from the old Ask that was in this spot). The nearest tube is Oxford Circus.
Step inside and it's like a sunny section of Mexico has been transplanted to Marylebone with ceilings festooned with plants and a very earth toned aesthetic.
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
When the restaurant's downstairs mezcaleria, Mayahuel, opens in a few weeks' time that'll be the place to come. Till then, you could swing by the summer popup Underbelly in Cavendish Square for an alfresco drink or try the nearby Coachmakers Arms.
Where's a good place to sit?
The restaurant is split into two large dining rooms, the first of which looks onto the open kitchen and the second to the restaurant's bar counter. Both seem like particularly good spots for groups with quite a few tables capable of hosting six and more.
What's on the menu?
The menu's split into raw bar, appetisers, street food and mains to share. We tried something from each section to get a flavour of what Adriana is serving up. Here's what we had:
Aguachile Rojo - King Fish with Grasshopper Salt, Watermelon and Rainbow Radish (£15)
Chutoro Tostada - two tuna tostadas served with a soy and ginger vinaigrette and avocado puree (£17)
Smoked Beef Shin Quesabirria (£14) - slow cooked beef shin, guajillo adobo sauce topped with crispy cheese with a veal bone consomé to dip into. Every bit as good to eat as it looks.
Pig´s Head Tamal wrapped in Charred Collard Greens with a pot of salsa verde to dip into (£12)
Mains are served as sharing dishes with tortillas and rice included. Alongside the below, other options include wood-grilled herb fed chicken or charred grilled octopus guajillo.
For the main, we opted for the Pescado Tikin Xic which turned out to be a whole sea bream cooked inside banana leaves with axiote marinade, roasted peppers and black beans (£45). It's a large dish for two so bear that in mind if, like us, you're wanting to try a lot from earlier on in the menu.
What's on the menu for vegetarians?
There's plenty to try, including a vegan mooli and pomegranate ceviche from the raw bar section along with a grilled caesar salad in the appetisers and a notably good tomato salad with sesame macha sauce.
Smoked Mushroom Tetela (£10) was a standout veggie course made with Blue Corn, Roasted Potato, Red Adobo, Goat Curd and a Guacasalsa.
Room for dessert?
There are just two desserts on the menu while we always find it hard to resist churros, they're not available from the menu (yet), so we went for the only other option which turned out to be a game-changing dessert.
Pan de Elote (£8) - Mexican cornbread topped with honeycomb ice cream and a pool of cajeta - a goat's milk caramel sauce very similar to dulce de leche. We're still thinking about this right now...
What about drink?
Bar manager Manuel Lema has put together a list which includes plenty of organic options (the house Prosecco is both vegan and organic) and there's a lot on offer by the glass too. As for spirits, they've got plenty to choose from in a range that includes tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, Raicilla and Bacanora.
Overall thoughts:
From the moment we stepped into Cavita we could tell this was going to be a huge hit with Londoners. It's got a particularly warm and fun vibe to it - making it equally a good place for a hot date or somewhere to catch up with mates. The food is delicious, the drinks are strong and there's plenty to bring you back again to try more of what's on offer.
More about Cavita
Where is it? 56 Wigmore St, Marylebone, London W1U 2RZ
How to book: Book online here.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @cavita.restaurante
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Cavita. Prices correct at time of publication.
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