Restaurant Review: Andina in London

I had an optometrist appointment in Shoreditch today, and I used the excuse to brunch at the Peruvian outpost Andina. Peruvian food has been all the rage, globally, and London's no exception with its own slew of Peruvian restaurants. Peruvian is naturally pretty healthy, with lots of great seafood ceviches and other seafood dishes, and a good amount of vegetables.

The restaurant was crowded, but I managed to snag a seat at a sharing table without waiting. Perfect! The brunch menu isn't too long, which is good because otherwise it would be too difficult to decide what to eat. I asked my waitress about two dishes I was considering and she recommended the Huevos Q’apachana, a poached egg, spicy potato puree, spinach and mushroom dish with a sauce called Huancaina. Because I was ravenous, I also ordered Flores Andinas, a broccoli tempura dish with a sauce called Ocopa to nibble on.

The eggs were perfect and the potato puree was good, but definitely not at all spicy. The spinach and mushrooms were good, but like the puree, pretty bland. I always eat very low salt foods, but even I thought the entire dish needed a good salting. Unfortunately there was no salt to hand at the table. The sauce the dish was served with was good, but didn't add the seasoning the dish needed. It does look quite beautiful though, with all those bright colours! Despite the blandness, I'd definitely eat this dish again.

The broccoli tempura was a nice change of texture from my main dish, but in the end I felt it was all too much food and I left feeling quite full. While the broccoli tempura was quite ordinary, the sauce that came with it was a standout. It had a warm spice to it and really made the dish. 

Service is excellent at Andina, and it is quick to boot. The staff are all very friendly, and I really liked the warm and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant. I will definitely be returning! 

Andina London

1 Redchurch Street

Shoreditch E2 7DJ

020 7920 6499