Set the Scene
Chef Larry Jayasekara has cooked in many of London's top kitchens, working under chefs like Marcus Wareing, Gordon Ramsay, Alain Roux and Michel Bras. Now, he finally has a restaurant all his own, The Cocochine, housed in a glamorous four-story townhouse with Picasso and Matisse paintings gracing the walls. The 28-seat main dining room is on the ground floor, followed by a seven-seat chef's counter overlooking the open kitchen one floor above. On the top floor is an exclusive private dining room with a coffered ceiling and original Sarrasine-styled fireplace. It's a comfortably elegant setting for a dinner party for up to 16 guests, with soft leather sofas and a generous oak dining room table.
Just across the street is The Rex Delicatessen, an all-day cafe in a refurbished Victorian stable with salads, sandwiches, pies and pastries for takeaway or dining in. The more casual sister concept allows Jayasekara to run a more sustainable kitchen, minimizing food waste by using different cuts of animals in deliciously creative ways, including his famous Rowler Farm scotch egg.
What’s the Food Like
The Cocochine tasting menu is hyperseasonal and ingredient-driven, rooted in Jayasekara's classic French training, accented with flavors from the Sri Lankan-born chef's Asian heritage. Lobster is grilled over coals and glazed with tamarind tomato sauce, then served over white cardamom, rosehip and ginger-infused lobster reduction. For dessert, watalappam satisfies the sweet tooth, a Sri Lankan coconut crème caramel topped with crème fraîche ice cream and golden ossetra caviar for a salty foil to jaggery's rich molasses notes.
Every course includes ingredients sourced from Rowler Farm, The Cocochine's private regenerative farm just 60 miles away in Northamptonshire. There are more than 500 sika deer roaming freely on property, and I saw 10 freshly slaughtered deer carcasses splayed upside down when I visited the farm in November. This is the real farm-to-table deal folks, and all of the apples, carrots, herbs and lettuces are more potent and nutritious when they are freshly harvested too. An ostensibly simple garden salad with nettle pesto actually incorporates several dozen different ingredients from the farm. Jayasakera typically heads to Rowler Farm after service late Saturday night to spend his day off away from the city and garner inspiration for new dishes based on what is ripe for harvest.
Let’s Talk About the Drinks
Ask to visit the wine cellar, and descend a tiled staircase inspired by a London Tube station for a truly impressive collection of iconic wines from around the world, including rare bottles from Burgundy and Bordeaux. Non-alcoholic drink pairings are available too, all fermented, diffused and distilled in-house, including cold-brewed teas from Sri Lanka and syrups extracted from Rowler Farm fruit and flowers.
Final Thoughts
The Cocochine effortlessly strikes the right balance between exotic and familiar, with precisely layered flavors you'll be dreaming about the next day. The signature tasting menu is delightful, and lunch is a positive steal, with two and three-course prix fixe menus.
Fast Facts
Location: Mayfair, London
Cuisine: Seafood
Pricing: $$
Takes Reservations: Yes – OpenTable
Our Favorite Dishes on the Menu: XXL hand dived scallop with chanterelles, pickled cloudberries an pandan; 45 day dry-aged Rowler Farm sika deer with coconut chili sambal, beetroot onion soubise and nasturtium leaf purée
Hours: From 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. lunch Tuesday through Saturday; From 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday
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