I can’t quite believe how long it’s been since we visited Viajante. Way back in early March this year, we went with some friends for dinner. We had a drink in the bar, which was quite busy given the early hour. I opted for a Bermuda Porter (£8) which according to their menu was “a twist on a rum ration…Goslings rum, fresh lemon juice, sugar, shaken and given a hefty dose of St. Peters Porter beer foam”. It came in a small beer mug and tasted like a sweet beer with cinnamon and mixed spice. 

We were ushered into the Viajante dining room for our meal. It does have something of the Swedish about it — sparse, blonde wood and soft blue upholstery. We plumped for the 6 Course Tasting Menu (£65) and the matching Beverage Pairing (£50). One of the best things about Viajante is that you don’t get the menu until after you have eaten and I really enjoyed the anticipation of each dish as it came out of the kitchen.  

We were off to a promising start with a trio of Amuse-Bouche, which contained a Thai Explosion II, Crab Doughnut and Langoustine and Lardo. The crispy sandwich of chicken and quail egg mousse was a winner, as was the crab doughnut. The sugary crunchy coating gave way to a delicate crab centre. The langoustine was less of a winner, a couple of us struggled to even get it into our mouths as it slipped off the serving sticks.  

The Bread & Butter was excellent. The long crunchy bread sticks were served with two accompanying butters, topped with crispy chicken skin and black pudding respectively. I preferred the chicken skin as I didn’t really get much as flavour from the black pudding butter. 

The controversy started with the first course of Squid and Ink with Pickled Radishes and Sea Lettuce. The silky texture of the squid divided opinion, the men being in the dislike camp, Tara firmly in favour and I just couldn’t make my mind up one way or the other. It was interesting to note that Tara was the only one at the table who liked oysters, so if you like oysters, would you likely be a fan of this dish? The squid was served with a Navazos Niepoort 2009, Spain (Jerez).

Next up was a Salsify in milk with brown butter and truffle, served with a Julien Courtois “Originel” 2007, France (Loire). As you can see from the photo above it came out with just the salsify on the plate and the waiter poured over the stock. I expected to be warm but it was actually ice cold. Ed described it as “posh bovril” and it was probably the most apt description we could come up with. The consensus amongst the table was that it was nice but not amazing.

The controversy continued with the Duck Heart and Tongue with Celeriac and Pine, served with a Teruzzi & Puthod “Carmen Puthod” 2009 (Toscana). Despite all the talk about head-to-tail eating out there, a lot of people still don’t like eating offal. I relished the dish not only because I enjoyed it but because I never would have normally ordered it, whilst Ed flat out refused to finish his. I loved the refreshing pine flavours with the rich heart meat.  

Prior to this course arriving however, I had stood up to go to the bathroom. Our waiter rushed over to me as I was on my way out of the dining room and asked whether I could wait for the bathroom. I was so shocked that I slunk back to my seat and did what I was told. Having experienced waiters hovering outside the Le Gavroche toilets in order to time the arrival of the food as I return (and not whilst I am in the bathroom) I was rather unhappy about this happening. It’s a shame as the service was incredibly friendly and efficient with exception to this.

Next up was another delicate fish dish, this time Lobster and Potato with Confit Egg Yolk served with Kooyong “Clonale” Chardonnary 2008, Mornington Peninsula. One the more highly praised dishes on the menu, although I wasn’t a fan of the eggy foam. To be fair, I’m still working up a taste for all things egg. The lobster itself was brilliant and I was disappointed there wasn’t more of it.

It was interesting to note that by this point in the meal we hadn’t really been served anything that was hotter than say luke-warm which felt odd and slightly unfulfilling. I was hoping this was going to be rectified by the Roasted Squab with Beetroot and Pistachio — served with Maisonneueve-Cosse “Abstemes s’Arbetnir” 2008, France (Cahors) — but this wasn’t to be the case. The meaty squab, which is a type of pigeon, worked really well with the beetroot and crushed pistachio but it would have been so much better had it been served at a slightly warmer temperature.

Onto a pre-dessert of Frozen Maple with Shiso and Green Apple. I really loved this dish, from the quirky serving dish to the refreshingly tart green apple and rich sweet maple. Brilliant. 

Finally, we had Parsnips and Milk served with Marion Passito Bianco 2002, Veneto. I was actually a fan of the parsnips as a dessert, especially with the milky sorbet served on top. I was less keen on the tapioca that came with it but I do think this is a personal preference rather than a fault of the dish. The earthenware bowl it was served in was something else. I’m generally not a fan of restaurants who sell tat but I would totally buy some of these serving bowls. 

The Petit Fours came out, mushroom truffles and a marshmallow number I can’t quite recall, probably because I was too busy going OMFG these mushroom truffles are the best! Imagine rich chocolate ganache combined with an earthy taste and you’ve pretty much got the idea. Just amazing.

It was at this stage that I rewarded the fantastic and rather unusual wine menu by ordering a cocktail recommended by our waiter. I can’t find anything that sounds like this cocktail on the menu — I wish it was there so I could avoid it in the future — but it looked and tasted like bitter mouthwash. We were also offered an extra petit four by the kitchen, a creamy concoction which finished off the meal nicely.

As you can see we were lucky to have a great view of the kitchen, which I particularly enjoyed. The bill came to roughly £135 a head including drinks and service. It felt about right given the number of courses, matching wines and cocktails we managed to polish off. I’d definitely go back for the three course lunch, which seems like it would be good value (and perhaps showcase the best of the dishes on the menu). 

Viajante
Patriot Square
London, E2 9NF
Phone: +44(0)207871046
www.viajante.co.uk