Our Review Of The Cocochine In Mayfair: Fine Dining That Tells A Story

While elbow to elbow with other commuters on the Jubilee Line (one of my least favourite lines, after Central of course), I became absorbed in Larry Jayasekara's story, reading a fascinating interview with the acclaimed chef whose restaurant, The Cocochine in Mayfair, I was on my way to. His story is an extraordinary showcase of dedication and perseverance; after spending his early life in poverty in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, he moved to the UK at aged 17, initially cleaning council bins for a living before moving on to work small roles at various restaurants. But it wasn't long until he had Michelin stars in his eyes, joining Marcus Wareing's two-star restaurant The Berkely, where he rose to Junior Sous Chef, then Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (under Clare Smyth), and many more highly acclaimed spots. His excellence didn’t go unrecognised – he earned Young Chef of the Year in 2008, and then National Chef of the Year in 2016 (while maintaining the Michelin star at Petrus as Head Chef).

And just last year, Jayasekara opened his debut restaurant, The Cocochine in Mayfair. Focusing on regenerative farming and provenance (sourcing most of their seasonal produce from their own Rowler Farm Estate in Northamptonshire, and seafood coming from Tanera Mor’s wild Scottish waters), paired with inspiration drawn from Jayasekara’s travels and culinary experience, the restaurant is a beautiful passion project bringing fine dining fusion fare to the city. Here, you can choose from two seasonally changing menus; £29/39 for their three-course lunch, or £189 for their signature tasting menu, the latter of which I will tell you all about below.

DesignMyNight's Review Of The Cocochine In Mayfair

The interiors of The Cocochine's ground-floor dining room.

The Cocochine has snapped up a sweet spot in Mayfair; located along the cobbled pavement of Bruton Place (also home to other dining high-flyers such as The Guinea Grill and Silva), the picturesque, four-story townhouse offers a cosy retreat away from the bustle (once the doors closed, we felt world’s away from the hubbub of The Guinea’s after-work drinkers spilling into the street). It was truly handsome inside – I never use that word, but it fits it perfectly: ox blood leather seating weaved around the sides of the room, matched with parquet floors, panelled cream ceilings and eye-catching monochromatic photographs lining the walls (the restaurant is a collaboration with art dealer Tim Jefferies, a leading photography collector and the owner of Hamiltons Gallery). All of that, coupled with warm, low lighting, gave it the charm of an old school member’s club; but while ultimately it was a fine dining restaurant – it didn’t feel overly extravagant, instead it was warm and welcoming.

We kicked off with a lavish glass of bubbly and a generous round of beautiful canapes: a lightly fried doughnut hole topped with shavings of fragrant truffle; mini crispy tartlets, filled with soft, creamy burrata and tomatoes cut with unimaginable precision; and cubes of fried potato, cheese and onion topped with a dollop of caviar. Each bite felt like it was taking you to a nostalgic holiday memory (for example, the doughnut reminded me of the beach and the tartlet of trips to Italy), but with a little extravagant nudge. We were also served buns of caramelised onion brioche, glistening on the top with a subtle sweetness, and a mini loaf of sourdough that was honestly a marvel, arriving steaming hot, with the crispiest exterior and softest interior, and a little honey soaked through its bottom. We slathered on truffle butter, which was the perfect level of pungent, and Normandy butter – this was butter that deserved to be eaten on its own it was so good.

Selection of canapes and tuna otoro at The Cocochne Mayfair.

Next up, a decadent bowl of tuna otoro – the shiny, fatty cubes of tuna marinated in soy sauce (that had been aged for two years, no less) and topped with caviar offered a rich depth of flavour. The King crab salad was also a delight. Succulent shreds of sweet meat with a tickle of Thai spices and a hint of pear sat in a pool of crab consume, decorated with a gelatinous round of sweet apple jelly.

Shortly after, a little rustic charcoal grill was wheeled up to our table, where the BBQ native lobster (wrapped in banana leaf, a classic Sri Lankan technique that adds smokiness and sweetness) sat sizzling away. The server painted the tail with a cardamom and ginger glaze, finessing the dish with a shaving of lime zest and dollops of yuzu gel, before popping it on to our plates to meet its accompaniments: a tamarind and tomato sauce, crème fraiche, and herbs that had been picked from their own garden that Saturday.

BBQ native lobster and dry-aged lamb at The Cocochine Mayfair.

After choosing our own knives from a set (loved this little touch), we tucked into the petite fillet of medium-rare, dry-aged lamb. Accompanied by a glossy lamb and tomato jus, and a side salad of tomato, melon and cantaloupe, elevated with mint and basil, it was a gorgeous showcase of seasonality. We enjoyed the hint of chef Larry’s Sri Lankan heritage in the mango sorbet palate cleanser, which readied us for the dessert. A unique twist on the crème caramel, the 'Watalappan' was a beauty, with an impressive number of delicate layers; indulgently creamy baked custard offered a light sweetness met by salty bursts from the garnishing caviar, with a textural crunch from the ornate caramillo disk on top. Topping everything off was a perfectly round spoon of crème fraiche and glittering gold leaf.

The Cocochine: My Final Thoughts

The Cocochine translates Larry Jayasekara's story through food, and it does it well. The culinary expertise that he has honed through his life is evident in his dishes that, at first glance, may appear simple, but have so much depth, thought and provenance woven into them, with fusion flair inspired by his worldly travels shining through too - each plate felt like a different chapter in his story. As you'd expect with a fine dining spot such as this, portions are small - but you get more than enough of them to have you feeling well and truly stuffed at the end. And it can't be forgotten the level of detail and craftmanship put into the decor, including the gallery-like walls lined with spectacular artworks (pieces by Hockney, Picasso and Beard have recently been put up too). Though I would say the signature tasting menu, due to its price point, may be reserved for special occasions - the more affordable lunch menu (£29/39) is a more accessible way to try the restaurant's fabulous dishes.