Pisco Bar at Coya - Mayfair, London

When Coya landed on Piccadilly in 2012 it heralded the beginning of London's Peruvian trend. Now, for West End scenesters and demanding diners alike, the restaurant-cum-members' club is indispensable. So, it's with rapt attention that we followed the launch of the Pisco Bar at Coya, which dishes out flavourful, refreshing South American cuisine alongside a dazzling array of pisco-based cocktails and home infusions.

We took our seats at the bar which shares the same seductive, dusky design scheme with the rest of the restaurant and the private club upstairs. It's dark and atmospheric with murals painted onto the walls, hammered copper pendant lighting, a particoloured wooden block bar with wooden stools and turquoise leather cushions, and, most importantly of all, a backlit bar with one of the largest selections of rare tequilas and piscos in Britain.

The bartender demonstrated expert knowledge in matching cocktails to our preferences. The litmus test for any self-described pisco bar is, of course, the pisco sour, and there was no disappointment here, with six unique in-house infusions of natural fruits, spices and herbs available. We opted for the passionfruit version which was a very refreshing libation, quite tame in comparison with the chilli margarita, which packed a punch with jalapeno infused Don Julio Blanco, agave, avocado and lime. Moving on, the Incalito was a light, simple drink, mixed with Ketel One, peach liqueur and fresh mint, while the Bourbon Fig was a dark, rich blend of Bulleit Bourbon, fig liqueur and lemon topped off with whipped egg white.

Of course, the ceviches and anticuchos here are legendary, so make sure you sample a few of those, particularly the ceviche de atun chifa (yellowfin tuna, soy, sesame seeds, shrimp cracker), the ceviche de lubino clásico (sea bass, red onions, sweet potatoes, white corn) and the solomillo de res anticucho (spicy beef fillet, crispy shallots, aji rocoto and star anise). Also, don't forget that the Pisco Bar plays host to a variety of live music acts, such as Jamie Cuadra and Ibiza maestro Andrew Dax. This intimate, sexy hangout is a veritable El Dorado for London bon vivants, make sure you hit it up.

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