CheLondon - eatdrink Magazine

12 www.eatdrink.ca
restaurants
London’s Luxe Revolución
Modern Latin American Cuisine at Che Restobar
By BRYAN LAVERY
Marvin Rivas’s
Che Restobar
on Dundas
is the latest
big-ticket entry into
downtown London’s
burgeoning dining scene.
is is modern ethnic
cooking that embodies its
origins but also highlights
its potential — think the
Serbian-inspired Kantina
or the South Vietnameseinspired
Tamarine, where
progressive-thinking
chefs and restaurateurs
oer a thoughtful and
exciting modern translation
of an indigenous cuisine.
Che features unique,
distinctive and delicious
modern cuisine inspired
by the rich culinary cultures
of Latin America.
e current menu has a decidedly Peruvian
avour, inuenced by Chef German
(pronounced Herman) Nunez’s heritage.
Whatever our tastes, we are appreciative of
restaurants like these for enriching our palates
with culinary diversity, using the skills
and techniques of modern chefs, while making
the dining culture in downtown London
more diverse and gratifying than ever.
Nuevo Latino cuisine is the rage right now,
and Che is the ideal place to experience it.
Incidentally, restobars have been a xture
on the Latin American scene for some time
now and are just beginning to gain a foothold
locally (think Michael Reis’s upscale Villa
Resto Lounge in a former downtown bank
building that was also the rst home of the
Black Fly Beverage Company). More than a
restaurant, the bar/lounge area is a dominant
feature and a prime focal point. e restobar
concept is about social interaction.
№ 32 | November/December 2011
Large picture windows fronting on Dundas Street give Che a dramatically open
face at night, while allowing generous amounts of natural light by day.
Che delivers the restobar experience in
spades: luxe surroundings with a welcoming
atmosphere, innovative culinary oerings,
and a selection of interesting wines. A
lot of attention has been paid to selecting
wines that will enhance your experience,
and all are priced for accessibility. You will
not nd any pedestrian labels on this list.
William Menjivar is the passionate in-house
and well-informed sommelier, and in addition
to an ever-evolving list of aordable
quality wines, they oer is a list of intriguing
and exotic fruit-based cocktails. Try a signature
capirinha (Brazil s national drink) or
Cuba’s ubiquitous highball, a thirst-quenching
mojito, or a pisco sour with lime juice,
sugar, egg white and sparkling wine. Menjivar,
an alumni of both Braise Food and Wine
and the Tasting Room, grasps the concepts
of intelligent hospitality and surpassing
customer’s expectations. A little theatrical