Located just south of Birmingham city centre, Chakana is a modern Peruvian restaurant housed inside a former bank from Michelin-starred chef Robert Ortiz. Robert’s aim is to bring the cuisine from his home country (Peru) to the UK and was previously head chef at Lima restaurant in Fitzrovia, which won a Michelin star in 2013. Robert parted with Lima in 2019 to pursue his own restaurant, Chakana, in Birmingham and continue to champion Peruvian flavours and techniques.
For a well-rounded view of Robert’s cooking and Peruvian dishes and flavours, customers can select the tasting menu which includes a pre-dinner cocktail plus nine exciting courses. Look out for the likes of sea bass ceviche with tigers' milk, sweet potato and canchita corn, 24-hour confit suckling pig with plantain, charapita chillies and chocolate and an Amazonian chocolate dome with blue potato jam. There is also a vegetarian tasting menu available.
The a la carte menu, meanwhile, is comprised of snacks, starters and main plates. Smaller plates are all typically served cold and consist of raw fish ceviches and tiraditos. Main courses are split into meat, fish and vegetables plates and include hake plancha with seaweed, corn tamale and green rocoto tiger’s milk, and roasted king oyster mushrooms with ocopa, hens egg, olives and green courgettes.
On Sundays, Chakana serves a Sunday roast which includes your choice of meat or fish served with Andean roast potatoes, mixed veg, Yorkshire puddings and onion gravy.
The Peruvian flavours don’t end with the food, though. Head to the cocktail bar where you can sample the UK’s largest Peruvian Pisco range, along with cocktails, spirits, liqueurs and South American wines. Try the Amazonian Negroni for a tropical twist on a classic made with Peruvian Mosto Verde Pisco, passion fruit, Spanish Bandarra Vermut and Muyu Vetiver Gris.