London is home to a fair few South American joints but not a whole load of Argentinean parrilla grill restaurants, so when a new one like Chimis appears, it’s tie to take note. Recently opened in a quiet corner of Southwark on the site of former Chilean restaurant El Vergel, Chimis is traditional through and through, and as there were quite a few Spanish speakers there on our visit, we’re assuming it’s already got the seal of approval from Argentinean expats.
The charcoal grill is the focus here – it’s literally the first thing you see when you walk in – and it’s where the best dishes are coming from. Chef Nico Modad (previously head chef at Brindisa) definitely knows how to handle that fire. The grilled octopus with stuffed polenta was one of the highlights – beautifully charred yet still tender – and because you can’t go to an Argentinean restaurant and not have beef, we also went for a sirloin steak, which was perfectly cooked to medium rare.
We recommend you order the Chimi fries, topped with provolone cheese and the namesake chimichurri sauce, from the appetisers section to come with your mains, because why have regular chips when you can have cheesy chips? If you’ve got a sweet tooth, make sure you save some room for dessert because dulce de leche is a big thing here. We managed to squeeze in an alfajor helado, an iced cookie with dulce de leche filling and it went down a treat.
[URIS id=101485]If you’re not super familiar with Argentinean food, Chimis offers a great introduction as it covers all the classics, but it also hits the spot if you’re just after a great steak and glass of (Argentinean, obvs) wine.
132 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 0DG
chimichurris.co.uk