Zapote, open on Leonard Street, is the debut restaurant from chef Yahir Gonzalez and hospitality veteran Tony Geary
What was formerly home to St Leonards, and before that Eyre Brothers, has been reinvented once again and turned into modern Mexican restaurant Zapote. The totally refurbished space now boasts a 65-cover dining room with an open charcoal grill, and a 45-cover cocktail bar, with an additional 12 seats around the horseshoe-shaped counter.
The bar has its own all-day menu, featuring small plates like whitebait & habanero ali-oli and crispy pork skin with pico de gallo, but the main restaurant menu is where Yahir Gonzalez is really putting his own spin on familiar Mexican dishes, including making tortillas in-house using native corn varieties. They include:
- Wild mushroom quesadilla, endive, tomatillo salsa
- Beef tartar taco, roasted bone marrow
- Grey mullet recado rojo, grilled corn, smoked cod roe
- Charred lamb neck, smoked aubergine & tamarind puree, tortillas
- Scallop ceviche, persimmon, orange and grilled corn
- Grilled octopus, pasilla chilli, pipian verde, tortillas
- Coconut crème, pineapple, coriander
The wine list features several organic, biodynamic and skin-contact bottles, with tequila and mezcal based cocktails on offer if you’re after something a little stronger. All in all, Zaopte sounds like another very promising resident for this Shoreditch spot.
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70 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QX
zapote.co.uk
