A quiet restaurant opening in West London is giving me a little hope of what’s to come.
When I was first looking for Jarana – the newest Peruvian restaurant and Pisco bar in Hammersmith and Fulham – I think I passed it at least three times. The restaurant’s black, glass façade blends with the massive gym next door, so unless you’re actively searching for its colourful signage, it’s easy to miss.
And while that may be a shame for distracted passersby, maybe it’s a good thing for those who are already in the know. The space is quite small – maybe eight or nine tables in a deep turquoise-painted room, with pretty-patterned floor tiles and warm, pendant wicker lamps. There’s also a small terrace with a couple more tables that overlook The Distillers pub across the road, and will definitely fill up with thirsty locals on sunny days.
If you happen to be one of them, it’s imperative to order a Pisco Sour, Peru’s famous cocktail made with Pisco – a grape brandy, simple syrup, lime juice and egg white for texture. Here, it’s subtly sweet, subtly tart and entirely refreshing. When you’re ready for a twist, Jarana’s cocktail menu is an ode to the Peruvian spirit, with different takes on the Sour, and other Pisco-based drinks like the Spicy Peruvian that pairs the brandy with mandarin and basil – a sun-kissed delight.
Once they get everything in order, trust that I’ll be on that sunny terrace, sipping a Spicy Peruvian, (finally) slurping ceviche and enjoying the sun
Pair your apéritif with Peruvian tequeños. Unlike the more common tequeños from Venezuela, which use buttery pastry to wrap around strips of queso blanco (white cheese) before they’re baked or fried, Peruvian tequeños use wonton wraps to encase a savoury chicken or cheese filling before they’re fried. It’s a small peek into the country’s Chinese influence when many Chinese workers moved to Peru, particularly Lima, in the 19th century. At Jarana, these crispy rolls are filled with chicken and caramelised onions, and served with a bright green avocado sauce for the most pleasurable dunks.
Other small plates include steaming, hot beef or chicken empanadas, both mixed with onions and raisins (beef also gets egg), and wonderfully seasoned; or Peru’s traditional papas a la huancaína, from the region of Huancayo. Boiled potatoes are sliced and served cold or at room temperature, and smothered with a creamy aji amarillo sauce made from peppers, cheese and milk. It was my first time trying the dish, so I fear I may not be a fair judge, but unfortunately I found no comfort in cold potatoes. I did, however, gobble up the rest.
Regardless of the starters you choose, I recommend taking your time with them. Staff certainly take their time in getting back to you, but more because of an understaffing issue than an over-snooty one. Once servers do return, they’re warm, informative and work hard to make up for the wait.
Pollo a la brasa
Tequeños
Chocolate and lucuma cake
When the main dishes arrive, it’s quite the show. The half-portion of pollo a la brasa, Peru’s famous roasted chicken, comes in an enormous dish with an equally enormous portion of chicken that makes everyone’s eyes widen as it lands at the table. The chicken is floating on a sea of golden fries. And they’re shockingly good. It’s difficult to believe so much flavour can come out of such a simple, cooked fry. Cajun seasoning? Rosemary salt? No, thanks. Not needed.
As for the chicken, that’s Jarana’s star of the show and one of the best rotisserie chickens you’ll find in London. Juicy, flavourful, stunning and spiced (but not spicy). The skin is golden-brown, the meat is tender. The experience is feral. I don’t think I’ve ever dug into a meaty carcass with such carnage. And it’s certainly too filling to finish in one sitting, so what do you do? You ask for a takeaway box. You order more cocktails, and shamelessly finish the rest later, in the privacy of your own home.
Other dishes on the menu use the same juicy bird, too. The caldo de gallina (chicken soup) is classic and comforting, and the aji de gallina – a rich, curry-like dish of shredded chicken smothered in a creamy, nutty, slightly spicy sauce, served with sliced, hot boiled potatoes – was hearty and delicious, yet smaller than expected, and could’ve been better served with rice.
Now this is where it gets tricky. If you’re not craving chicken, you’re better off calling for the menu before actually dropping in – especially if you’re not from the area. When a friend and I arrived for a second visit, the staff kindly told us they were fresh out of everything but chicken, but to come back on a weekend for more variety, especially their prized ceviches. I returned on a Saturday, and the ceviche was 86-ed before the clock struck five. What was left? More chicken (always), and a signature dish called “Don Flavor” – traditional, Caja-China-style pork belly, where the pork is slowly-roasted in a top-down charcoal roasting box, allowing the meat to get nice and tender up top before flipping the box over for the crispiest skin. Unbelievable. It’s served with potatoes, criolla salsa (julienned red onions mixed with ají amarillo peppers, lime and cilantro) and mote, a white corn that’s common in Latin American cuisine and often served as a side.
Desserts are thin, but chocolate lovers would be remiss not to order the chocolate lucuma cake, a fudgy delight with layers of lucuma, an orange-gold Andean superfruit with a velvety texture similar to mango that tastes almost like butterscotch. A sweet finish to a rather wonky, yet overall satisfying experience.
Sure, the menu mishaps aren’t ideal, but what they lack in kitchen inventory, they make up for in hospitality and a proper good Pisco.
Maybe Jarana just needs some time to get its bearings in London’s challenging (and costly) culinary scene, but once they get everything in order, trust that I’ll be on that sunny terrace, sipping a Spicy Peruvian, (finally) slurping ceviche and enjoying the sun.
77 Fulham Palace Road
London
W6 8JA
May 2026
