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Peruvian potato doughnuts a must-try at South Yarra’s Ekeko Kara Irving July 20, 2021
Double down on carbs with these sweet potato doughnuts from South Yarra’s new Peruvian restaurant from the team behind Harley House.
Potato doughnuts. Deep-fried, sugar-coated dough is magnificent in its own right, but things become interesting — and messy — when we add the humble spud.
“The best way to eat these is with your fingers,” says Luciano Vanini, the animated owner of South Yarra’s new Peruvian restaurant Ekeko.
His picarones are gloriously crisp on first bite with a warm, stodgy chew thanks to that sweet potato and pumpkin, and come to life dunked in Chancaca — a thick, molasses-like syrup.
This sweet snack shows us how wonderfully simple, approachable and delicious Peruvian cooking can be.
Sweet Potato Doughnuts. Picture: Rebecca Michael.
You’re forgiven if you’re not familiar with this kind of South American cuisine.
In Melbourne there’s seemingly more Latin American restaurants than those inspired by Peru, and only two names have made the big leagues: Pastuso, by Alejandro Saravia (behind Gippsland-themed Farmers Daughters), and Jack Hawkins’ late Harley House, which he ran alongside Vanini.
When it closed for good last March, famous for its pisco sours as much as being the home of artist Vincent Fantauzzo’s Asher Keddie portrait, Vanini and his sous chef José Narvaéz carried -its legacy through pop-up kitchens citywide.
In March, the duo found a permanent home on Toorak Rd and opened Ekeko.
Here Vanini works the floor and Narvaéz leads the kitchen to share authentic, elegantly plated food, which reminds them of home.
The food at Ekeko (abundant in Andean culture) looks to the country’s history of Chinese, Japanese migration and the Amazon.
There’s rice, spice, nice meaty things cooked over coals, the trusty tuber and the country’s famous raw seafood export sliced or diced.
Coco Tiraditos. Picture: Rebecca Michael.
Traditional ceviche makes a hero out of expertly thin, cured fish tiles, while the Japanese tiraditos sees slightly thicker bites, dressed in tiger’s milk (a citrus marinade of lime, chilli and salt) when served.
We chose gold band snapper for the Coco Tiraditos ($20) treatment, which is summer on plate. Limey zing adds a refreshing balance to the chilli heat. Shame for some gnarly bits, either a result of poor knifework or fish choice. A minor misstep on a night of otherwise well treated, nicely cooked seafood.
Build your meal from snacks or the traditional three-course rhythm.
If the former, the flame licked chicken-thigh skewers ($18 for two), swiped in a spicy anticuchera sauce, set the scene nicely, as do Ekeko’s drawcard scallops (two for $14) which are flown in from Japan.
Two plump morsels melt like butter in your mouth, served in their shells with a bubbling Italian marinara-like sauce and crowned with what Vanini calls “Peruvian pecorino”.
More please.
Seafood paella. Picture: Rebecca Michael.
Live comfortably or curiously with the main event — either the crowd-pleasing paella ($42), sans that burnt bottom-of-the-pan brilliance but bountiful with fresh seafood, or the well seasoned and smoky Amazonian-inspired swordfish medallion, steamed in a banana leaf and finished over hot coals ($38). Drizzle with the peppery, punchy chutney for best results.
The South Yarra tax does burn a hole in your wallet, especially if you tackle the pisco cocktail list, so save the spoil with the great value $55 tasting menu.
Ekeko is romantic in the way it’ll steal your heart, whether it’s those intoxicating wafts of chargrilled meats you catch in the dining room, the cocktail bar’s lively rattle and hum, or simply Vanini’s front of house charm and passion for food he loves.
If Ekeko lets us look into the soul of Peru, then I’d like to see more places like this in Melbourne, and more of those doughnuts.
Ekeko is a new Peruvian restaurant in South Yarra. Picture Rebecca Michael.
EKEKO 74 Toorak Rd, South Yarra, 03 7036 7643 ekeko.com.au
Open: Tues, 4pm until late, Wed to Sat from 12pm.
Go-to dish: Conchas Ekeko scallops
Try this if you like: Pastuso
Cost: Entree ($14-$28), Main ($32-$70), Dessert ($16-$20)
VERDICT: 6.5/10
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www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/food/peruvian-potato-dough…
Inka is regarded as high end in Canberra. One feature of being Australian (and particularly Melbourne) is that we can enjoy every cuisine which the world offers. These Peruvian ones don’t match my memory of eating in Perum generally grills with guacamole and tomato/onion and some sort of corn offering replacing potato.
AUGUST 12 2021 Canberra restaurants offering takeaway meals during ACT Covid lockdown Karen Hardy
* Inka, City. Ever changing menu available as takeaway, pick-up and delivery within 10km radius. Get in quick, as this one will be popular.
inka.com.au
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7383793/canberra-restauran…
MARCH 5 2021 Nikkei cuisine taking Canberra by storm with new restaurant Inka. Karen Hardy
The menu will fuse Peruvian flavours with Japanese techniques. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Nikkei cuisine is grounded in centuries of culinary history, weaving the influence of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines, but it will be the freshest flavour to sample at Inka restaurant, opening on March 11.
The much anticipated opening has been delayed due to COVID, as much of the fitout has come directly from Peru, including a stunning hanging quipus, which is a traditional piece that uses a variety of strings, colours and knots to record information, and a wall of unglazed terracotta cuchimilco figurines which are commonly found in burial sites.
"One thing we’ve learned over the years is that dining out these days is about the whole experience," says co-owner Sunny Matharu.
"We wanted to create an environment where when people walk in the door they’re transported to somewhere else. Especially during these times, where there’s no travel going on in the world, it’s quite nice to give people an escape for the time they are with us."
Inka restaurant co-owner Sunny Matharu and executive chef Michael Muir. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Matharu, along with co-owners Kiehyon Yoo and Adam Elchakak (who was also behind the opening of Raku, a little further along Bunda Street), have turned the two-level restaurant into a destination. There are feature stone-look walls reminiscent of Machu Picchu, large quartz and marble tables suitable for groups and several private booths over both levels. There’s a row of seats along a low bar right in front of the kitchen, close to the action, and a separate bar area with colourful prints and lanterns and low tables, and a drinks list that will muddle flavours of both regions.
Traditional Peruvian items such as these cuchimilco figurines feature in the restaurant. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
While Japanese and Peruvian cuisines might seem like an odd mix, Matharu says Nikkei cuisine is the perfect combination of fresh Peruvian ingredients such as seafood, peppers and fruits and Japanese techniques.
Michael Muir will lead a kitchen of chefs from a diverse range of backgrounds. He has chefs from Japan, Brazil, Vietnam and Indonesia in charge of a kitchen where a wood-fired robata grill and charcoal Josper oven sit alongside delicate ceviche and sashimi stations.
Sashimi will play an important part on the ever-changing menu. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Muir has a wealth of culinary experience with some of the world’s leading hospitality brands. He began his career training with one of Australia’s most influential chefs, Neil Perry, at the renowned Rockpool restaurant in Sydney. He also played an influential role for one of the world’s largest hospitality groups, D&D Group, in launching venues across London, New York and Paris.
The menu will lean towards small plates to share. There’ll be 54 dishes during the opening weeks but Matharu says the list will be fluid as the kitchen experiments with ingredients and flavours.
Peru has the second largest ethnic Japanese population in South America and the community has made a significant cultural impact on the country since the Japanese first began to migrate in the late 19th century.
Nikkei cuisine has swept the globe, one of the best known proponents is Nobu Matsuhisa in his various Nobu restaurants through Europe. Ferram Adria, the former El Bulli chef, now of Pakta in Barcelona where Nikkei is the base for the menu.
Inka, 148 Bunda St, City, opens March 11.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7153966/be-transported-at-…
APRIL 27 2021 Inka review: A little sprinkle of Peruvian-Japanese magic. Natasha Shan
Prawn yuzu a la chalaca. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Is Inka Canberra’s most talked about restaurant opening this year? It seems like everyone is clamouring to get a table at the new Peruvian Japanese restaurant about town.
Staggered seatings mean that we can only book for the somewhat awkward dinner times of 5.30pm or 8pm (this has now changed so that you can book for much more reasonable times up until 6.30pm). There’s no phone number, so book online you must.
When I first heard about Inka, the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian food seemed a little strange to me, but as it turns out Nikkei cuisine, as it is known, dates back over a hundred years. In 1889, thousands of Japanese workers immigrated to Peru to work as miners and railroad workers. They cooked food that they knew with ingredients they found locally and with the culinary dialogue between two cultures, Nikkei cuisine was born.
Swanky and sophisticated, Inka’s interiors are a work of art. It’s clear that no expense has been spared for the restaurant and bar fit-out. From the vibrant woven lamps to the arresting quipu-inspired tapestry, there’s a feeling that we could have walked into a restaurant in London or New York.
Kingfish ceviche. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
On the cocktail menu, Japanese flavours of nashi pear and yuzu are woven through with Latin American spirits like pisco and cachaca. Cocktails go from simple like Aki Tonikku ($16) a twist on a gin and tonic, to the more complex Profé ($18) which contains an intriguing combination of togarashi and absinthe. The Guayaba Agrio ($17) is elegant, tropical yet well balanced with citrusy undertones. The Shinsen’na Nashi ($18) with pear, apple and mango pisco is more fruit dominant and bordering on being too sweet for my taste. The wine list has both local and international flavour, with glasses from a very reasonable $10 and bottles from $45.
If I didn’t understand how Japanese and Peruvian flavours would pair together before, I do now. Where the Japanese have robata, the Peruvians have anticuchos – meats grilled over charcoal. Here, dishes like prawns ($16) smoky from the grill are brought to life with garlic butter, yuzu kosho and a delightfully moreish smoked paprika sauce.
Then there are dishes like the kingfish classico ($25) which are beautiful expressions of Peruvian cuisine – diced kingfish with all the usual trimmings piled high with strips of crisp sweet potato. The traditional flavours of red onion, coriander and lime juice are familiar, the sweet potato puree adds a gentle earthiness while cancha (toasted corn) brings an additional crunch. Each mouthful is a brilliant combination of both flavours and textures – a classic dish modernised with excellent technique.
Wagyu sirloin MB 5+ 250g. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
We’re several bites into the kingfish before we realise that we had actually ordered a different ceviche dish. The error is handled with ease and poise by the wait staff, but the Nikkei ceviche ($28) with tuna, sesame, radish and finger lime isn’t quite as exciting as the kingfish we’d mistakenly been served.
Dishes like the aburi salmon nigiri ($16) feel very familiar, a mouthful of smoky, fatty deliciousness, but with a sprinkling of puffed quinoa. The chicken empanadas ($14) are excellent too. They’re light, crisp and mildly spiced, the wrapping more like wonton skins than traditional empanada dough.
Wagyu sirloin MB 5+ 250g ($80) is certainly on the pricey side but it delivers. It’s an umami-packed bite – charcoal, fat, steak and mushroom miso butter – and quite possibly one of the best cuts of steak I’ve ever tasted. It’s served with two dipping sauces, which are fine, but really quite unnecessary with a steak of this calibre.
Sides like crispy brussels sprouts ($12) with furikake and yuzu glaze make an excellent accompaniment. You can’t really go wrong with crispy brussels sprouts, here they’re dark and charry, slightly sweet and savoury from the furikake.
Chilli chocolate fondant. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Chilli chocolate fondant with pisco guava sorbet ($19.50) is another triumph. A slightly crunchy exterior gives way to rich, molten chocolate with a hint of a chilli kick. The pale pink sorbet acts as a palate cleanser, a contrast to the bitterness of the chocolate.
Service is good if a little impersonal. They have a strange system of hosts and runners – some people to take orders and others to take plates and clear food, which means we have five or six different people attending our table. It’s fine when it works, but some tables are left waiting to order, finding it hard to attract the attention of a host who’s managing a large area of the floor.
Even so, eating at Inka is the most exciting dinner that I’ve had in a while – and not just because of the food. The stunning interiors and moody dining room create a sense of grandeur that’s quite unlike any other restaurant in Canberra. There’s a nuanced understanding of flavour, a commitment to high-quality produce, finished with excellent technique and a bit of creative flair.
There is something quite magical about Inka. Perhaps it’s the ability to transport you to a different place and time, away from the pandemic. During a time when travel is off-limits, it feels like travelling again – the sights, smells and tastes of a land far away.
There’s a tiny bit of room for improvement in the front of house, but what Inka does well, it does very well – food, ambience and a little sprinkle of Peruvian-Japanese magic. One thing is for sure – Inka has arrived, and in style.
Chef Michael Muir with owner, Sunny Matharu. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
Inka
Address: Shop B11A, 148 Bunda St, Canberra
Phone: 5115 0777
Website: inka.com.au
Hours: Monday, from 6pm til 10pm. Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm til 10pm. Friday to Saturday, 12pm til 10.30pm. Sunday, from 12pm til 10pm.
Owners: Sunny Matharu, Kiehyon Yoo and Adam Elchakak
Chef: Michael Muir
Vegetarian: Lots of good options
Noise: Not a problem
Score: 16/20
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7221085/sprinkle-of-peruvi…
NOVEMBER 12 2020 New restaurant to weave culinary history into a modern setting Karen Hardy
An artist’s impression of the interiors, by Peruvian interior designer Patricia Barbis. Picture: Supplied
Nikkei cuisine is grounded in centuries of culinary history, weaving the influence of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines, but it will be the freshest flavour to sample here in Canberra in 2021, with the opening of Inka in January.
Michael Muir will be the executive chef, a coup for the Canberra dining scene. Previously he has been executive chef at the acclaimed Zuma in London and Istanbul, restaurants known for a sophisticated twist on Japanese dining.
Muir has a wealth of culinary experience with some of the world’s leading hospitality brands. He began his career training with one of Australia’s most influential chefs, Neil Perry, at the renowned Rockpool restaurant in Sydney. He also played an influential role for one of the world’s largest hospitality groups, D&D Group, in launching venues across London, New York and Paris.
Kiehyon Yoo, Adam Elchakak, Sunny Matharu and executive chef Michael Muir. Picture: Supplied
"The menu will be heavily focused around tropical seafood incorporating Japanese precision of cutting raw fish and treating it with simple, refined flavours," Muir says.
"Traditionally inexpensive Peruvian dishes are dressed up with Japanese skill, citrus and spice."
Adam Elchakak is one of the masterminds behind the project. He was behind the opening of Raku and has teamed up with hospitality consultants Sunny Matharu and Kiehyon Yoo to finesse and deliver the concept as a strong trio.
Matharu and Yoo previously managed some of the highest profile restaurants in Sydney and are playing critical roles on the floor and behind the extravagant bar.
This artist’s impression shows how Peruvian colours, texture and craft will be incorporated. Picture: Supplied
"Inka Bar will be a harmonious execution of interesting and exotic cocktails, an intelligent global wine list and beverage selection, within an impetus of passionate and informed service," says Yoo.
"The Nikkei concept will promote an enticing scope of cocktail styles and flavours from both Japan and South America – combining finesse and balance with the wild and tropical."
Interiors have been handled by Peruvian interior designer Patricia Barbis from Studio Barbis in Lima, Peru.
"We designed a space that has all the richness of Peruvian colours, texture and craft within a clean-line Japanese architectural language," she says.
"Just like the Nikkei people living in Peru, they look Japanese but they have acquired the liveliness and colourful personality of Peruvians."
An artist’s impression of the mezzanine level. Picture: Supplied
Some Peruvian elements that have been applied architecturally are the textile patterns interpreted as a tapestry on the stairs to the mezzanine along with a giant "Quipus", which is an ancient Inca tool for registering and communicating complex information.
"The restaurant also features a "Cuchimilco" wall. These are clay statues from an ancient coastal culture from Peru that represent fertility and protection."
Peru has the second largest ethnic Japanese population in South America and the community has made a significant cultural impact on the country since the Japanese first began to migrate in the late 19th century.
Nikkei cuisine has swept the globe, one of the best known proponents is Nobu Matsuhisa in his various Nobu restaurants through Europe. Ferram Adria, the former El Bulli chef, now of Pakta in Barcelona where Nikkei is the base for the menu.
Inka is expected to open in January 2021 at 148 Bunda St.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7009396/inka-weaves-culina…
