The background

Fitzrovia’s five-star The Mandrake opened in 2017 and has continued to prove itself as a heady disruptor on the London hotel scene ever since. It is designed as an experience rather than a place to dump your suitcases and head out for some retail therapy. Part hotel, part restaurant, bar and art space, The Mandrake is the brainchild of entrepreneur and art collector Rami Fustok, and features a revolving selection of surreal and sensual art and installations. In a recent edition of its Artist in Residence series, multi-hyphenate A$AP Rocky collaborated with Nigerian artist Olaolu Slawn, who has transformed the hotel’s basement corridors into an art piece that guests can move through.

The hotel’s restaurant, Yopo, is headed up by executive chef George Scott-Toft, who took inspiration from his travels through Argentina, Chile and Peru to design its latest autumn/winter menu. The aim here is to showcase the best of British ingredients in South American-inspired cuisine, and it is certainly a goal that has been achieved.

The space

The Mandrake is full of cool design details from top to bottom – pay attention to your surroundings so as not to miss any gems in the many hidden corners. Yopo keeps up with a dimly lit interior that is a masterclass in sexy bohemian with edge. The ceiling features an intricate mural by artist Peter-John de Villiers of moths and mystical beings surrounded by jungle fauna, while three sizeable candelabras light the room. Titled Vestali (like the priestess of Vesta, goddess of the hearth), they are the creation of artist Marco Tullio Siviglia and feature flickering candles perched in a dramatic black dripping wax design. Commanding all eyes to the centre of the room, however, is Showgirl, a glamorous feathered taxidermy ostrich-meets-surreal snake bird by Enrique Gomez de Molina that looks ready to unleash the razzle dazzle at any moment. Dinner and cocktails are enjoyed at dark wood tables paired with plush brown and burnt orange velvet seating, tying in with the magic jungle feel.

Different areas have their own scent, adding to the experience as you move from room to room. Stretch your legs post-dinner by checking out the artworks dotted throughout the hotel, as well as the bathroom-to-beat-all-bathrooms on the lower ground.

The menu

Chef Scott-Toft has created an innovative menu with lots of variety, broken up into small plates, plates, mains and dessert. Start with English and Irish oysters and your choice from a strong line-up of champagne. The recommendation to Brummell (a party of two) was to try two plates from each section and then pick one main for the table to share. From the small plates, the crunchy tostada loaded with roasted Delica pumpkin, salsa macha and goat’s cheese is a colourful burst of flavours, while the Iberico pork presa anticuchos skewers are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

For a lighter flavour to even things out, try the hand-dived Scottish scallop on the plates menu. It comes grilled and sliced and arrives beautifully presented in a shell, sitting on a bed of tomatillo, mango, jalapeño and fennel salsa. The yellowtail sashimi also offers a lighter option, with a refreshing red chilli and sweet potato, green herb and yoghurt dressing and satisfyingly crispy plantain chips. For the main course, the Josper charcoal oven-grilled sirloin (from Hennisfield Farm in Derbyshire) is fantastic and comes with chimichurri sauce for a bit of a kick. Pair with the grilled aubergine with sesame and soy to really complement the flavours. The chestnut and clementine goat’s cheese cake provides a delicate finishing note to a wonderful medley of South American-inspired flavours and cooking techniques.

To accompany the dishes, there is a healthy selection of red, white and rosé wine, along with non-alcoholic options from French Bloom, or explore the inventive Yopo cocktail list. The Samara feels festive, and includes rum infused with cinnamon and apple, amaretto, lemon, orange and apple juice and maple syrup, while the Iris sees gin infused with blackberry and butternut squash, amaretto, Cherry Heering liqueur and lemon juice for an autumnal twist.

The bill

Dinner for two with drinks: £200

The verdict

The Mandrake is sure to impress, and Yopo offers the perfect introduction. While it offers breakfast and lunch, this is a restaurant best enjoyed in the evening with friends or a date, where you can don your glad rags and revel in the sense of occasion it offers. Move on to the Waeska cocktail lounge next door to continue the evening.

themandrake.com/yopo-restaurant