KOL

KOL, located in the heart of Marylebone (Seymour Street), is a revelation. I am a huge lover of Mexican food and have been waiting for this moment for a long time, as high-end Mexican dining is still so rare in Europe, and KOL sets the gold standard. The restaurant is helmed by the brilliant Chef Santiago Lastra, whose background at Noma Mexico and Mugaritz is evident in every detail. He has created something truly special here: a "Mexican soul" that uses almost exclusively British ingredients. The Experience: - The Vibe: The space is stunningly modern, aligned with the best restaurants globally. The warm, earthen tones and the central open kitchen create an atmosphere that is both sophisticated and high-energy. - The Accolades: It’s easy to see why it holds 1 Michelin Star and has been featured on the World’s 50 Best list (ranking as high as #17 in the world). - The Food: We had the tasting menu, and it was a masterclass in flavor. The absolute highlight was the taco with lobster, it was easily the most interesting and delicious dish of our lunch. - The Wine: We explored several glasses from their wine list, which is extensive and full of very interesting, modern bottles hard to find elsewhere. If you are a fan of authentic yet innovative Mexican flavors, KOL is an essential stop in London. It was well worth the wait!

One week later, and I’m still thinking about this place. Being Mexican myself, I’m very familiar with the traditional cuisine. I wasn’t sure what to expect when hearing that only a handful of dried chillies and maíz were the only produce imported to the UK. I found it difficult to imagine a dish true to its taste without the key ingredients, like a mole without chocolate; but I was blown away. Every plate, although untraditional, remained true to itself. The duck mole reminded me of all the birthday parties I would go to as a kid, the wagyu taco was like taking a bite of a suadero taco in the streets of CDMX, and the buñuelo took me back to my aunt’s kitchen. Every dish was both elegant and nostalgic. The experience was elevated even more by the team working there. Everyone was welcoming and enthusiastic about the food they were serving. In particular, Tara, Liam, and Andrew made us feel right at home — precisely the type of camaraderie that cannot be missed in any Mexican meal. If you have a special occasion, something to celebrate, or just want to try something unique, I highly recommend KOL.

What an extraordinary experience we had at Kol. From the front of house, Peter, to our server Caitlin and our Sommallier and the pastry chef, we had a lovely time with our taste buds exploding at every bite of the menu. We opted for the classic paring of wines and mezcal and it was perfection - one of the best German Rieslings I have ever had in the JJ Purim Riesling paired with the crab jericalla. The pairing of the house made mezcal cocktail with the famous langoustine taco was divine, though the duck mole may have edged out as a favorite dish for my husband. Desserts were also delightful, as was the horchata with oat milk. We travelled to London from the USA to Kol was absolutely the right way to end our trip and celebrate our anniversary.

We visited for my 40th birthday celebrations and wow! Food was incredible, loved the twist of using local British ingredients, especially as in my view it's impossible to recreate truly authentic tasting Mexican cuisine without Mexican produce, but this method was a perfect solution to that issue! So hard to pick favourites amongst such a well crafted menu, but at a push the standout dishes were the Duck Mole, Wagyu Huarache (and the surprise Wagyu Confit Tacos - the most incredible interpretation of CDMX street food!), as well as the Asparagus Tamal and the Buñuelos, which we lamented other tables that didn't order them when we tasted them - my wife put them in her top 5 desserts of all time. My wife had the wine pairing which was very diverse and interesting, very well put together and I opted for the mezcal pairing which was exceptional - I am very passionate about agave and have a pretty extensive collection of mezcal and similar-method agave spirits acquired whilst living in Mexico and during subsequent trips, and was very excited to try so many different expressions and producers I had not come across before! Both pairings felt like excellent value for the price. The decore and atmosphere upstairs is fantastic, the open kitchen fascinating to be able to witness the construction of the dishes and the service impeccable, with every server genuinely warm, welcoming and knowledgeable about the fare. The real treat came at the end of the meal when we were taken down to the Mezcalaria (which is styled as a wonderful combination of CDMX walls, decore and music, mixed with more traditional British seating and flooring). The servers downstairs were just as warm and knowledgeable and we had a wonderful time with Andrew taking us on a further exceptional mezcal journey! The courses seemed to keep flowing (we had to take the petit fours to go as we were well and truly stuffed at this point!) and Andrew and his colleagues demonstrated a phenomenal passion for innovative and rare mezcals. All in all this was one of the most exceptional restaurant experiences of my life and a wonderful way to celebrate my 40th birthday. Thanks so much to Santiago and team for the exceptional food and to Andrew and the Mezcalaria team for the expansion of my mezcal horizons! Cannot recommend this spot highly enough, a truly unique and elevated experience all around.