Mayfair is no stranger to international culinary delights – with a range of options available to a diner hoping to indulge in high-end cuisine from across the globe.
You might be surprised, however, to learn there’s now a restaurant dedicated to Armenian food hidden amongst the many offerings.
Lusin, which means moon in Armenian, opened on Hay Hill in October and is the first Armenian eatery in Mayfair.
The brand was established in Saudia Arabia, where it now has a number of locations, and the Mayfair resturant is Lusin's first step outside the Middle Eastern country.
The London menu has been curated by two-star Michelin chef Marcel Ravin, the man behind the much-lauded Blue Bay restaurant in Monaco.
It features an eclectic mix of Armenian-inspired dishes, with Levantine and Eastern European influences.
Excited to try Armenian food for the first time, my partner and I recently booked a table for two on a Saturday night.
After struggling somewhat to find the door (it’s very subtle!), we were welcomed by a very friendly team who took us to our table.
The interiors are opulent and stylish with Armenian touches and – my favourite feature – a huge tree with cascading pink flowers.
On to the food – we tried a variety of dishes from across the menu, which, on the whole, were very impressive.
Among the appetizer highlights were Lusin’s signature eggplant rolls, slices of aubergine stuffed with walnut and whipped cheese and topped with pomegranate seeds. My partner isn’t a big aubergine fan, but really enjoyed these.
We also loved the tiger prawns tempura – lightly battered crustaceans with pistachio pesto, paprika mayo and caramalised lemon. In fact, I think they were some of the best tempura prawns I’ve ever eaten.
The traditional mutabel smoked aubergine dip and the Armenian bread we had it with were both delicious.
Easily our favourite main dish was The Famous Cherry Kebab, which is grilled kebab served with a home-made cherry sauce and pine nuts. The cherries are sourced from Armenia and add a sweet and sour taste that compliments the saltiness of the meat. I’ve never tried anything quite like it and couldn’t get enough.
Meanwhile, the sheesh tawood – grilled skewers of marinated chicken breast with a herb tomato sauce – was maybe not the most memorable dish we had that evening, but perfectly tasty.
We also sampled the manti, dumplings stuffed with meat and topped with matzone yoghurt and a tomato sauce. These were nice but didn’t feel quite special enough to warrant the £32 price tag.
For dessert we enjoyed the restaurant's gorgeous honey cake – layers of honey biscuits and cream, served with honeycomb – and the Lusin ice cream – rose-flavoured ice cream with candy floss.
The latter arrived at our table as a small mountain of candy floss with a scattering of rose petals, before the waiter divided the whipped sugar to reveal the ice cream hiding underneath.
I love when my food comes with a bit of theatre, so this part went down particularly well with me. Thankfully the ice cream lived up to the spectacle and tasted fantastic.
Finally, special mention must go to the supernova cocktail we had on arrival. It’s described as a clarified punch with a vodka base and flavours of Armenian apricot brandy, fresh pineapple and passionfruit with a slight touch of sparkling wine.
Like the cherry kebab, it was different to anything I’ve had before and delicious.
Address: 16 Hay Hill, Mayfair W1J 8NY
Website: lusinrestaurant.com