Quorn is becoming one of our favourite foodie hotspots and in the heart of the village Tamalada is serving up Latin American cuisine in a modern setting.

We first visited Tamalada back when chef William Ortiz had just created their new menu, with a number of new Peruvian specialities and South American delicacies. Having been so impressed when meeting William and by the dishes served on that visit we were keen to see how the restaurant has developed since.

For anyone unfamiliar, Tamalada’s Head Chef is William Ortiz. Having grown up in Peru working in his family’s restaurant, he went on to gain expertise from working at some of London’s finest restaurants, including The Savoy, The Dorchester, The Berkeley, The Landmark, and more recently the leading Peruvian restaurant Lima to work alongside his brother, the acclaimed Robert Ortiz. Here they won a Michelin Star together before William opened his own restaurant Pisqu, in the heart of London’s West End.

His vast experience, love and understanding of traditional Latin American cuisine is evident throughout the menu at Tamalada. Only the freshest and finest ingredients are sourced to keep the taste authentic, including the use of ajipancas, ajimarasols and rocotos, which are all Latin American chillies.

Onto the menu, which features stand-out items including Brazilian classic XinXim, Salmon Tiradito, Gaucho Steak, Chicken Anticucho, Octopus, Empanadas Colombianas and Tamales. These are served alongside favourites including tacos, burrito, churros and more, but for us it would be a shame to go and not sample some of the more traditional dishes in a rare opportunity here in Leicestershire to have them prepared with such precision and authenticity.

The menu is split into small and large plates, offering the option to share a number of dishes or opt for a starter and main each. The crispy corn, Columbian beef empanadas and Salmon Tiradito are both excellent starter options, with the sashimi salmon accompanied by a spicy, pepper based rocoto sauce.

One key thing to highlight is just how much of the menu at Tamalada is gluten free or gluten free adaptable. Every small plate on the menu can be adapted for gluten free customers.

Onto the mains and one of the classic dishes to be sampled is the XinXim. Brazil’s signature curry dish, Xinxim consists of chicken and crayfish cooked with peanut and lime with lightly spiced rice and greens. With a spicy and sweet flavour, the creamy dish ticks all the boxes of authenticity and taste and comes highly recommended for your next visit.

We also sampled the Gaucho Steak, with the 8oz Argentina style sirloin served with chimichurri and charred corn on the cob. Whilst at first our steak was served cooked more well done that requested, this was immediately put right by the kitchen, with a new dish swiftly brought out. The steak was tender and flavoursome with the chimichurri providing a perfect kick on the side.

As well as the food menu there’s been care taken over the drinks selection at Tamalada with some lovely Chilean and Argentinian wines available, alongside a carefully crafted cocktail menu offering some excellent tequila based cocktails as well as Pisco Sours and an extended Mezcal and Tequila spirits selection.

Tamalada offers a lovely setting for a Friday night dinner with friends, date night or catching up midweek over small plates and a glass of wine. Whilst Leicester city centre has seen the popularity of Sonrisa flourish, this is an excellent out of town option for those looking for a taste of South America without venturing into the city centre. With an excellent menu and carefully constructed, authentic dishes, it’s well worth a visit.

Tamalada is located on Leicester Road in the centre of Quorn. You can view the menus via the website. Table reservations can be made by calling 01509 458358.

 

We were invited to visit Tamalada by the owners and received our meal free of charge. We were under no obligation to give a positive review and all opinions are an honest reflection of our experience.