Alyssa LeAnne visits the grand opening of The Avocado Show in the London’s Mayfair and speaks with co-Founder, Ron Simpson about sustainability in avocado farming.
From a greenery wall to plush pink seating, The Avocado Show is a millennials playground. Started by two friends, Ron Simpson and Julien Zaal, Mayfair’s newest restaurant has an upscale yet fun and relaxed ambiance that is perfect for an easy night out with friends or a casual date night. From drinks to desserts for breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepare yourself to choose from a menu of creative dishes all made with the beloved pitted green fruit!
The neon sign and trendy music sets the mood for starting your meal with a cocktail or one of their non-alcoholic, freshly squeezed, flavoured lemonades. The wide range of avocado drinks, including the Avo Rita which is uniquely made with avocado marmalade, is enticing. Another drink you won’t find in just any bar is the Guaca-Mary which is topped with an amuse bouche in the form of a single tortilla chip dolloped with guacamole. This was the perfect surprise to kick off the meal. The only downside to their drinks menu is that many of the item names are similar which can be confusing when ordering. Don’t worry too much however, they are all delicious!
Usually, skeptical of any type of fry that isn’t potato-based, the Avo Fries did not disappoint. Served with truffle mayo, it was the perfect pairing. We also tried the avo fries with the wasabi mayo which did not pair as well, meaning there is really no need to stray from the chef’s suggestions on this menu.
With such a variety, we found The Avocado Show’s menu selection of main dishes are best experienced by ordering multiple dishes and sharing them. We tried the Truffle Deluxe which is the restaurant’s twist on a classic poké bowl. Filled with Truffle mayo-dressed Cajun chicken, parmesan, edamame and pickled cucumber on a bed of sushi rice all in a beautiful ‘crown’ of sliced avocado, this dish was both strong in presentation and flavour. The vinegar taste and crunchy texture of the cucumber added a wonderful brightness to this dish. Diners should note that while the chicken is cooked, it is not served hot to mirror the experience of a traditional poke bowl where the fish is served cold and raw.
For anyone who likes ordering their burgers lettuce wrapped, the Bun Burger is an exciting way to go bread-less. Although the Bun Burger is the one dish we tried that was not easily shared, it is paired with a heaping side of nachos which are pass-around-the-table friendly and makes this plate an explosion of flavour.
Avocados are often associated with Mexican food, however, the taco section of The Avocado Show menu has the least variety with only two options. The Tacos Verdes is the vegetarian option with bimi broccoli as its base. We tried the chicken tacos which fell short compared to the other dishes in both presentation and taste. The nachos on the side of the tacos are not as flavourful as the nachos that come with the burgers and the guacamole lacked in abundance and flavour.
Do not fear, you will not leave this restaurant unhappy. The desserts are seriously good, we will be going back just for one of their sweet treats! As someone who always eyes the sweet options on a brunch menu but ultimately orders a savoury dish, waffles on a dessert menu brings me true joy. The Very Berry Waffle is smothered in chocolate and topped with berries, edible flowers, crunchy caramel, and two thick avocado slices to give the dish a beautiful creaminess you might get from whipped cream or ice cream in other restaurants. With so many complimentary elements, this dish was perfectly sweet and had lovely textures. The true show stopper was the Peanut Butter Avo Ice Cream. With a puréed avocado based and equally rich peanut butter, whoa is this dessert creamy! Topping lovers look no further, this dish is sprinkled with freshly chopped peanuts adding the perfect crunch.
With so much buzz about the environmental impact of the avocado industry, we also sat down to ask Ron some of the hard questions about avocado farming. Equally charismatic and transparent, he explained that from the beginning, the restaurant committed to ensuring that all of their eat ripe avocados are grown sustainably and responsibly. They work with Nature’s Pride as their supplier who are certified by Global GAP and IFS to ensure that their products are responsible from plant to plate.
Ron explained that avocados grown in Mexico, Chile, Peru, and South Africa together deliver 90% of the supply of Nature’s Pride. As these countries naturally have the proper climate to harvest avocado trees, they don’t need extra water and mother nature can take care of them with rain. You can hear the full supply chain story by the team in their video, The Future is Green.
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Chatting Food Contributor Alyssa LeAnne's motto is, "The fastest way to the heart is through the stomach" and she has fallen in love with cities, cuisines and people after tasting their food.
After over seven years in lifestyle PR, she landed in her true passion for food and beverage as a Food Stylist where she makes food and drinks look gorgeous for the camera and informative to consumers. She loves a restaurant tasting menu and is always up for creating one on her own by sharing with whoever she is dining out with. While at home, she is an avid dinner party host, experimental recipe developer and enjoys everything extra spicy! (IG: @eyesbeforeeats)
Photo credits: Alyssa LeAnne and Amanda Taylor