The background

There’s a lot of buzz around Sucre, the first British opening from acclaimed Argentine chef Fernando Trocca. Sucre is the sister restaurant to Trocca’s original Buenos Aires outpost of the same name, which opened in 2001 and has been consistently featured in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants guide ever since. With several successful restaurants across Latin America and the US under his belt, Trocca has now taken his high-end open-fire cooking concept to the heart of Soho, launching Sucre in an impressive two-storey space on Great Marlborough Street. The chef has teamed up with his long-time collaborator, mixologist extraordinaire Tato Giovannoni, who has masterminded Sucre’s impressive drinks menu (which includes a large selection of vermouth and sherry and excellent South American wines) and the downstairs Abajo cocktail lounge.

The space

Sucre is a far cry from your cosy neighbourhood hangout and occupies a prime spot in the 310-year-old former home of the London College of Music. Theatrical in scale, the large open-plan dining area is flanked by an open kitchen, allowing guests to catch glimpses of soaring flames from the various wood-fired cooking techniques. Mirrored walls and humongous chandeliers made entirely from crystal decanters play with scale and grandeur, while downstairs sits Alma, where Tony Pescatori’s inventive mixology celebrates arts and cultures at this experiential drinking den. The late-night bar awakens the spirit with eclectic sounds of disco, soul and funk spinning on vinyl and live bands supplying the soul and disco music.

The menu

Sucre’s dining menu is modern and unexpected. It encourages diners to mix and match and share their dishes, which are split into tasters, small plates, mains and sides. With the focus on charcoal fire, wood oven or stove cooking, single ingredients play centre stage – and there’s a surprisingly good vegetarian selection. Having said that, carnivores and seafood lovers will be in heaven with world-class choices ranging from classic (rib-eye steak) to adventurous (veal tongue with salsa verde). When Brummell visited, we tucked into delicious Carlingford oysters with smoked tomato granita (and regretted not ordering the aged cheese and onion empanadas) before sharing two small plates of creamy burrata with peas and mint and a fantastic burnt aubergine dish (somehow cooked and served like a delicate tuna tartare) with lemon and herb salad. Mains were a punchy monkfish tail with XO sauce and an excellent side of black beans, and the must-try Hibisci cabbage with burnt onion and blue cheese. Such a dish is an example of how a humble ingredient, when cooked to perfection with simple yet complementary flavours, can really shine. However, if you go, make sure to reserve room for the dulce de leche pudding offset by a subtle hint of whisky. Superb.

The bill

A ‘snack’, two small plates and two mains plus two cocktails, a sherry and shared dessert came to around £120.

The verdict

Going for dinner at Sucre is an excuse to get dressed up and make a night of it. After months of being confined to our homes with the occasional take-away treat, it’s certainly welcoming to visit somewhere that imbues a sense of occasion. The atmosphere is lively and inviting, and the weekly-changing menu with its rich, inventive flavours and Latin influences is exciting and unique. Sucre is sure to become a Soho institution – so book your spot ahead of the crowd.

sucrerestaurant.com