Compiled by Kasia Hastings
Friday
Pisco Embassy
For a pre-work cocktail in Angel, I like to go to The Bar with No Name – 69 Colebrooke Row (69 Colebrooke Row, London, N1 8AA, 07540528593, 69colebrookerow.com). If it’s pisco I want and I am not at Pisco Embassy (176 Upper Street, London N1 1RG, 020 7354 2843, piscoembassy.london), I’ll head to Chotto Matte in the heart of Soho (11-13 Frith Street, London W1D 4RB, 0207 042 7171, chotto-matte.com). It’s one of my favourite spots for innovative pisco cocktails like the Chotto Negroni with Mamajuana, Campari and orange, or the Cuatro Uvas (Acholado Pisco, St Germain, sake, lime, red grapes, celery bitters) and a great atmosphere.
Chotto Matte
Saturday
I like to start the day well by hitting the gym. I'm from Peru and I love surfing, which I do almost every day when I am back home in Lima, but obviously that isn't quite possible in London so I keep fit at my gym, David Lloyd (240 Upper Street, London, N1 1RU, 0207 226 6744, davidlloyd.co.uk) instead.
After I've worked up an appetite I'll meet friends for brunch at Blue Legume (177 Upper St, Islington, London N1 1RG, 020 7226 5858, thebluelegume.co.uk), which has some wonderful Mediterranean dishes, natural fruit juices and great staff. In the afternoons I’ll catch up on the news here, in Peru and everywhere else, see friends, or enjoy the outdoors.
Getty: Sushi Samba
Before I head over to Pisco Embassy I might stop off for some dinner or a drink at Sushisamba (Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY, 0203 640 7330, sushisamba.com), where I used to work as a sommelier. The view, of course, is fantastic, and the yellow tail taquitos are the perfect accompaniment to the London skyline.
Sake No Hanna
Another dinner spot I’m fond of if I am in the area is Sake No Hanna (23 St James's Street, London SW1A 1HA, 0207 925 8988, sakenohana.com) which serves Japanese food and drink with a Peruvian twist – an amazing combination. Its team are really professional and attentive and I love the bar on the first floor.
Sunday
Tierra Peru
I don't finish work until very late on Saturday night, so Sunday mornings are usually lazy and then I might head for lunch at Tierra Peru (164 Essex Road, London N1 8LY, 020 7354 5586, tierraperu.co.uk) for a taste of home. Its Sunday buffet is great and allows you to taste a huge range of dishes from Peru such as grilled Octopus in black Peruvian botija olive cream, quinoa stew and for pudding, alfajores – soft Peruvian biscuits served with dulce de leche and ice cream. After, there's time to watch a movie or cook with friends.
José Francisco-Modonese is the man propelling Peruvian pisco to the top of London’s cocktail menus. Now head mixologist at London’s first late night pisco bar, José combines Peruvian tradition with contemporary concepts to bring a taste of the exotic to London’s burgeoning cocktail scene.
Pisco Embassy pops up every Friday and Saturday night from midnight-5am, with its resident Bolivian DJ spinning a dancy mix of South American and more familiar tunes.
