Anticuchos cooked over robata fire, a study in smoke and spice
The marriage of Japanese precision and Peruvian passion finds its fullest expression in skewered octopus and chorizo, charred over open flame and offered on the midday menu.
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The robata grill speaks a language older than technique, one where heat transforms ingredient into experience. At Sushi Samba, this ancient vocabulary finds its voice in anticuchos: skewered morsels threaded through with intention and grilled to a burnished perfection that speaks of mastery.
The octopus arrives tender and yielding, each piece a canvas upon which the fire has written its story in smoke and char. Against this delicate seafood sits chorizo, its richness assertive and unapologetic, the spicing deep and warming. The interplay between the two is neither compromise nor competition but rather a conversation between two culinary traditions that have found unexpected kinship.
Peruvian corn completes the narrative, its sweetness offering counterpoint to the savoury depth of the proteins and the subtle heat that lingers on the palate. Every element has been considered not in isolation but as part of a greater composition, where each component elevates the others.
The Vivo Lunch Menu captures this essence with the restraint and clarity that distinguishes refined dining from mere abundance. Rather than overwhelm the diner with choice, it offers a curated selection, each dish selected for its ability to demonstrate the kitchen’s command of fire, technique and the delicate art of balancing flavours across different culinary traditions.
The robata technique itself deserves contemplation. This Japanese method of grilling over charcoal demands constant attention, an understanding of heat, proximity and timing that cannot be rushed or automated. It requires the hand of someone who has spent years learning to read the flames, to know when to advance and when to withdraw, when the fire is at its most generous and when restraint becomes wisdom.
What emerges is cuisine that respects its origins while refusing to be bound by them. The Japanese and Peruvian elements do not merely coexist here; they amplify one another, creating something that feels both rooted in heritage and entirely of the present moment. This is the signature of a kitchen that understands that true luxury lies not in excess but in the precision of a single perfect bite.
Imagery courtesy of Sushi Samba (@sushisamba).