From rough around the edges pub to exciting tapas bar, Nicola Foley appraises The Emperor’s new clothes
The Emperor on Hills Road has been a stop off on my drinking route around Cambridge for many years, and I’ve witnessed various reinventions and updates to the venue (anyone else remember the ‘beach’ in the garden?). None, however, have been quite so drastic as the most recent incarnation, which has seen this slightly rough around the edges boozer transformed into a bright, modern tapas bar.
Dinginess has been replaced with atmospheric lighting, polished deep wood flooring and colourful tiles – but, as we were soon to discover, the new look is very much secondary to the new culinary offering.
A quick glance at the menu reveals The Emperor to be a cut above the usual deep-fried everything affair on offer at other, lesser, tapas-focused eateries. Drawing inspiration from across Latin America, from Argentina to Colombia, there’s a huge variety on offer, with lots of interesting looking options to tempt.
Our feast began with a tortilla de patatas, a dense potato omelette ubiquitous in Spanish cuisine. Incredibly simple, but equally simple to mess up, this dish transforms a few very pedestrian ingredients into an immensely satisfying master study in comfort food. The Emperor nailed it, which boded well for the meal ahead.
“I’m struggling to find enough superlatives to describe the ceviche”
Next to arrive, one of my standouts for the meal, were the unassuming-looking croquetas de jamon. The piping-hot crispy breadcrumb shell yielded to the creamiest molten interior of cheesy béchamel studded with morsels of intensely flavoured Spanish ham. I could have eaten at least ten more.
Then, we got stuck into a trio of meaty offerings, beginning with the house speciality, lomo saltado. I hadn’t tried this before, but it’s apparently one of Peru’s favourite dishes, and I can see why. Thick hunks of tender, flame-cooked beef fillet with a rich, soy-infused sauce, sweet red onions and tomatoes, served with chunky chips (which seemed slightly incongruous, but turn out to be a traditional finishing touch to this dish, along with rice – double carbs, we approve), it was a winner.
Next up, another Peruvian number, the chuletas de cordero tacu tacu. The meat, again, was beautifully cooked and had a nice smoky, fatty quality to it, pleasingly cut through with piquant chimichuri sauce. It was served on a bed of tacu tacu, a simple but delicious accompaniment which turned out to be another of the evening’s revelations.
We also sampled some gorgeously tender pork belly with sweet potatoes, but the crowning glory in my eyes was the ceviche, a dish I have fond memories of from a holiday in Mexico. I’m struggling to find enough superlatives to describe quite how good the Emperor’s ceviche is, with its exquisite clouds of raw seabass, zingy citrus, crunchy corn kernels and crispy plantain garnish. A heavenly concerto of contrasting flavours and textures, I’m salivating at the mere memory.
In all, there’s a lot to love about the revitalised Emperor. The menu is a genuinely exciting, authentic introduction to some of Latin America’s tastiest exports, and the service is smiley and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, the atmosphere didn’t quite match up to the food – with sports playing on a big screen and a large group of drinkers in close proximity, it wasn’t an entirely relaxed environment to enjoy your dinner in (in the Emperor’s defence, it was mid-Olympic season so perhaps the sporting coverage was justified, and there is additional, quieter seating upstairs if that’s what you’re looking for).
The food more than made up for it though – in fact I’d wager the Emperor is serving up some of the best tapas you can get in Cambridge right now. Highly recommended.
