Tuesdays are not the liveliest night of the week in Kew but still, it’s a surprise to be one of only two tables at the junction’s smartest new restaurant.

Cotham Dining opened in late January in the space formerly known as Hellenic Republic. It’s run by Ayhan Erkoc and Federico Perez Lopez, who’ve cooked together before at Panama Dining Room and Richmond’s Feast of Merit.

Their first joint-venture is an ambitious affair of tiled concrete, pale wood tables and chairs, a ceiling of woven twigs to help soak up the noise from those hard surfaces, and plenty of potted greenery. The vibe is cocktails in the conservatory. Drinks are in order.

The cocktail list rallies local producers and botanicals, from strawberry-gum vermouth in the House Negroni to a wattleseed-scented espresso martini and a spicy margarita with mango and agave (lip-smackingly good).

Two pages of wines offer ample choice and sensible pricing, with plenty of bottles for around the $60 mark.

The menu’s intriguing. It follows the now-familiar pattern of snacks and starters, mains and share plates. But tucked among the offerings are nods to Erkoc’s Turkish and Perez Lopez’s Colombian backgrounds.

They’re bold enough, for example, to offer a veal tongue kebab. It turns out to be a highlight. The skewered tongue slices are crisp and charry at the edges, melting in the middle and smoky all over. They’re deeply satisfying on their own but even better with the acid bite of Peruvian-style aji amarillo (yellow chilli) sauce.

“This is a revelation,” my astonished Spanish friend cries.

I could take or leave the kibbeh beef croquettes and the strong-tasting bonito. But there’s a very decent tartare, the beef rough-cut and laced with mustard and harissa, chilli and capers.

There’s also an arepa, which is about as Colombian as Shakira and almost as beautiful. Arepa is a flat corn bread and popular street food that’s as versatile as pizza. You can top it with anything. Perez Lopez’s version is spread with whipped feta and studded with barbecued onion scales, their points arranged like the petals of a flower. It’s seasoned with pico de gallo, a raw salsa of tomato, onion and chilli, and a peanut chilli sauce. The combination of flavours, especially the satay-like sauce, is unexpected but not unpleasant. I’m glad I tried it.

We skip straight past normal mains to shared mains because they sound more enticing. They include a rotisserie porchetta with garlic butter jus which I’m sure is amazing, but can I implore you please to order the slow-roasted lamb.

It comes with an enjoyable date and grain salad but the lamb’s the thing. It’s a generously sized, de-boned shoulder that looks too plump and glossy to have been roasted nearly long enough. But one poke of the fork and the flesh flakes off in that way that reassures you it’s cooked to perfection.

There’s scarcely room for sweets afterwards but our waiter, a capable woman with a lovely Irish lilt, raves about the Middle Eastern milk pudding. It’s served cool with toasty, caramelly kataifi pastry and pistachio ice cream.

It’s quite nice but no match for the lamb. Or the tongue.

Related review: Why we’re obsessed with HER Bar, the latest opening by the Arbory team