3 replies to this topic

[pierre45]

On a recent visit to Peru We ate at probably the best 3 restaurants in Lima .
1-Astrid y Gaston .
I was looking forward to dining at A y G as i had an excellent experience a year earlier at their oupost in Santiago,chile.
Its an elegant and formal place with smooth service.The food is modern /peruvian.
I started with the cebiche de corvina.Peruvian ceviche is definetly the best ceviche in the world.Nothing like it in Miami,NY or accapulco.This rendition was quite good but not as good as the one i had a week later at La mar.The main dish of cau cau corvina was original and very tasty ,my companion's el atun y el camote was also
a creative treatment of tuna.A chilean sauvignon blanc was an excellent companion.
2.Huaca Pucllana
Set dramatically at the edge of the 2000 year old pyramid ruins of the Lima tribe and offering some enticing choices this restaurant was the most rewarding.
WE had for appetizers crocantes de yuca and for main cabrito al horno and lomo de atun.Each dish was based on impeccable ingredients and interesting preparation.Overall one realizes that one is dining in a unique Peruvian restaurant rather than an international place ,similar to astrid y gaston
3. La mar
This is a cebicheria ,open only for lunch.It was filled with upscale Peruvians.
WE had ceviche and grilled octapus over rice croquettes.JUst delicious ,deliceous
deliceous.I wish I could eat like this every day.The dessert of chirimoya with dolce de leche was yummy.

[AlexForbes]

Hi Pierre 45,

I have been comissioned by a very nice Chilean magazine, IN, to write about the new trend of everything being gourmet, from waters to coffees to teas to chocolates. I could name several examples in Brazil, where I am from, since there are, for instance, several chocolate “boutiques” selling D.O.C. chocolates, like Chocolates da Cau and Choco.lab.
Gourmet waters and beers are also a trend in São Paulo, and the upscale Japanese restaurant Kinoshita (excellent, by the way) has a sake sommelière. Since you were just in Lima, I thought maybe you could tell me (and all other egulleters) if you saw the same trend there, if you - or anyone else reading this!! - remember specific food markets selling high-end gourmet spices or teas or chocolates or whatever, or restaurants with tea lists or water lists or any other very gourmet-type specifics.
Thanks in advance for your help!

[docsconz]

I didn't really notice anything like that when I was in Lima over a year ago, but things can change quickly.

I loved Huaca Pucllana - it really spoke of its place. The food was impeccably prepared, beautiful and delicious. We missed A&G in Lima, but I ate at the Madrid outpost in January. That was also excellent, though more international in style. Though I didn't get to La Mar, I did have great ceviche in Cuzco that was as good as anywhere that I have ever had ceviche.

Thanks for the report! Did you happen to have any cocktails?

[pierre45]

Hi Pierre 45,

I have been comissioned by a very nice Chilean magazine, IN, to write about the new trend of everything being gourmet, from waters to coffees to teas to chocolates. I could name several examples in Brazil, where I am from, since there are, for instance, several chocolate “boutiques” selling D.O.C. chocolates, like Chocolates da Cau and Choco.lab.
Gourmet waters and beers are also a trend in São Paulo, and the upscale Japanese restaurant Kinoshita (excellent, by the way) has a sake sommelière. Since you were just in Lima, I thought maybe you could tell me (and all other egulleters) if you saw the same trend there, if you - or anyone else reading this!! - remember specific food markets selling high-end gourmet spices or teas or chocolates or whatever, or restaurants with tea lists or water lists or any other very gourmet-type specifics.
Thanks in advance for your help!

THis is an interesting question and before answering, I should add that I have spent quite a few years in strategic planning ,which entails trend identification.
Peru is a 2 class society,consisting of mostly poor and a few very wealthy families.There is of course an emergence of middle class that 's mostly in LIma.but not large enough to have a significant impact.
Consequently I hardly saw places selling french wines /champagne ,belgian chocolates,etc.Actually the wine list in the best restauraunts had mostly chilean wines and some argentinian.French wines that were listed were quite dismal.
However signs abound of a an emerging class of people that may be interested in the finer things and an example of that is the excellence of some of the restaurants,specially in LIma.