WOWed by the culinary scene in Lima

I’ll confess. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Peruvian cuisine, although I had heard it was good and gaining global attention. I wasn’t just impressed. I was WOWed by the culinary scene in Lima.

During our few days of chocolate travel in the Peruvian capital, we visited a good variety of restaurants in Lima and did not have one meal that I didn’t enjoy. Some wowed me more than others, but all were all creative, enticing and satisfying.

favourite restaurants in Lima, Peru

Our first visit was to one of our host Giovanna’s personal favourites: Delcino Mar Pescados y Mariscos, an informal fish and seafood where friends gather to enjoy libations and culinary masterpieces that are simple, yet expertly prepared and presented.

The ceviche at Delcino Mar Pescados y Mariscos was amazing.

You’ll find this resto in Miraflores at 509 Avenue Jorge Chavez. I highly recommend the classic ceviche, which was made from seniorita fish seasoned with cilantro and red onions. I also loved the conchitas a la parmesana, similar to a coquilles St. Jacques with parmesan. The prices are reasonable, the service excellent and the atmosphere unpretentious, making it one of my favourite meals while in Lima.

It was cool having dinner at Central Restaurante, a restaurant owned by chef Virgilio Martinez. I had been referred to Central  as it is rated one of Peru’s best restaurants. Virgilio is passionate about chocolate, and he trained in Ottawa, Canada, making it a natural connection for visiting Canadians. We were treated to a beautifully presented 12-course meal, matched with wonderful wines and libations specially selected by our handsome sommelier.

The handsome sommelier at Central matched terrific libations with each delicious course.

Central is definitely on the chic side and an ideal place to have a special dinner when you have a full wallet and time to linger over the array of flavours presented to you.

We also had an amazing dinner at Bravo Restobar, located on Conquistadores in the San Isidro district of Lima. I hope I haven’t used the description, WOW, too much in this post, as nothing else can aptly describe the enthusiasm I had for this amazing meal from uber-creative chef owner, Christian Bravo.

We enjoyed an appetizer course of salmon and ceviche (also known as cebiche in Peru) made from mahi mahi. We had swordfish served with risotto, scallops with cheese, a beef tenderloin roll, shrimp with avocado and much more. I would highly recommend Bravo to anyone looking for casual chic and a more relaxed style of service.

The bar at Bravo Restobar is adjacent to the dining area.

I won’t forget the terrific lunch we had with chef Flavio Solorzano at El Señorio de Sulco Cocina Peruana, an authentic Peruvian resto with a view of the ocean at 1470 Malecon Cisneros in Miraflores.

The appetizers at El Senorio de Sulco were highly artistic and very delicious.

The meal was eye candy for this highly visual appreciator of gastronomy. As much as I love the aromas and taste of good food, I am definitely one who appreciates the artistry of fine cuisine, and chef Flavio is a master!

Our last meal in Lima was at Malabar Restaurante and Bar, situated at 101 Camino Real in San Isidro, a very chic part of Lima where you can shop till you drop into one of the comfortable chairs at Malabar, and be whisked away on an exotic culinary experience you won’t soon forget.

Dinner at Malabar in Lima was enticing.

Chef Pedro Miguel cooks with ingredients from the Peruvian jungle, so you are guaranteed specialties you likely won’t find anywhere else. We enjoyed the chonta hearts of palm salad with chestnut cheese, paiche fish served with macambo fruit sauce, caracoles (snails) cooked in a sauce of cocoa foam and caviar and much more. Another WOW!

For those of us who do love the flavours of Peru, I came across this site where you can order Peruvian specialties like a dried version of the lovely aji peppers that you’ll find in so many dishes: http://gourmet-delights.com/store/peru.html.

As you can see, I totally loved the culinary scene of Lima. Now for dessert, let me tell you about some of the best chocolate of Lima, Peru.