Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [77]
Segundo Muelle (Map; 421-1206; www.segundomuelle.com; Conquistadores 490; mains S20-37; noon-5pm) You’ll find no less than a dozen types of ceviches and tiraditos at this pleasant, well-tended seafood eatery renowned for its fresh ceviches, some with innovative twists. (Try the ceviche de mariscos a los tres ajíes, a stack of mixed fish and shellfish bathed in three types of hot pepper sauce.) The menu also features heaping rice and other seafood dishes, including a recommended parrilla marina (seafood grill).
Punta Sal (Map; 441-7431; Conquistadores 958; mains S22-38; 11am-5pm) Another great seafood restaurant (it’s been around for 20 years), Punta Sal serves at least nine different kinds of ceviche. Try the assassin ceviche – a paradisiacal mix of octopus, squid, crawfish, crab, flounder and mangrove cockles. Reader recommended.
Bravo Restobar (Map; 221-5700; www.bravorestobar.com; Conquistadores 1005; mains S28-54; 1-11pm Mon-Thu, 1pm-3am Fri & Sat) An inviting restaurant-lounge with a backlit bar and stone and wood interiors, Bravo’s able bartenders stir up dozens of spectacular cocktails (try the aguaymanto sour, made with pisco and Amazonian berries). There is a lengthy list of Italian-Peruvian fusion dishes, as well as a bar menu with a laundry list of snacks (such as tender seafood grills) in the event that you’re just there to sip.
Tanta (Map; 421-9708; Pancho Fierro 115) The San Isidro outpost of Acurio’s restaurant-cafe chain (see opposite).
Punto Italiano (Map; 221-3146; Av 2 de Mayo 647; mains S30-45; lunch & dinner) Italian cuisine with a Sardinian twist is dished up at this homey trattoria. The handmade ravioli are locally renowned while the carne tagliata (veal with tagliatelle) with Sardinian cheese is divine.
Matsuei (Map; 422-4323; Manuel Bañon 260; maki S30-45; 12:30-3:30pm & 7:30-11pm Mon-Sat) None other than the venerated Japanese super-chef Nobu Matsuhisa once co-owned this diminutive sushi bar, now situated on a San Isidro side street. Don’t let the modest appearance fool you: Matsuei serves up some of the most spectacular sashimi and maki (sushi rolls) in Lima. A must-have: the ‘acevichado,’ a roll stuffed with shrimp and avocado, and then doused in a house-made mayo infused with ceviche broth. It will make your brain tingle in all the right places.
Fusión (Map; 422-7600; Choquehuanca 714; mains from S35-50; 1pm-close & 7pm-close) A minimalist dining room in a concrete bunker is home to this cutting-edge – you guessed it – fusion spot by Chef Rafael Piqueras. Expect a run-down of well-rendered international items (think: duck confit), with Peruvian flourishes (tuna tiradito drizzled with rocoto chilies and soy sauce). An extensive wine list features more than 200 fine vintages from all over the world.
Malabar (Map; 440-5200; www.malabar.com.pe; Cam Real 101; mains S38-55; 12:30-4pm & 7:30-11pm Mon-Sat) Rising culinary star Pedro Miguel Schiaffino is the chef at this hot destination restaurant at the heart of San Isidro. Influenced, in particular, by Amazonian produce and cooking techniques, Schiaffino’s seasonal menu features deftly prepared delicacies such as crisp, seared cuy and Amazonian river snails bathed in a sauce made with spicy chorizo. Do not forego the cocktails (the chef’s father, a noted pisco expert, consulted on the menu) or desserts – perhaps the lightest and most refreshing in Lima.
Miraflores
By far the most varied neighborhood for eating, Miraflores carries the breadth and depth of Peruvian cooking at every price range imaginable, from tiny comedores with cheap lunchtime menús to some of the city’s most revered gastronomic outposts. The neighborhood also has the best pavement cafes in Lima, ideal for sipping pisco sours and people-watching.
BUDGET
Casual places with cheap menús abound on the tiny streets east of Av José Larco just off the Parque Kennedy.
Bodega Miraflores (Map; Diez Canseco 109; coffee S3; 9:30am-1pm & 3:30-7:30pm Mon-Sat) A frumpy spot with a grumpy counterman that serves strong, inky cortados (espresso with a dollop of steamed milk) made with