Continuing on our gastronomic trip around Peru is Maido – No.8 in World’s 50 Best and No.2 in Latin America.
Maido simply means welcome in Japanese and this greeting is shouted by all the staff, each and every time a person enters the restaurant. Perhaps it’s this that gave the modern space, its relaxed but upbeat atmosphere. We certainly didn’t feel as though things were too formal, despite the outstanding service and hospitality we received. Ropes hang from the ceiling to create an artistic interpretation of the Japanese flag, a reminder of the food to come.
Whilst here we opted for the 14 course ‘Nikkei’ menu, a fusion of Peruvian & Japanese cuisine that changes depending on the seasons. However, they also offer an a la carte menu where you can opt for sushi, etc. A Peruvian himself, head chef Mitsuharu Tsumura wants locals to feel as welcome as gastronomic tourists like us.
“AT SEA LIFE IS TASTIER”
Our menu on the day was entirely made up of seafood – yep all 14 courses. Sole, trout, octopus, mackerel, squid, sea snail, cod, river prawns, sea urchins – they were all here.
We started with intricate snacks served on coral and paired with sake (sushi rice cracker with avocado and trout belly with ponzu gel), before moving through to ceviche, dim sum, noodles and even a fish & octopus hotdog made an appearance.
Food was inventive but tasty, experimental but not scary. The drinks pairing included really interesting local beers and understandably focused mainly on white wine. We finished with a chocolate ‘mussel’ with lucuma ice cream.
Before leaving we were given a copy of the menu as a memento, complete with the teams signatures. A lovely touch we’ll treasure forever.
Check out some of the courses here…
SNACKS – Onion terrine, sole tartare, smoked silverside fish, masago. – Sushi rice cracker, avocado, trout belly, ponzu gel. – Black rice cracker, olive tofu, octopus, pachikay ginger sauce.
PODA CEBICHE Sarandaja cream, mackerel, shallots, limo pepper, chulpi corn, nikkei leche de tiger.
DIM SUM Squid and sea snail cau cau, camotillo cream, crispy white quinoa.
CHORIPAN Steamed bread, fish and octopus sausage, pickled vegetables, Japanese mustard, native potatoes.
NIGIRIS Catch of the Day.
LAPAS CEBICHE Chullpi corn, lapas, avocado, aji amarillo leche de tigre.
GINDARA MISOYAKI Cod marinated in miso, crispy Bahuaja nuts, apple gel, Porcon mushrooms powder.
CATACAOS DE CAMARONES Green rice tamale, sauteed river prawns, creole sauce, chupe reduction.
CASSAVA SOBA Cassava soba, tenkatsu, vongole dashi.
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- SUDADO Catch of the day, sudado reduction, seaweed.
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- SUDADO Catch of the day, sudado reduction, seaweed.
SEA URCHIN RICE Chiclayo rice, Atico sea urchins, avocado cream, wan yi, baby corn.
REEF Tofu cheesecake ice cream, bread sand, sweet potato, apple with wakame, camu camu, taperiba and burgundy grape tapiocas, soy milk.
REEF Tofu cheesecake ice cream, bread sand, sweet potato, apple with wakame, camu camu, taperiba and burgundy grape tapiocas, soy milk.
MUSSEL Granadila with mandarin sorbet, mucilage foam, cacao nibs, lucuma ice cream, raspberries.
