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Food & Pisco

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Cala, even though they serve mainly seafood, it is not your typical seafood restaurant; they have re-defined this type of restaurant. Before I get into the food, we’ll talk about the ambience. From the outside it looks huge, impressive and somewhat intimidating, but once you arrive at the large, rustic doors, you are welcome by kind and friendly smiles. At this point you have a choice: left up the stairs to the restaurant or right to the bar and lounge.

We went right first; it opens up to a huge room with a large bar made with aluminum and glass. I have to say this is a great flowing bar. There is enough space in between tables to pass through and it won’t feel over crowded. There are several textures to be experienced; the grayish green leathery couches with fluffy cream cushions, the comfortable white acrylic chairs on the balcony or the terrace with its large wooden chairs and white cushions surrounded by plants and with the sound of the waves: a great place to watch the sunset and have some drinks. I will warn you that you can’t have dinner or lunch here it is strictly drinks and appetizers. However, you can start down here and then move up or vice versa.

When you take the stairs up to the restaurant you’ll find yourself in a very cozy environment. Even though it seats around 120 people and has a mirror it looks cozy as if it were a small restaurant. I love the modern flowery pattern at the back, it livens up the place. There is a private room which seats around 60 people more. It is usually closed with a beige curtain, which you don’t notice is there until the restaurant starts to fill up. If there are no private parties they open it and it becomes part of the restaurant.

Now let’s get to the best part, the meal. We sat on the terrace with the acrylic chairs, protected from the wind by long blinds and listening to the ocean. In winter and summer it is always good to take a jacket just in case you get chilly, but I think it’s the best place to eat.

As usual we let Ivan surprise us with his best dishes. We started off with a pisco sour; needless to say it was good. Then came the Conchitas a la Parrilla served with Chinese maple and a bit of lemon juice, topped with crunchy sweet potato threads. The scallops were large and soft. The delicate flavor of the scallops was well met by the delicate sauce. Then came the Tiradito Olaya. Thin slices of fresh sole bathed in a cilantro mayonnaise garnished with crunchy pieces of squid. Even though it had cilantro the mayonnaise was well balanced and light. It did not overpower the delicate flavor of the fish.

The Carpaccio de Lomo a la Brasa was next, served with mustard seeds and parmesan foam. The beef is sealed, not cooked, and then sliced. The mustard seeds went very well with both the meat and the parmesan foam. One can definitely tell Ivan makes more than an effort with every dish that comes out of his kitchen, and each one follows his minimalistic view, not only in decoration but in flavors as well.

Now for more greatness, the grilled baby octopus, tomato and caper tartar with olive sauce and grilled potatoes. One of our guests who is not an octopus lover even she said it was delicious. It was very tender almost didn’t need a knife. The olive sauce, made with green olives, was smooth and airy. Everything tasted great. Then came the Sudado de Róbalo. It was served over saffron risotto, bathed in a prawn coral reduction and garnished with concasse tomato. The sea bass’s fishy flavor didn’t take center stage; it blended well with the reduction and even by the risotto.

A dish with asian flavors was next; the Chita Crocante estilo Thai. It was accompanied by a reduction of coconut milk and basil, served over a bed of prawns with Portobello mushrooms and a couple of cherry tomatoes added color. The dish came with a small serving of fried rice with coconut and broccoli, a delicious rice in itself, and when added to the sauce, a good combination. I should warn that this is a sweet dish. Stay away if this is not your favorite flavor.

At this point we thought we were at the end but Ivan surprised us with more. The Gnocchi Reventado, made with fungi and served with a reduction of shrimp coral. The gnocchi’s texture was quite unique with a strong fungi flavor. I think this is the kind of dish you either hate or love. It is quite strong especially after everything we have tried, but sitting at home remembering it, I would want to have it again.

The last dish of the afternoon was the Cochinillo confitado served with sweet potato raviolis. They served it with a small jar of extra sauce, an excellent idea since I love sauces. The cochinillo was very tender and only the skin needed a knife. The sauce was strong and combines well with the sweetness of the raviolis.

They brought out two desserts: a Key Lime Pie with meringue foam and French vanilla ice cream and Lucuma Tiramissu with a vanilla sauce. These desserts are for sharing, the portions are large and impressive. The key lime pie was soft the crust crunchy made with nuts and the filling was soft and fluffy. The tiramisu bathes in a chocolate mousse which had a good amount of lucuma and a little bit of baileys, coffee and lucuma which went well together. Needless to say the mousse was smooth. A friend of mine asked me where to go to just have dessert and a glass of wine. Well this is definitely the place.

I have to add that the service is excellent. You don’t feel over waited on nor left alone, they ask every time they remove a plate and are respectfully friendly. You notice they take pride in their job and in working here. A perfect combination of great service and good food. You will definitely have a good time.


The Chef

Ivan Kisik was born in Peru and as a child enjoyed helping in the kitchen for Sunday breakfast. When it was time to choose a career, as many other Chefs have done in the past and will do in the future, he chose something else. When abroad in Australia he realized that cooking was what he liked and enrolled and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa-Canada and London-England where he perfected the art of pastries.

He then stayed in Europe practicing his new found skills and love, as well as travelling through the near by regions and learning new techniques new flavors, which led him to Asia where these intense exotic flavors and combinations enchanted him and are always somehow present in his recipes. After a couple of years he decided to come back to Lima and experience some of the Peruvian gastronomy, which had grown considerably since he left. He travelled some more and worked in high end restaurants in Europe before coming back for good. Once here he was part of several gastronomy festivals.

Living the fast pace life he had led so far, Ivan decided to take a break and reorganize his working plan, as well as enjoy time with his sons. He had in his mind that he would open a restaurant and started planning everything for it. This is when Cala came knocking at the door, and would not stop until he was part of the team.

He has so far changed some of the menu and slowly will change the rest. Not to worry though, he’ll leave the favorites. He has helped with managing the staff and has daily meeting with his personnel before the service begins.

The food he prepares is always well thought out. He uses all he has learned and plenty of imagination in creating new things. As I said before, Asian flavors captivated him and he uses them throughout the menu. His design is minimalistic, so everything o the plate is there for a reason, not just purely decorative. The decorations on the plates are simple and elegant. He, like his staff, takes pride in what he does and where he works. He likes visiting the market and talking to his suppliers, to not only makes sure he gets the best products but to see if they have anything new to offer.

We wish him luck with his restaurant opening next year, although I am certain that it will be a hit. Hopefully he’ll keep us posted so we can let you know when and where to go.