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Gastronomy

 

by Ben Jonjak

There are few hotels in Lima with the international reputation of the Country Club Lima Hotel, and so it is fitting that their restaurant, Perroquet (named for the birds that can be seen flying around the district), is also among the most elegant gourmet restaurants of Peru.

When I arrived at the Country Club Lima Hotel last Friday, I was amazed at the relaxed atmosphere of the place. The Hotel sits in the center of San Isidro, a quiet district in comparison to the hustle and bustle of Miraflores. Furthermore, the Country Club overlooks a golf course which always evokes a measure of tranquility.

Upon entering the premises, I found that Perroquet has an open, ample setting with plush chairs which allow you to dine in absolute comfort. The first thing I was told upon my arrival was that Perroquet has an independent entrance from the hotel.

"We don't want people to think that the restaurant is only for Country Club guests," informed Ingrid Mago, the food and beverage manager, "in fact, we encourage casual visitors to drop by."

The revelation pleased and surprised me. For the most part, gourmet dining is something that has to be planned in advance (reservations at the end of the week), but Perroquet is open from 6AM to Midnight, and as long as you don't arrive at the peak dining hours (1:30 for lunch and approximately 9 for dinner), you're assured of getting a table.

I was taken to the dining area and immediately served Perroquet's Pisco Sour which is consistently rated among the top served in all of Peru. For those of you who are coming to this fine country for no other reason than to sample the Pisco Sours of various restaurants (a completely valid motivation for a trip I might add), then Perroquet is a must-visit location for your journey.

After the Pisco Sour came a sampling from the ceviche bar. I found the shrimp to be especially good (although I'm a sucker for shrimp).

Ingrid then informed me that Perroquet has a specialty menu every month (provided as an insert in the main menu). The specialty menu consists of around 7 to 10 items, and for March the specialty was causa. With that, she produced two delicious plates: the first was a selection of various causas topped with tuna tartar, baby octopus and salmon; and another (a plate that was so popular in the specialty month that it will be added to the main menu) called: Trio of Causa Old Lima Style (causas stuffed with avocado, stone crab, shrimp and sea bass).

Following the causa came Tuna Tartar and Scallops which was an excellent, soft dish that melted in your mouth.

As we ate, Ingrid informed me with a great deal of pride that chef Jacinto Sanchez of Perroquet is self-taught and didn't learn Spanish until he was 14 (his native language being Quechua). The rest of his story appears on the first page of the Perroquet menu and it's a fascinating read.

The next plate was Grilled Chita Fillet with a Crayfish Sauce served over a creamy bed of sliced potatoes and sauteed with white onion and white wine, followed by a fairly traditional "Arroz a la Chiclayana" (Chiclayo style rice) with shrimp. Like most modern gourmet restaurants in Peru, Perroquet focuses on a fusion of traditional Peruvian flavors and cooking styles from around the globe. As always, the results are spectacular.

The next plate was one of Perroquet's signature dishes, the Stewed Short Ribs.

"This is one of those plates that's never going to come off the menu," Ingrid said, "in addition to our monthly specials, we like to update our menu twice a year. However there are people who come here only for the Stewed Short Ribs, so that's something that will always be available."

According to the menu the Ribs are "stewed for long hours in red wine," and the meat I was served was decidedly sweet and tender on a bed of mashed potatoes and crispy garlic chips that produced a memorable explosion of flavor. When I return to Perroquet, there is no doubt this is the plate I will order.

Last of all came a trio of desserts that were as elegant as they were delightful. First was" Phyllo dough napoleon with the traditional Suspiro limeno, sweet jam milk flavored with port wine," followed by the marvelous Perroquet sweet Sampler (which allowed us to try their spectacular homemade ice cream), and last but not least was the "Cointreau ice cream souffle in orange sauce and strawberry sorbet." Carsten and I dug into this last one and we made a pretty fair effort to be polite and share with the other people at the table, but the dessert was so good that the best we could do was say, "if you want this, you better dig in now because soon it's going to be gone." Going so far as to actually pass the plate over so others could have a chance to try it was beyond the willpower of mere mortals (or at least that of Carsten and I). It was fantastic.

As if we hadn't been treated well enough, we were then brought two glasses of Pisco Punch to drink. The addition of pineapple makes the Pisco Punch a bit more light and lively than a Pisco Sour, and it's a recommendable way to finish off a meal (or perhaps something to sip while you watch a sunset on the beach).

"Throughout the year, Perroquet offers events including monthly wine nights that cost approximately 150 Soles per person and which include five courses and five wines which have been hand-picked to compliment the meals," Ingrid informed. I asked her to make sure she'd send the information about these events so that Living in Peru readers can look for them on our events calendar.

In general, a person can go to Perroquet and enjoy a marvelous three course meal and wine and expect to pay (depending on the vintage) around 120 Soles. The truth is that, as with most gourmet restaurants in Peru, you're essentially getting a bargain that completely justifies the price of not only the meal itself, but the plane ticket which brought you to Peru. If you're lucky enough to actually be living here, Perroquet is a dining experience you must put on your list!

David C. Zuckerman says :
25-03-09,04:27:15

Great place,our group had dinner at the Chinese Buffet which was very very good.

On our next trip to Lima we  will certainly try the Perroquet Restaurant.

Thank you again for a wonderful buffet.

David C. Zuckeman
Hotel Restaurant Supply Inc.
VP Strategic Sourcing

Stephan says :
28-03-09,10:06:11

I stayed there one night a couple of years ago when my condo was being built, but unfortunately I missed the Perroquet. The breakfast was really good I remember.

I've been to the hotel a few times just to show friends how beau the building is. When I'm in Lima next time, I will try the Perroquet for sure. Thanks for an excellent article!

Saludos from Stockholm, Sweden 

KATHIA OBERT says :
21-05-09,10:00:51

Next time I visit Lima, I will certainly go visit the Perroquet, my mouth watered looking at the menus.

Thanks for sharing,

K.Obert

Miami, Florida

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