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Gastronomy

La Vista of the Marriott Hotel - Restaurant review

by Chef David Jesson

Our New Style of Reviews

Our new approach to reviews concentrates first on the Chef or the Restaurateur and secondly, on the establishment. It is nice to be able to appreciate a work of art, but it is even greater to understand who the artist is, how he got there, what inspires him, etc. Being a chef myself, I can look at other chefs with a peer’s perspective, understanding the 18 to 20 hour days it took to get to where they are today. We hope that you will also enjoy our new format for unveiling the wonderful foods of Peru, the fabulous eating establishments, and best of all, the great chefs and gourmets that keep them running.

The Restaurant

At the restaurant of a five star establishment one should expect the quality of such standards, and at the restaurant of the Marriott Hotel in Miraflores, these expectations will undoubtedly be fulfilled. Being a hotel of such magnitude, you would almost expect a pretentious environment, but not here; I would feel perfectly comfortable in my golf shirt or my suit. The ambiance is very inviting with its large open spaces and a wonderful view overlooking LarcoMar Shopping Center and the Pacific no matter where you are seated. Every single table I tested was leveled and it is not at all overcrowded like some places that jam you in like sardines. Believe it or not, the restaurant boasts having a large number of clients who are not staying at the hotel. It is suitable for any business occasion and a definite must for any foreigner visitor who wishes to have a true taste of Peru.

The security is at its highest with valet and underground parking, even including an inspection of your car to ensure the safety of all in today’s anti-terrorist security policies. Although not very noticeable, the hotel is full of plainclothes security and a modern camera security monitoring system. It is well lighted and without a doubt you would feel equally comfortable having a lunch with your wife or a group of congressmen.

I completely failed in my quest to find something worn out or dirty; not a single item was to be seen. Even the bathrooms were impeccable; a common flaw in many places is the bathroom ventilator fan, which seems to be neglected, not at the Marriott, not even a waft of smell was noticeable and they had actual paper towels. The kitchen and food safety where of the same high standards, superseding not only municipal standards, but most international standards in their corporate policy for safety and cleanliness.

As for the food, the lunchtime seafood buffet is probably the finest buffet I have ever been to. Not just once, but on the various occasions I have visited, it has always been outstanding. Being able to have your Peruvian-style ceviche made in a flash with your personal choice of herbs and chilies is great as well. Next to the ceviche station is a sushi, sashimi, and makis station, with two very skilled people there to prepare whatever you may want. The fish and seafood are extremely fresh and the oysters on the half shell are piled onto a mountain of ice. The cold buffet excels in Peruvian plates to tickle your taste buds. One of my personal favorites was the shrimp with squash sauce; it was heavenly. A variety of salads, mini causas, a wonderful lentil salad, the options seemed endless.

The hot stations also proved their worth. I had asked for a small dish of risotto with seafood and what came was a dish that made my palette dance with joy. Each bite was creamy and well flavored. The seafood was cooked to perfection, not overdone, but just enough to not be raw. The scallops with this cheesy risotto would make any “foodie” leap for joy. The anticucho station included skewers of fish, chicken, lamb, the traditional beef heart, beef tenderloin and shrimp. This alone is worth the trip to the buffet. The hot main dish area included some great Peruvian dishes including Pepián de Pavo, Tortilla Española, Pulpo costa Brava, Envoltini de Mero en salsa, Siu Mai in a spicy hosin sauce, and the list goes on.

As you may already know, the word decadent means sinful, and that is the only way I can describe what was to be had at the dessert section of the buffet. You can have your own crepe made with your choice of ice cream; I had one with lucuma smothered in milk chocolate. As you go down the line, you know there must be at least a million calories all lined up, small plates of Tres Leches (a wonderfully rich creamy cake), Suspiro de Lima, a famous custard-type dessert, Mazamorra, a dessert of a pudding consistency made from purple corn and fruits. Then there were fresh cakes and tortes, Milhojas packed full of manjar blanco, a light cake with passion fruit, and a chocolate cake beyond description, in which the pastry chef drizzles Pisco over the cake before covering it with a delicious chocolate ganache. As if this were not enough, they have a huge chocolate fountain surrounded by an assortment of tropical fruits, which you can hold under the cascade as long as your calorie intake can bear.

The Chef

It is the Chef that makes the restaurant, not the restaurant that makes the Chef. You can scream “Location location”, but without a master there can be no masterpieces. In today’s fast-evolving technological society, some may have the wrong impression about the actual value of a Master Chef. How many Rembrandts were there, or Beethovens? It is a rare breed that makes it to a place where they can be called a master. Chef Felix Picasso of the Marriott Hotel in Miraflores, Peru is one of these rare people.

“One does not just become a Chef,“ says Picasso, it takes years of apprenticeship and practice before your skills and leadership are honed to a point of becoming an Artist of Culinary works. Diligence, attention to detail, humility, and years of 18 to 20 hour days are all part of the cost.

Although having had three restaurants of his own called Papagallos in Santa Barbara, California, this was not enough to fulfill this artist’s imagination for his masterpieces. He came on board the Marriott Chain, where he has been Executive Chef at some of the most exquisite paradises in the Caribbean, Saint Thomas, Key Largo, and before coming home to Peru, Jamaica. Yet when asked which was his favorite, he chooses Lima without a second thought.

The experience this man has is what allows him to create the works of art he produces on a daily basis. Taking on the title of Executive Chef for this 5-Star hotel is not something to be taken lightly. Picasso’s organizational skills and his eye for detail become evident in his domain. Watching Chef Felix’s kitchen in action was like watching the preparation for D-day; all 84 of his staff members busily scurrying to a well-choreographed routine of assembling his famous seafood lunch buffet. He commented that having the buffet allows him to keep his creativity flowing by being able to experiment with new dishes and fusions on a regular basis.

It was no real surprise to discover that during stressful times, Chef Felix rolls up his sleeves and heads for the kitchen to create new dishes. He loves the basics and simplicity of foods. When eating alone, he loves a simple red sauce or just a miso soup with vegetables, and his favorite snack food is curried chicken wings, though his favorite accompaniment for company is the A lo macho sauce over a good fish. When he has time visit other restaurants he prefers fish and seafood establishments. His idea of a romantic meal is fresh Peruvian oysters, lobster in a delicate sauce over fresh fine pasta, and a good bottle of brut Champagne.

Looking at the amount of culinary schools that have recently emerged in Lima, he sees that not all the instructors are really qualified, and many students are going into the industry thinking they can go right up the ladder, yet they do not have any experience. Head knowledge without experience does not work well in a professional kitchen. He believes that more restaurants and hotels should have apprentice programs so students can gain the experience necessary to acquire mastery.

When I asked Chef Felix who his mentor was, he replied, interestingly enough, Wolfgang Puck. But in looking at the scope of his repertoire, he very much fills his mentor’s shoes, setting a trail of culinary examples and raising future culinary leaders around the world. In his perspective of introducing Peruvian products into other mainstream cuisines, he sees fusion as a great means of accomplishing this. One example is his Pepián de Pavo, where the cuy of the classic pepián has been replaced with turkey, making it easier to introduce to North Americans.

Chef Felix does not miss a thing. Not only did he not shy away from my probing questions on food safety standards, he gladly opened up his kitchen to proudly show the HACCP plans and Serv Safe Instructors certificates they have. Meeting the local standard was not enough for him; he personally has a special company come in weekly and test his kitchen through laboratory tests to prove its cleanliness. When I asked him if I could test the temperature of the buffet, he encouraged me to enter my findings into the hourly temperature logs they regularly keep. As hard as I looked, I could not find a flaw in this operation. It is so rare for a place to run with such order and precision. Only with a Master Chef at the Helm and his well-trained staff could a place attain such perfection.

By taking Peru’s rustic plates and bringing them into this century’s culinary style, Chef Felix has created some of his specialties, such as the de-boned Cuy (Guinea Pig) in an oriental sauce, cooked in a wok with shrimp and vegetables. I had the opportunity to try another of his specialties, the three Pisco Sour Ceviches, which were absolutely delightful. He likes his traditional dishes, some of which do not need to be changed at all, for example Sopa Seca and Rocoto Relleno. Chef Felix stressed that there are many dishes that we can adapt to be introduced to tourists in a gourmet style. Tourists are looking for something new.

Overall, I simply loved talking to Chef Felix. He is a true “foodie” who loves food. Our conversation truly spanned the culinary globe. This man is one of the true Great Chefs of the world.

Pisco Sour Ceviche Kindly offered to our readers by Chef Felix Picasso

50 grams of clams

50 grams small octopus, cooked and chopped small

50 grams shrimp (41-50 count), cooked and finely chopped

30 grams of minced red onions

5 grams cilantro leaves, minced

5 grams minced aji limo

10 ml lime juice

salt

white pepper

1 oz. pisco sour and pisco sour foam

- Take the octopus, shrimp and clams and mix them each (separately) with the aji limo, onions, cilantro, salt, pepper and lime juice and put the mixtures in three shot glasses until they are approximately ¾ full.

- Blend the pisco sour mix until foamy and use it to top off each shot glass.

- Decorate each glass with 2 cilantro leaves.

The Facts

Address: Malecón de La Reserva 615, Miraflores (across from Larco Mar Shopping Center)

Online reservations/information: restybares@marriotthotels.com

Website: www.marriott.com.pe

Phone number: 217-7000 ext. 6265 or 6217

Hours: 6:30 am - 10:30 pm

Breakfast Buffet: Monday through Friday: 6:30 am - 9 am

Saturdays and Sundays: 6:30 am - 11 am

Lunch Seafood Buffet: Monday through Saturday: 12 - 4 pm

Grand Sunday Buffet: 12 - 4 pm

Tea Time Monday through Saturday: 5 - 8 pm

Parking available? Yes, underground parking.

Valet parking? Yes.

Menu in English? Yes.

Credit cards accepted? Yes, all major cards.

Child friendly? Yes, fully equipped for families and kids.

Good for large groups? Absolutely.

Full bar? Yes.

Handicap accessible? Yes.

Reservations recommended? Yes, especially for lunch and Sunday buffets.

Sur charge? Yes, for groups over 8.

Add a comment :
11 comments

rebeca kawano yha says :
13-07-07,08:50:49

I like all relationated of food, I`d like to learn in the apprentice program in a good hotel or restaurant to raining a future culinary learder in order to transmit my knowledge to the others students to been a professional kitchen
 In Peru there is a good microweader, for this reason all of fruits and vegetables are variety and fresh 
I like fish too and my family prepare delicious plates.
Thanks for the rewiew, bye 

Steph says :
14-07-07,04:28:30

I agree. Great review. I have stayed at the Marriott, but never had lunch or dinner there. I will try it in October, when I travel to Peru again. Saludos de Estocolmo, Suecia!

Miguel says :
14-07-07,05:22:19

Hi David, Miguel here (formely with Hotel Las Americas)
Nice article,
I am back from Atlanta.
Lets get together.
Regards,
Miguel

Silvia says :
14-07-07,09:24:39

Great review.  This is a restaurant that I would definitely try next time I'm in Lima.  Often a nice restaurant in Lima lacks the good service.  The food might be great, the ambiance too, but the service is slow and this is a turn off.  It seems that this restaurant has it all!

One thing I'd like to see in the reviews, however, is a scale of prices.  Something that would give us an idea how much a meal cost. Maybe using $$$$ for the most pricey and $$ for something that is not so expensive.
Just a suggestion!

Fernando Castillo says :
16-07-07,06:17:10

Congratulations David, great review, it is very important to know how to show good meals and explain them the way you do.

I have been at the Marriott and know Chef Picasso as well, I agree about his experience cooking and good presentation of his wonderful dishes.

Regards

Fernando.

Chef David says :
16-07-07,01:11:15

We will make sure to indicate in some fashion the price structures in the future. Thank you for your comments.


Chef David

roxana dancuart says :
16-07-07,09:03:48

  I agree with Fernando .... the $$$$ suggestion.
  Next time in Lima I will definitely be visiting the Marriot with my husband
 Great article,

 Roxana

sophie says :
13-07-07,04:50:06

Congratulations, this is a great review!

Paul says :
21-07-07,05:46:15

Stayed at the Marriott week of 8 July - my first time in Peru. Food was outstanding. I am from Providence, RI the home of Johnson and Wales College. If I had known that Felix attened this fine institution in my hometown, I would have asked a waiter to tell him I was dining at his establishment.  Look forward to my next visit!

Kinohi Nishikawa says :
7-08-07,10:27:06

A fine review, showcasing a passion for Peru's unique and rich culinary heritage. It would seem that Chef Picasso is aptly named!

Ingri says :
8-08-07,07:24:49

Congratulations to Felix from Ingrid & Alberto.  Keep doing what you always like it. I will be going to try your buffett.

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