Restaurant Review: La Vaquita

Word spreads fast through social media about Lima’s top lesser-known restaurants, but this city still holds many gastronomy secrets. In the middle of Miraflores, in the popular Terrazas Club there is a restaurant that works with high standards while serving a mix of healthy options, traditional steakhouse, and Spanish cuisine. The restaurant is called La Vaquita and it has done a great job in offering various plates that are among the best in Lima.

Since La Vaquita is located inside of a club, most people aren’t aware of this economic option, but to get inside, all you have to do is show your identification. You can go for a healthy breakfast, for a quiet dinner, or a Sunday family lunch. Since the restaurant is surrounded by windows overlooking sports fields, you have a great view from the parlor.

Breakfast

In the morning, you can ask for juices, smoothies, and detox drinks, as well as for teas and sandwiches such as bocata (S/ 35), an Iberian Ham with bread and tomato, scrambled eggs with mushrooms (S/ 20), or a Macedonia bowl (S/ 20), a mix of fruits with yogurt, honey and cereal. All breakfast options include coffee or juice, but if you asked for a quick breakfast for only S/ 5 you can choose between four sandwiches: avocado, cheese and ham, waldorf, or egg. This bargain choice also includes unlimited coffee.

Lunch, dinner and wine

If you love Spanish food, this is the place to try some classics like Galician octopus (S/ 35) or Brave Potatoes (S/ 20). We also enjoyed the grilled mushrooms (S/ 20) with chistorra, a Basque chorizo, which was quite perfect, and was flavored with little pieces of bacon and onion. Since their meats are a house specialty, they offer six promotional options, all of which include a high-quality meat (usually a loin, but you can ask for fish or chicken breast with grilled vegetables). These dishes also come with fries and a salad. Additionally, for S/ 30 you can enjoy a bottle of wine.

As main dishes, La Vaquita has several options with meat, like the tasty and juicy inside skirt steak with Spanish pepper, potato, and roasted onion (S/ 65 for 250 grams or S/ 105 for 500 grams). They also have braised veal with mashed potatoes (S/ 45 for 400 grams), grilled salmon with a potato cake and roasted vegetables (S/ 45 for 250 grams), an Angus burger with fries (S/ 35), as well as a penne pasta with Huancaina cream (S/ 35). The classic Peruvians like aji de gallina, beef heart skewers, and pickled fish are also in the menu.

One of the best dishes here is the seafood paella with mussels, fish, pork. This plate is juicy on top and crispy below. The flavor explodes in your mouth, and changes if you eat hot or warm, with lemon or chili. The wine cellar offers 150 imported (and domestics as well) varieties from countries such as the USA, Argentina, Spain, and Chile.

The Dessert

Finally, there are of course dessert options such as the children’s favorite that we tried, a pancake with ice cream bathed in candy.

La Vaquita
Malecón 28 de Julio 390 (Club Terrazas), Miraflores
lavaquita@lavaquita.pe
Tel. 444-4495

Monday to Saturday, 8.00 – 23.00
Sunday, 8.00 – 17.00

Juices and other drinks: S/ 8 – S/ 12
Coffees and teas: S/ 7 – S/ 12
Breakfast: S/ 12 – S/ 35
Quick breakfast: S/ 5 (unlimited coffee)
Barbecue promotions: S/ 45 – S/ 140
Main dishes: S/ 35 – S/ 105
Peruvian dishes: S/ 20 – S/ 49
Desserts: S/ 20
Beer: S/ 5
Chilcano, pisco sour: S/ 20

Bonus: free corkage, kids menu.