While Billie Holiday plays in the background, you are greeted at the door, and as you wait for the table, Juan in the bar prepares a cocktail. Walls are covered with art, every time you visit Rafael Osterling’s restaurant, everything has changed yet stayed the same.
The restaurant is named after Rafael Osterling, the executive chef and owner, sportsman, diplomat, and bon vivant. Classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu (France), Rafael mixes up Peruvian, Italian, and Japanese flavors and ingredients; everything is up for grabs and always has a twist; he is an insatiable perfectionist.
The restaurant is built on a 1918 Miraflores house that was an abandoned laundry when he bought it. The opening was in November 2000, and ever since, many cooks have passed by and grown as prominent chefs.
Running the kitchen is Rodrigo Alzamora, the head chef and partner of the restaurant; his job is to keep the finesse in the menu and have everything running smoothly. A charming chef with a precise knowledge of flavors and excellent technique.
The offer has been simplified over the years now and is divided into three categories: Tapas, Starters, and Mains.
As for tapas, the natural stone crab claws with yozukoshu butter (a Japanese blend of pepper and yuzu lemon), an art piece with a burst of flavor. The Fiore di zucca tempura has the right bite to it, crunchy outside and soft inside with a paste of ‘Nduja (a spicy pork paste from Italy). Followed by Clams Szechuan style, thin slices of scallops on a jalapeño “leche de tigre”. The menu changes over the season, so there’s always a seasonal element.
The organic tomato salad with peak-of-the-season tomatoes, grilled berries, and a tonnato sauce is fresh, sweet, savory, salted, and overall fantastic. The roast scallops in honey, butter, and lemon are perfectly cooked.
As the main course, the Callos a la Madrileña, a stewed tripe dish with chickpeas, is warm and flavorful, great for a cold day, it is crowned with slices of blood sausage, the broth is thick and packed with flavor. Pasta is always homemade, from the gnocchi and ravioli to the spaghetti; The piedmond torchio with duck has a great bite to it, and a pinot grigio sauce with pecorino and pangrattato.
The desserts are something also well thought out by Annia Ortiz, using seasonal ingredients, the Banana Cheesecake with mascarpone and a refreshing strawberry sorbet on top, or the seasonal roast custard apple that has honeycomb and a tahini ice cream.
Cocktails are top-notch, too, with Juan Romero on the bar; experts and enthusiast visit often just for cocktails, from classics like an off-menu Martini or the House Negroni or the Paloma XXIII (the 23rd iteration of the house paloma) to specials like Tabaco and Rum, a rum base cocktail oaky and smokey, Her Majesty with whiskey, cherry and citrus notes, or the Mexican Sour, tequila and mezcal based cocktail with a dash of grand Marnier and thyme. Wine selection is also top of the line, with some of the best wines in the city available.
IN THE KNOW: Rafael Restaurant is located in the 300 San Martín St. Miraflores, Lima. Open Hours Tuesday to Saturday Lunch time 1:00 to 3:30 pm, dinner 7:00 to 11:00 pm Mondays only for dinner.
