Restaurant Review: Asnapa Restaurante

Finally, Lima has a restaurant where Peruvian Cuisine doesn’t mean creole food, and where traditions within regions like Cusco have a place to develop interesting and varied menus that make you want to come again. That’s what we found in Asnapa Restaurant.

The restaurant, which just opened in August of 2018, was born from the inspiration of Daniel Alatrista, who is the chef and owner. He puts a lot of creativity and passion into his work, which he said comes from living as a child in Cusco.

The architecture, decoration, and style are inspired by antique Peru, which along with the open kitchen and the gorgeous bar, create a comfortable environment. “We try to rescue some ingredients that are not so common in Peruvian cuisine”, explained Alatrista. Interestingly, Asnapa is actually a Quechua word referring to the traditional herb bundles that you can still find at local markets.

The Food

Though most of the starters are creole dishes, the menu also includes regional plates such as potato with huancaina sauce, and ocopa (typical of Arequipa). They also have beef heart brochettes, the classics anticuchos, and a ceviche. Despite the presence of these classics, the plate that could change your idea of regional cuisine is the atamalado style corn and beef sauce pie (S/ 29), covered with gratin cheese. Crunchy and creamy, the mixture of textures are completed with balanced flavors of meat and corn.

If you feel attracted to several of these dishes, you could ask for Piqueo Asnapa (S/ 90), which offers you small portions of six different plates. The plates include soft-cooked rocoto, causa limeña, and a crispy pork belly. The pork belly, which is as good as the best in Lima, comes with golden potatoes, salted corn kernels, and house chimichurri sauce. There is also a version of this dish that can be ordered as a main course. One of our favorite dishes was the juic duck stewed with rice, cilantro, malt beer and chicha de jora, a Peruvian fermented drink (S/ 65). The lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef tenderloin with onions, tomato, and vinegar, served with crunchy fries and rice (S/ 55) is another great classic that is made with soft and juicy beef.

Desserts

The dessert menu offers several classic and popular options, such as picarones (Peruvian donuts), made out of pumpkin and sweet potato, and showered in sugarcane and fig-fruit honey (S/ 20). We also recommend the lava chocolate cake with homemade ice cream (S/ 22), which is perfect for chocolate lovers.

The drinks

If you can only go for drinks, Asnapa has spectacular options, including drinks without alcohol, like Fragancia (S/ 13), made with tangerine, orange, sparkling water, and lemongrass. You also can’t go wrong with the Airampo’s lemonade, which is made with airampo seeds.

Between the cocktails, there are two essentials: Munaycha (S/ 30), with strong flavors and delicate pisco, which is even better than pisco sour. It has pisco macerated in coca leaves, Tahiti lemon juice, simple syrup, muña (Andean mint) and apple liquor. My other recommendation is Huaracazo (S/ 30), consisting of pisco, Jägermeister, ginger mix, simple syrup and salt dyed in activated carbon. It comes with a piece of carved ice. Keep in mind though, this drink is only for the fearless.

Asnapa Restaurante
Alcanfores 281, Miraflores
reservas@restauranteasnapa.com

Tel. 5339558
Monday to Saturday, 12.15 – 23.00
Sunday, 12.15 – 16.00

Appetizers: S/ 23 – S/ 58

Salads and soups: S/ 25 – S/ 28

Main courses: S/ 38 – S/ 65

Desserts: S/ 15 – S/ 22

Cocktails: S/ 25 – S/ 30

Imported Beers: S/ 10 – S/ 12

Bonus: Everyday Asnapa has a plate of the day with a drink non-alcoholic for S/ 40.