A Peruvian-Italian fusion restaurant situated in Miraflores that focuses on hidden flavors and top-notch Peruvian and Italian ingredients.

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If there is one thing I love it is Italian food; perhaps it has to deal with the fact that I lived there many years ago and I still long for good Italian food. Ever since I settled in Peru, I have found it hard to find really authentic Italian restaurants so when we were invited to do the review for La Forchetta, I was more than happy.
La Forchetta Trattoria is a two-floor restaurant more on the elegant side; in my view far from what I consider a classic trattoria where the décor is certainly more casual, prices are low and the food is fairly simple.

At La Forchetta what we found was more a fusion of Italian-Peruvian food of excellent quality and refined presentation in a fairly modern and sober setup.

As we walked around the establishment, we noticed in one corner what looked like a pretty good display of cuisine. There was soup, several appealing classic Italian antipastos, salads, pastas, a couple of main dishes, a basket of homemade breads and several attractive options for dessert.
A couple of bottles of wine were also placed in one corner in case you want to add a glass of wine (s./10) to your meal (buffet s./49) or perhaps you prefer to choose from their wide selection of fine wines.

We were thirsty and Diego, the chef and one of the owners, told us about the variety of cocktails –both with and without alcohol– that they have. We started trying some of the alcohol-free cocktails (s./14). One by one they came in, all served in jars, displaying beautiful intense colors, and each one more refreshing and delicious than the previous one. We had the Lima Mia with lime, thyme and soda, the Viola made of Burgundy grapes, tumbo, mango, basil and soda, the Rosso with strawberries, orange, mint and cardammon, the Appassionata with passion fruit, orange, plum, rosemary and soda, the Peccatto made of peach, strawberries, Jamaica and soda, and finally, the Zen Zero with ginger, pineapple, apple-pear, lime and soda that came with a tiny bottle of sweet syrup for you to pour in your drink.
We also tried a couple of cocktails with alcohol such as the Corleone (s./30) served in a big glass filled with whiskey, peach, almond syrup, lime and bitter orange, strong and sharp, and the Apple Mind (s./26) that was made with apple Smirnoff, lime, rosemary and tonic water. They were both nice but nothing like the alcohol-free ones we just had and that we all loved.

An After Office of 2×1 certainly is something to consider.

It was time for food so we started with a Bruschetta del Huerto (s./24). These were four pieces of bruschetta covered with a green creamy avocado spread mixed with pesto, wonderfully roasted garlic, some cherry tomatoes, and plenty of Parmigiano cheese. I found the taste quite delicate and likable.

We also had La Burrata (s./ 46) which consisted of a good-sized fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream that came with some Mediterranean salad. The texture of the cheese was perfect as we inserted our fork into this beautifully fresh, white and soft cheese. The salad that came along was not only full of color, but it was fresh and tasty as it could be.
We then tried the Champignones alla Caponata (s./ 38), good-sized mushrooms covered with an exquisite creamy sauce that had a pinch of spice that brought out all its flavors making this dish to die for. It was not only the team’s favorite of the day, but it turns out that it is one of the most sold dishes.
Los Ravioles en Salsa de Chupe (s./ 48) came next. This time Peru and Italy were brought together in this wonderful experiment that was a joy to our senses. The color of the sauce was intense and beautiful, and its taste remarkable, the ravioli were cooked al dente as I like them and filled with Charela fish, some huacatay sauce, loche squash and a mix of cheeses; a small fried egg laid on top as it is characteristic in every chupe, and altogether the dish was a success.
We also tried the Ricotto con Lomo Saltado (s./ 54), another Italian-Peruvian fusion dish. The rice with its red pepper sauce was well grained while the juicy lomo saltado was agreeable with its crunchy big onion slices.

There is no Italian food restaurant without pizza.

We had the Pizza Luigina, a thin crust pizza made with a mix of cheese, peppers, mushrooms, basil, and onions. The pizza had a slightly sweet and pleasant flavor. From Monday to Thursday in the evenings, this establishment offers an all you can eat Pizza Bar for s./ 39.

It was time for dessert and we tried the Profiterol (s./ 24), a big dish containing several of these fine pastry balls filled with fudge, covered with wonderful Nutella sauce and served with a scoop of homemade lucuma ice cream. I was never a fan of profiteroles but this one made me change my mind as together with the ice cream they were out-of-this-world good!
We also had the Gelato Moka (s./ 22), a scoop of dense coffee and cocoa ice-cream mixed with meringues and bathed in an Andean tumbo coulis. I have never been a fan of coffee ice-cream but this time I couldn’t stop eating it.
The last dessert was the Crespella de la Tia de Suzzettes (s./22), three good-sized crepes flambéed with brandy and served with homemade mandarin ice-cream. They were good but perhaps overly sweet.
Our experience at La Forchetta was definitely a good one and I would certainly recommend you to pay a visit. And mind you, the restaurant allows customers to bring their own bottle at no cost.
La Forchetta – Trattoria Griglia
28 de Julio 1420 Miraflores
Telf. 445-2551
Reservas@laforchetta.com.pe
Opening hours – Monday to Thursday 12.30 -15.30, 19.30-22.30, Friday –Saturday 12.30-15.30, 19.30-23.30 and Sundays 12.30 -17.00
Parking – yes
Lunch buffet – s.49 – Monday to Saturday
Pizza Bar – s./39 – Monday to Thursday 7.30 to 10.30 pm
After Office – Monday to Friday 7 to 9 pm
Beverages – S/5 –12
Cocktails – S/ 24-32
Beer – S/10-20
Antipasti – S/ 22-48
Salads- S/ 26-30
Soups – S/ 24-32
Pizzas- S/ 42-54
Pastas and Risottos – S/ 34-58
Fish – S/ 54
Meat –S/78-104
Dessert – S/ 18-24

Cover Photo Image: Ravioles in Salsa de Chupe de Camarones (Photo Maria Alejandra Baraybar/Living in Peru)