It had been a little over six years since Traveling and Living in Peru last visited Cabos. But by no means was this the last time that I’ve been there. I am lucky enough to live a very short drive away from La Punta and when I can, I make a point of treating myself to lunch at Cabos.
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A great location and environment
Cabos is conveniently located very close to the port in Callao, as well as next door to the ABTAO Submarine museum, across the street from the Real Felipe Fortress, the navy museum, and a couple minutes away from the artsy gallery area and community of Monumental Callao.
At Cabos, you have the option to dine inside, outside on their patio, or sitting directly on the dock in front of the small marina, which we did the day of this visit. We had a view of the private boats in the small marina, as well as a view of the submarine, Abtao, afloat within the bustling Port of Callao. The beautiful blue skies, sunshine and sounds of the ocean put smiles on our faces and inspired our appetites.
Recently, Cabos updated their menu and added some new dishes and replaced others. They also kept several of their classic and popular dishes. All of the dishes we shared were served on gorgeous serving plates. We enjoyed the eye-appealing presentations, as well as the high quality of ingredients and flavors.
The Food
We began with the Tacu Tacu con Saltado de Mariscos (S/. 65), a dish from their Los Clásicos section of the menu. The tacu tacu was prepared with a mixture of pallares (lima beans) and rice which were fried golden. The entrée was also accompanied by a generous amount of sautéed red onion slices, calamari, octopus, shrimp, and scallops. All of this was topped off with an extra touch of fried ultra-thin sweet potato “threads”.
Next up we sampled a tiradito dish and two ceviches. One of my favorites was the Tiradito de Conchas del Fronton al Aji Amarillo (S/. 50). The ultra-fresh slices of tiradito were bathed in a delicious and creamy aji amarillo sauce (almost a purée) and accented with choclo (fresh corn) and canchita (roasted corn). I typically order one or two of the scallop dishes when I dine at Cabos because they have access to excellent quality scallops that come from the nearby Fronton Island near LaPunta. The scallops are so fresh you can literally taste a hint of salty ocean water.
The Ceviche de Corvina y Pulpo Crocante (S/. 65) was a top-notch ceviche preparation. It is served with fresh sea bass which is combined with grilled octopus. This ceviche was served with the classic accompaniments of slivers of red onion, choclo, sweet potato, and aji limo.
We were excited to sample the Ceviche de Salmón al Maracuyá con Palta y Quinua Pop (S/. 55). Tender pieces of salmon and avocado cubes were accented with black quinoa pop, and bathed in a generous amount of a very light passionfruit sauce. The dish is also served with choclo, sweet potato, a few slices of aji limo, and a small amount of thin-sliced red onions. The sauce was perfect, and the passionfruit did not overwhelm the dish, but only enhanced it. We loved the flavors and textures of this dish but would have liked to see a bit more of the salmon and avocado.
Besides the variety of 12 ceviche dishes that you can choose from, the restaurant also offers “classic style” ceviches with your choice of fish: catch of the day, cabrilla, chita, corvina or lenguado. Ceviches at Cabos range between 44 soles for a classic ceviche prepared with the fresh catch of the day, and up to 70 soles for a ceviche that includes a combination of flounder (lenguado) with scallops. The majority of the ceviche dishes average in the mid-50’s soles range.
Atun a la Parrilla con Solterito de Quinua Negra (S/. 55) was a table favorite. We enjoyed the five generous medium-rare grilled slices of tuna nestled on top of a bed of the typical “solterito salad”: habas (fava or broad beans), diced fresh cheese (queso fresco), diced red onion, corn (choclo), diced rocoto pepper, olives; All of this was mixed with black quinua and accented with aji amarillo and huacatay. I would definitely return for this particular dish. The flavors were great, and it’s an ideal dish for those health-conscious diners.
We sampled a brand new main dish which is not on the menu yet, Chaufa de Quinua Negra con Salmon a la Parrilla (S/. 60). This dish consisted of a large skin-on salmon fillet resting on top of a bed of black quinoa. The quinoa was mixed with an assortment of sautéed Chinese vegetables (including pea pods and bean sprouts), pieces of scrambled egg, aji amarillo and a touch of soy and oyster sauces. Crispy sweet potato threads accented this dish. This dish had great flavor and the salmon was of high quality.
The dessert menu at Cabos is decent. One of their most popular desserts is the Cheesecake de Toblerone (S/. 26). Toblerone is the Swiss milk chocolate that includes almonds, nougat and honey. This chocolate is a component of this creamy cheesecake.
Our second dessert was Cabos’ version of Tiramisu (S/. 24). We enjoyed the presentation of the tiramisu, which was served in a medium-sized mason jar. This tiramisu was delicious, creamy, and had all the components such as mascarpone cheese, liqueurs (both Marsala and Amaretto), espresso, ladyfingers, cocoa powder …..but we did feel it should have been colder, and the texture could have been firmer.
Summarizing our visit
Cabos’ menu is primarily seafood-oriented, with the exception of a few items such as the salad with chicken breast and grilled prime beef (American, Argentinian, and Peruvian) selections. They also offer an excellent osso bucco which is slow roasted for 6 hours. One of my favorite dishes is their aji amarillo gnocchis with lomo saltado.
During the weekdays you will find the majority of diners are from nearby offices and occasionally a couple of tourists. The weekend is full of families and visitors to the area.
Callao is typically known for its more rustic seafood restaurants and dives, but Cabos offers a more refined and elegant restaurant experience, albeit expensive.
Prices have definitely gone up since Traveling and Living in Peru’s visit six years ago, but then again, prices have risen at most restaurants. It is worth the visit to Cabos to spoil yourself and enjoy excellent food in a wonderful atmosphere.
Many thanks to the very talented Chef Diego Sorni Lietzenmayer and his hardworking staff.
Cabos Restaurante del Puerto
Av. Jorge Chavez 120, Callao
Phone: 465-7332 / 981 356 240 / 384-0864
Hours: open 7 days per week, 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Capacity: approx. 100 people
Reservations accepted
Secure parking lot on the premises
Private room available for corporate or prívate events
Cabos is available to rent for special corporate & private events
www.cabosrestaurante.com
www.reservas@cabosrestaurant.com
Ceviches: S/. 44-70
Tiraditos: S/. 50-68
Causas/Grilled dishes/Others: S/. 44-65
Salads: S/. 38-42
Main dishes: S/. 55-75
Classic main dishes: S/. 45-70
Whole fish: S/. 110-150 per kilo (served 4 different styles)
Grilled beef: S/. 80-115
Desserts: S/. 16-26
Beer: S/. 9.5-14
Cocktails: S/. 22-38
Wines by the glass: S/. 22
Full bar and wine list available
Non-alcoholic Beverages: S/. 8-10
Juices: S/. 12-16
Bottled waters: S/. 8-16
Soda: S/. 8-12
Coffee/coffee beverages: S/. 8-14
Teas/Infusions: S/. 8