The Pacific waters of the Peruvian coast are filled with a wide variety of sea creatures which creates a wide variety of dining options.
Peru's coastal waters are so abundant with fish and other sea life that it is no wonder that it has dramatically affected its dining options. This is especially evident in the capital of Lima.
Prices are incredibly cheap as well. A plate of ceviche at a small local restaurant can be found for a few soles...less than a dollar. At a gourmet restaurant a $10 bill will bring you a fish that would be five times as much for the exact same meal in the States or Europe.
Some of the best seafood restaurants include:
Sonia - Jr. Agustín Lozano 173, Chorrillos, 467-3788. Sonia derived from a former shack set at the Los Pescadores fish market in Chorrillos. It is famous for having some of the best no frills seafood dishes around. The a lo macho and Chorrillana styles of cooking were invented here.
La Rosa Náutica - Espigón 4 Circuito de Playas, Lima, 445-0149, www.larosanautica.com. This is a favorite of visiting tourists and should be. It is outstanding. Service is almost as impeccable as the view. It is the only restaurant on the coast here which is set right out into the waters of the Pacific. Dishes are simple to exotic and are artfully prepared by a well trained chef.
La Mar - Av. La Mar 770, Miraflores, 421-3365. This restaurant is a creation of Gaston Acurio, one of Peru's leading chefs and is actually modeled after Sonia. It is far more trendy and international than Sonia and the long list of delicious pisco based cocktails is sure to bring the meal to life. And the patrons. Lunch only.
Typical Limeño seafood recipes include:
Ceviche consists of raw pieces of sea bass that are marinated in onions and lime juice. The lime actually cooks the fish so the dish isn't raw in the way sushi is. It is usually paired with corn, sweet potato, and fired yucca.
Tiradito is ceviches younger cousin and was brought to the country by Japanese immigrants decades ago. It is marinated in lime similarly to ceviche, but served in a sauce based in cheese, chilies, or other ingredients.
Other dishes include:
Conchas a la parmesana - Baked scallops in the shell with parmesan cheese and butter.
Pulpo al Olivo - Boiled octopus in a sauce of black olives and mayo.
