175 Calle Cantuarias, Miraflores
Lima, Peru

In Peru, there are very few restaurants that are universally acclaimed. One of the few is Astrid & Gaston, named after the world-renowned celebrity chef couple that owns it and probably the most exclusive/famous restaurant in Peru. Now, whatever Gaston touches, at least in Peru, is gold. He owns not only the most reputed fine dining experience, but also several other restaurants at all price ranges throughout Peru, including Cebichería La Mar, where I had what was hands down not only the best ceviche of my trip, but probably the best dining experience in all my travels last year. And it was after that high I experienced from lunch at Cebichería La Mar, I was convinced that Gaston was a culinary mastermind, and I decided that I just had to try Gaston’s ultimate creation, Astrid & Gaston, the very same night. Unexpectedly, though, whereas Cebichería La Mar, a traditional Peruvian ceviche joint, was near perfect in every way, Astrid & Gaston was the exact opposite—a failure in almost all regards.

As you enter Astrid & Gaston, the ambience does impress, in contrast to so many other places in Peru. It has a controlled, simple modernity to it, with minimal decorations, but bright coats of paint, a nice bar, and in general just a nice seating arrangement.  The only reason it stands out, though, is because you don’t get to see so many nice-looking restaurants like it in Peru. Otherwise, it’s nothing extraordinary. And the service, at least initially, seems fine—prompt and very formal/professional, unlike in most Latin American restaurants.

So where does this legendary restaurant fail? First, and most importantly, the food. The food was decent but boring. In fact, only the cocktails stood out as something extraordinary—and oh were they extraordinary! Never before have I seen so many pisco cocktails, and all of such high quality, too. Unfortunately, where it counted, the restaurant failed. It’s food is meant to offer a modern take on Peruvian cuisine, but instead what I saw was a lot of innovation for the sake of innovation—i.e. going for presentation and uniqueness instead of for taste. For example, they might use duck instead of chicken in a traditional recipe or add a few cloyingly sweet components to an already sweet dessert. Not all of it is bad, but there is quite a bit of stumbling, especially in terms of flavor combinations, especially for such a supposedly fine restaurant.

And perhaps worst of all was a service issue I had with my waiter. The wine menu is supposedly phenomenal, especially for Peru, but I didn’t even get to see it because my waiter didn’t give me the wine menu when I asked for it. Instead, he said he would get a recommendation from the sommelier, and instead of running it by me or even letting me see the wine as he poured it, he brought out his recommendation—some garbage wine, no less—pre-poured in a glass for me, without even letting me try the wine to see if it was fresh or giving me any information on the wine. It was not only a horrible wine, but the waiter came off as downright patronizing, overstepping his bounds completely.  For a restaurant this formal and this expensive (even by American standards), it’s downright sinful to be so careless to the customer. Needless to say, I didn’t finish the wine, and I stuck to cocktails from then on.

Overall, then, for the uninspired food, the lack of professionalism, and the outrageous prices, I would have to recommend avoiding Astrid & Gaston, contrary to what you may read in all the travel guides.  Astrid & Gaston is way too overhyped. Nothing lived up to the reputation of the restaurant, and the wine thing was a complete joke. I really wanted to like this restaurant, especially after my experience with Cebichería la Mar, but it was probably the worst dining experience I had in Peru, sadly.

What I had:

1. Bread: great variety—breadsticks, raisin bread, corn bread, chili bread, potato bread, and nut bread. All with chimichurri, butter, and chili. Very hit or miss, though. Chimichurri was fantastic—cheese, oil, tomatoes, and basil mix for a really nice flavor. The potato bread was the only one that struck me as fantastic—rich, oily, starchy. Nut bread was nice and sweet. None of the sauces worked well, and most of the bread was a miss. Disappointing.
2. Appetizer: Anticucho (pieces of meat on a golden potato) of 4 varieties: cow, chicken, heart, and chicken liver. Served with 3 sauces: tomatoes in lime/lemon, chili, and bean. Sauces in general were a little weak, especially the chili. The tomato lime/lemon sauce was okay but simple and underwhelming. The beans were good but just didn’t go with the flavor of the anticuchos. The meat, on the other hand, was cooked well all around. The chicken was outstanding. The golden potatoes worked well, too, with the flavor of the meat, adding a nice starchiness, but they’re kind of bland/mushy in texture. Heart was a little too rough for me, but not bad. The liver just seemed a poor choice—too strong, greasy, and flavorless. Overall, disappointing. 1.0/5.0
3. Rice cooked in cherries with duck: Actually, a great dish. Reminded me of a nice risotto. Rich, creamy, flavorful rice. The duck was also very well-cooked, with the skin falling off. The meat was a little tough and gamy, but I’m not a big fan of duck, to be honest. Still, it was good. The problem was in the mix, which felt contrived. The rice was great on its own and just needed a protein component, but it seemed like duck was chosen merely for the sake of creating a “gourmet” version of a traditional dish (it’s normally with chicken). Still, intense, flavorful, and unique. Crackling on the duck is fantastic. 3.5/5.0
4. Chocolate soufflé of exotic fruits with a chocolate crocante: Good for a fruit desert, and a solid soufflé. It’s really quite well-made. And the presentation is great. The flaw, however, is that there’s not enough flavor, and the flavors there are clash. The dark chocolate doesn’t mix too well with the raspberries—typically they do, but here the raspberries just gave a sourness to the dish. Moreover, for a chocolate dish, this has far too little sweetness to it, even for dark chocolate, and the slightly sour raspberry fruitiness only makes it worse. 2.0
5. Arroz con leche especial (special-style arroz con leche), served with compote, some meringue, and fruit: Interesting taste. Definitely better than the soufflé. Great mix of flavors, actually—unlike the other dishes, things don’t seem tacked on. I can’t say it’s amazing, though. The arroz con leche is too sweet and rich for me. It has the texture and taste of a chunky custard, but far more intense. The fruit and cream don’t really help to balance it. If anything, the meringue makes it even sweeter. 2.5
6. Uruwaska Cocktail: Pisco, assion fruit juice, lime, and lychee liquor. This is just plain delicious. I could taste the pisco, giving it a strength that’s great. At the same time, it’s fruity and sweet enough that someone with a sweet tooth, like me, can really enjoy it. Lychee flavor comes out very well. Bitterness of pisco canbe offsetting, but overall a very nice combo, with great synergy and flavor. 4.0
7. Limeña Mazamorrera: Pisco Moscatel, purple corn, sauco cream (sauco is an indigenous fruit), morello cherries macerated in pisco. This cocktail is phenomenal! Thick and sweet, with chocolaty overtones from the dark chocolate-like bitterness. Perfect combo. No complaints, and hands down, the best part of the meal. 4.5+

Ambience: 3.5/5.0
Service: 1.0/5.0
Taste: 2.6/5.0. The cocktails were a special treat.
Value: 0.0/5.0. Costs an arm and a leg for mediocre food.
Overall Score: 1.5+/5.0. This restaurant costs way too much for what you’re getting. It may be one of the nicest-looking in Peru, but it sure isn’t the best-tasting.

I had just spent a whole day exploring Ourzazate, the most famous ruins surrounding Cusco in Macchu Picchu, and I had returned famished, as I often do from my traveling expeditions. Being the first night of my Cusquenian experience, however, I decided to give myself a special treat, and that was MAP Café, a restaurant that really stands out in Cusco for a couple reasons. First, it is quite possibly the only full-on fine dining experience, with European-style professional service and a rather formal ambience (though, as with almost all cities in South America, guests are allowed to go dressed as casually as they like—although I was slightly underdressed in my jeans, I had no issues whatsoever). Second, and this is the real kicker, it’s located in the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Museum of Pre-Columbus Art), which means that guests receive not only a meal in one of the best locations in town, but that they are actually allowed free entrance at night to the museum itself. It’s quite the deal for lovers of art, especially at a price of only about $45.

Now, if that seems a big too gimmicky to you—after all, how good can a museum’s restaurant be?—then you think just like I do. And I’ve really got to say, this is one of those mythical restaurants that not only lives up to the hype but even surpasses it.

As I walked in, I was a little hesitant at first, since it was pitch black, and I could barely see a thing in the museum. As I went into the courtyard, though, I saw a large, transparent glass house, with only about 10 tables, dimly lit by lovely candlelight. That’s the restaurant!—You actually get to eat in a beautiful glass house, right in the middle of the very courtyard, but completely isolated from the darkness and cold, making for a really weird and rather amusing contrast between the interior and the rather stark exterior of the restaurant.

And the overall restaurant’s vibe is just as great. Since you’re in a glass box, there’s a nice, calm seclusion and exclusivity to the experience, a feeling which is only amplified by how few tables there are and the gigantic size of the courtyard itself.  Topping off this beautiful, isolated, intimate area is live harp music, which, while not my cup of tea, really does suit the ambience well. All this makes for a fantastically intimate experience, and this would be the perfect place for a romantic evening, especially for a low price. This is hands down one of the loveliest places I’ve dined at.

The service only adds to the experience. It is very formal, with numerous waiters assigned to different tasks. The waiters are very well trained and unobtrusive, yet they retain the Peruvian amicability. In fact, I can attest to how friendly they are because I actually ran into my waiter at a bar two days later and had a nice conversation with him. No problems whatsoever in this regard.

Finally, I get to the food, the key factor. I can’t say the food blew my mind, but it was still fantastic. The presentation especially stood out—everything was beautifully organized, with a variety of colors, etc. And the taste was right on, giving a very unique take to traditional Peruvian flavors. The Aji de Gallina, for example, came with yellow potatoes instead of rice and had some nuts and cheese, and the dessert was just a unique array of indigenous varieties of Peruvian corn presented in different forms like ice cream. While I’m not a fan of “vanguard” cooking, this time I think they hit the nail on its head, really utilizing the flavors well to create a new taste sensation rather than just for presentational effect.

I just can’t stop singing praise for this restaurant. While it wasn’t the best food I’ve had, the quality is undeniable in almost every regard. In fact, I would go so far as to say that $45 for a meal here is a steal, given that the ambience, service, and presentation are just so incredible—and this is coming from someone who typically devalues those aspects of a restaurant. If you’re ever in Cusco and want a true dining experience, this is the place to find it, without a doubt.

What I had:

1. Bread: 2 types—one on the salty side and very crisp, other is perfectly fluffy. Serve with a great olive oil and balsamic blend—refreshing and sweet.
2. Appetizer: Capchi de Setas (i.e. Fava bean and Andean mushroom medley with a Capchi casserole)—Cooked like a chicken pot pie and then top removed. Bread off top is perfect—kind of creamy, not too oily, and soft as hell. Bit too spicy b/c of the use of the hellish chilis from Peru, but nice. Like a rich, creamy, and well-spiced soup with many veggies. Mushrooms blend perfectly. Filling. 4.3/5.0
3. Entrée: Aji de Gallina (Traditional Peruvian dish of shredded chicken in a creamy sauce with nuts, Parmesan, mirasol chili peppers, and yellow potato)—Beautiful dish, with all the colors. Potatoes are great—chunky and yet creamy. A little tough but mix well w/ egg and cheese into a fondue-like concoction, though the blend of ingredients is far from ideal. Chicken is well-cooked but plain—just grilled. Components are all decent. 3.0-3.5/5.0
4. Dessert: Lightly sautéed strawberries with purple corn (chicha) syrup, served alongside corn ice cream and a toasted corn praline—Wonderful, though small. Ice cream is fantastic—smooth and creamy. The syrup is sweet, but not cloying. The strawberries add a nice lightness and a relatively sourer flavor to balance the heavier, sweeter components.  Strawberries are still the weak link, in my opinion. 4.0/5.0. Extremely unique, and a great taste of Peruvian flavors.

Ambience: 5.0/5.0
Service: 4.7/5.0
Food: 4.0/5.0
Value: 4.5+/5.0. Food and a museum! Just can’t beat that. Plus, it’s the cheapest truly fine dining experience I’ve ever had in my life.
Verdict: 4.5/5.0. 4.7 if you’re looking for a romantic/intimate dinner in Peru. The best “professional” dining experience I had in Peru.