Peruvian cuisine reflects ingredients and practices from an Indigenous population, including those of the Inca people, as well as immigrants who came to Peru via Japan, Italy, Spain, and China. The cuisine is most interesting and the different melding of cultures as to modify their cuisine because they had to use ingredients they could find in Peru. Hence, you will often find potatoes, corn, quinoa and legumes. Peru is home to dishes and flavours you won’t find anywhere else. There is such a jumble of flavours and indigenous ingredients and techniques from Europe, Africa, and East Asia, and they have been blended together into something totally unique and delicious. Today there is s “new” style of Peruvian cuisine emerging because of chefs like Gaston Acurio, chef Mitsuharu of Maido and chef Virgilio Martinez Véliz of Centrale, who have restaurants in the world’s top 50. It has become one of my favourite cuisines too.

So, of course, I am always excited to see a new Peruvian restaurants opening, and Toronto has far too few of them. Recently a new one popped up at 744 St. Clair Avenue West. This is another restaurant from the group who owns the Rushton.

The Chef Elias Salazar is trying to also redefine some classic dishes and make them his own. But I think he fails miserably. The food and drinks were MEDIOCRE. The quality and freshness of almost every dish fell short. Maybe patrons who haven’t had this food before can be fooled. But the fish did not taste fresh, the beef was inferior. The medley of flavours did not pack the proper punch. Even the pisco sours had too much acid. The manager told me he is having trouble finding premium piscos. It is too bad, because this cuisine is so vibrant and delicious and has recently exploded onto the international culinary stage.

Not recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea

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