Saturday in Santiago: La Mar
Gastón Acurio is kind of a big deal when it comes to Peruvian food, a chef turned chain restaurateur. In Santiago alone we’ve got the ultra-high-end Astrid & Gastón, casual Tanta and, most recently, the chifa - that’s Peruvian Chinese fusion – Madame Tusan. My favorite, however, is the fancy and fashionable cebichería La Mar.
It’s not cheap, but the food is creative and good, and the restaurant itself is light, airy and colorful. Just like the multi-colored potato chips and dipping sauces.
We shared shrimp cocktail causas to start. The base of any causa is potato mixed with ají amarillo, a yellow chili. This one then had a healthy serving of shrimp, a little lettuce, a spicy mayonnaise sauce and a tiny little hard-boiled egg. I’m not usually a mayo fan, but the spicy sauce really made this dish.
We also shared a ceviche mixto. When in Rome a cebichería, right? Mixto just means mixed, which accounts for the combo of fish and other seafood. My mouth is watering just looking at this picture and remembering the lemon and onion flavors. Plus I’m a sucker for the giant corn.
My dad ordered his own ceviche as his main course since all of the regular ceviches are made with garlic (Dad’s allergic). Our waiter was quick to offer a basic lemon-only preparation just for my dad, which made him a happy customer.
Jane chose the tiradito nikei, tuna and salmon in a tamarind and sesame oil sauce. I’d gotten my fill of raw fish with our ceviche starter, but if I hadn’t, I would have been supremely jealous. This was seriously tasty.
Rodolfo and I picked rice-based dishes – him the arroz chaufa, fried rice with seafood, and me an ají amarillo risotto with shrimp. My risotto was creamy with just a touch of spice.
Rodolfo said his rice was also yummy, and as he’s somewhat of an arroz chaufa connoisseur, I’m inclined to trust his judgment.
Despite being inappropriately full, I somehow found room for a little tres leches cake for dessert. This I have to admit was good but not great. What was great but somehow escaped the camera were the pisco sours, however. There’s no Spanish translation needed for that particular Peruvian specialty – don’t miss them.
La Mar’s prices do include a bit of a mark-up for Gastón Acurio’s reputation, the restaurant’s chi-chi location, and the general scene. But considering how good the food is, the extra you pay isn’t enough to drive me away if I’m feeling like a splurge.
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Saturday in Santiago
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I’ve been to La Mar twice in SF and it’s one of my favorite spots! Love the raw fish, mmmmmmm
Interesting to see that it’s all the same stuff!
It makes me happy to think that we can go to the same restaurant even all these miles apart…I guess the same could be said of a Starbucks or a McDonald’s, but somehow that’s not quite the same!
Your dad is allergic to garlic?!
Yup! I’m not a huge garlic person as a result, since we didn’t cook with it at home when I was a kid, but I realize that for most people this sounds like a fate only marginally better than death.
Oh! La Mar, I have been there 3 times and the food is always excelent!!!!, but my favorite peruvian restaurant is Astrid & Gastón!
We still haven’t been to Astrid & Gastón. I want to try it, but I’ve just heard that it’s SO expensive, so I haven’t quite gotten up the courage to face the bill yet. Someday!
Nice photographs, yummy!
I vividly remember my tasty ceviche when I was in Peru a few years ago.
Recently I travelled to Puglia in Italy. They offer pretty ‘decent’ food, too
Check out my photographs on travelmemo.com!
I’ve been to Italy but only for a few days in Rome – I’d love to do a trip focusing on food in different regions.
Great shots of the food!
Thanks!
Hey, did you get a new camera? These food pics are outstanding!!! Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!
I didn’t, but thank you! I think it must be the lighting – most of the time I’m taking pictures at dinner time inside, but this was lunch in a restaurant where all the walls are giant windows.
Mmmm this looks yummy! Peruvian normally isn’t my thing, but this looks so good you’re making me want to re-think that.
Ok, if raw fish is looking appealing to you, then these really are the best pictures I’ve ever taken in my life!
Damn that food looks good..
It was absolutely delicious.
It’s because there was a ceviche entrada at the wedding last night…I tried one piece of the fish and did not like at all. But the big corn and onion and lemon flavor were so good after Seba ate all my fish
And it’s bc your pics are amazing.
Your photos are gorgeous! This is totally my kind of food – everything looks so fresh and delicious
Definitely both fresh and delicious. One of the highlights of living in a country with such a long coastline!
Those causas look amazing! I love Peruvian food.
It’s SO good. I’d never had it before living in Chile, and now it’s one of my favorite cuisines.
Sometimes pricey is worth it and it sounds like this is true here.
I totally agree. I think there are some great cheap eats out there, but sometimes the splurge is worth it.
I was thinking the same thing about these pictures — they look great! (and delicious!)
xo,
Kim
Thanks! Who knew raw fish would photograph so well?
Looks amazing! I’ve been to the one in San Francisco and loved the ceviche there!
The ceviche’s usually my favorite at a Peruvian restaurant, but this time I think the causas won my vote for best dish.
Been to the one in Lima many times. The shellfish is wonderful.
You are a lucky man to have been many times. The food really is delicious.
haven’t been there but those photos looks really tempting!
Definitely one to put on your list.
I love peruvian food!!! I just went to Astrid & Gaston in Quito for the first time. It was delicious!
You lucky girl! We still haven’t been to Astrid & Gaston here…I’m scared since everyone talks about how it’s delicious but crazy expensive. Maybe I’ll make a special savings account for it
hahaha i was afraid too. I always heard how expensive it is BUT it was not too bad. We paid $110 for 4 people and each one of us had a drink or 2 and sodas. The lomo saltado was around $18 (dollars). The ceviche was tiny. Im glad we had it as an appetizer and not as our main dish. It is more expensive than other places in south america but it is not impossible to eat there.
Astrid & Gaston-Normally i would suggest going to the bar and have some drinks and starters and see if you like it but the bar area in the Santiago place is pretty lacking. Lima much better.
Catalina- I am going to Quito for the first time in a couple of weeks. Did you try any of the other Peruvian restaurants like La Gloria, Segundo Muelle, El Dorado?
Who knew you were such an Acurio connoisseur?! I think we’ll just have to take the plunge eventually and hope that everyone’s right that it’s worth the cost.