Equity Mag Jan_18 Book Folder

GASTRONOMY
WEEKEND DINING
An experience, brunches and a nocturnal hotspot you can’t miss this month
Intimate brunch
1 THE PERUVIAN EXPEDITION
LIMA DUBAI
Binge-watching Chef’s Table, admiring chef Virgilio Martínez
Véliz’s passion for food and produce, and discovering Peru’s
cultivation of over 3,000 varieties of potatoes, made Lima
Dubai a winner on our list already. My dining partner had
dined here previously and highly commended the ceviche
and corn cakes that he could never really get out of his mind,
and was eager to relish once again. Luckily, it was included
within the five-course menu.
Peruvian food isn’t just about flavours, but textures too,
with a heavy emphasis on local produce. Our brunch began
with cushion-like bao buns filled with tender duck slices,
shredded beef and pickles with a mild spiced rocoto sauce.
The seabass ceviche was soon presented with crisp red
onions, cancha corn for a crunchy bite and traditional tiger’s
milk for sweetness. The ceviche salmon showcased chunky
cubes with yellow tiger milk, beetroot and asparagus tempura,
to balance out the flavours. A striking blue plate sat before
our eyes, and on it, a traditional chicken causa featuring tangy
yellow potato, shredded chicken breast and Peruvian olive
that was pureed and drizzled over the contents of the plate in
a bright purple hue. Up next was one of my favourite dishes,
a snack I need to recreate at home and savour while watching
TV, the tequenos (lomo saltado with huancaina and andes
leaf chilli). These crisp finger-sized rolls are crunchy and crispy
on the outside, with the delectable sauce-packed filling of
meat and veggies dripping out upon every bite. Prawns
anticucho was the next beautifully-plated dish presented,
highlighting the renowned traditional Inka Panka chilli. Each
piece of prawn was incredibly luscious and flavoursome. To
tie this course together, a Chinese style rice with oyster
mushrooms, spring onion and asparagus and broccoli was
served - much-needed carbs with a bit of greens.
For mains, my dining partner picked the generously portioned,
fleshy and spiced chicken breast pachamanca with sautéed
potatoes, corn brûlée (the dense, moist corn cake he praised on
several occasions), while I opted for the slow cooked lamb seco
with pumpkin done two ways (puréed for the base and a crisp
garnish) topped with a citrus coriander marinade and kiwicha
(also known as amaranth), a superfood seed. A side of colourful
Andean potatoes that were sweet, boiled, crisp and fried were
presented to us on the side as well. We ended up sharing both
mains and unfortunately couldn’t get through all of it, as the
portions were quite enormous. Remember dessert is an integral
part of brunch, and if you do have space to squeeze in a few
bites – we tried our best – it’s worth tucking into the purple corn
jelly-textured mousse with cream, ice lollies and crème brûlée.
Need to know:
Fridays from 12-4pm.
From Dhs325-550 per person. Contact 800 5462
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EQUITY