Peruvian cuisine has been garnering wide acclaim and popularity elsewhere in the world, but doesn’t seem to have taken Tokyo by storm yet. Miraflores just might change that, however. Although slightly hard to find, located on the second floor of a small building on the hill between Ebisu and Daikanyama stations, a meal at Miraflores is worth the trek. Miraflores is simply the best restaurant serving Latin American cuisine in Tokyo—a bold claim, but one I’m willing to stand by.
Peruvian cuisine reflects the influence of the many immigrants that have made their gastronomic mark on the country and combines Incan, Spanish and Asian flavors. Take, for example, lomo saltado, a classic Peruvian dish found on every menu throughout Peru. Lomo saltado is a stir-fried dish of beef tenderloin strips, onion, tomato and french fries, sauteed together with soy sauce and served with rice. It’s steak and potatoes, Peruvian style with a twist of Asian influence, and comes together as a celebration of flavors in your mouth.
Miraflores serves a solid version of lomo saltado, but their best dishes are their two arrozes, reminiscent of perfect paella. The arroz con pollo is cooked in a savory green sauce made with plenty of cilantro and other spices, while the arroz con mariscos is a red version laden with succulent giant prawns and mussels. Both are absolutely delicious on their own, but even better with a spoonful of kick from one of the restaurant’s spicy sauces—red, green or yellow, in varying degrees of spiciness.
A stuffed squid appetizer comes filled with a savory rice mixture, topped with an addictive cream sauce. Also not to be missed are Miraflores’ stuffed potatoes, gigantic mashed, stuffed, then fried potatoes filled with meat; and mussels on the half shell topped with a refreshing mixture of tomatoes, red onion, corn and green peas. Wash it all down with a pisco sour, Peru’s national drink.
Open daily (11am–10:30pm)
1-30-14 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku
Tel: 03-6416-9898
Photos by Deborah Im
Map
View Tokyo Weekender Map in a larger map
