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LIMA | Isolina Taberna Peruana is a restaurant that’s all about elevating tradional Peruvian cuisine, and creating the best versions of home-style favourites and forgotten dishes. It’s currently ranked No. 41 on the list of Latin America’s best restaurants, and after a meal here it’s easy to see why.
Housed inside a historic former home, the restaurant exudes a cozy, homely feel as soon as you walk in. Lots of timber, patterned tiles, traditional Peruvian music and warm lighting all add to the ambiance. Chef José del Castillo’s aim at Isolina Taberna Peruana is to give diners the “ultimate comfort food experience, recreating the feeling of a mother’s love at the table with delicious and nostalgic food in generous sharing portions”. The restaurant is named after Castillo’s mother, Isolina Vargas, a cook and restaurateur herself.
Many of the dishes here make use of offal – expect to see tripe, flood, liver, kidneys, chicken gizzards and more. Don’t let this turn you off – in the hands of the chefs here these often discarded ingredients are outstanding. The cau-cau (tripe and potato stew), which is served side-by-side with sangrecita (boiled chicken blood fried with aji amarillo, onion, garlic and hierbabuena) is delicious. Another highlight is the lomo saltado, one of Peru’s most popular traditional dishes and an example of chifa cuisine – Peruvian Chinese fusion that’s developed over generations. It’s a stir fry of marinated strips of sirloin steak with onions, tomatoes, french fries and rice. The version at Isolina Taberna Peruana is the best we’ve tried anywhere.
Another outstanding dish is the sea bass ceviche with fried octopus. Fresh and prepared to perfection. For drinks its a selection of piscos and cocktails, along with mostly Chilean and Argentinean wines, and local beers.
Do be aware that the servings here are generous. We ordered three dishes between the two of us, and these weren’t even the biggest dishes on the menu, and weren’t able to finish our meal. It was a shame, as everything was truly outstanding.
Isolina Taberna Peruana
Avenue San Martin Prologación 101
Barranco
Lima 15063
Peru
Telephone: +51 1 2475075
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Sun – Mon: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Tue – Sat: 10:00am to 11:00pm