Restaurant mastodonte valparaiso full#

An entire plate-вЂ‹size octopus came - the meat was tender and succulent, the grill taste and sauce a В«deliceВ». We had a warm dish - a marinated and grilled octopus. The came in very elaborate arrangements enhancing the experience. Oh ma! We had several ceviche (comes in large portion) which were extremely fresh and savory.

Restaurant mastodonte valparaiso full#

The place was full of locals, dining in a non pretentious decors - usually a good sign, we went in. Do ot let thi stop you - Let me say ahead that the whole staff was very helpful, extremely friendly and accommodating. We were also worried as we did not speak Spanish (no English menu) and the staff was not English-вЂ‹aware. This will be on our list of required stops in Valparaiso for years to come.This place did not seem like much from the outside, located close to plaza and in street where you would not be expecting a gem.

We walked in on a week-вЂ‹day evening after being underwhelmed by a well-вЂ‹reviewed restaurant nearby, and liked it so well we went back for lunch the next day, and were treated to exactly the same experience and food as the night before, despite the different mix of customers with more locals and faster tables. The ornate presentation seems almost out of place, but in no way detracts from the outstanding care the kitchen obviously takes in selecting ingredients, controlling freshness, and executing recipes with excellence and consistency. This is very hearty gourmet food, or very gourmet hearty food. Flavors are fresh, permeating, and not overbearing, with a harmonious combination that manages to compliment the identity of each ingredient in a way that belies the heavy Asian influences in traditional Peruvian food. Perfectly cooked rice, firm but tender calamari, and fish marinated to perfection resting on artfully contrasting sauces. These plates are large and very ornate, with bright pink sauce drizzles and architectural yam and yuca stilts strategically planted over carefully molded rice and thoughtfully distributed ingredients, announcing that this is no ordinary plate of food. Someone in the kitchen is not fooling around.

Many dishes look a little like tropical birds.

The first surprise with the food is that the presentation is very showy. Two to four servers manage about eight tables downstairs and a banquet-вЂ‹room upstairs without missing a beat, moving very swiftly around the floor while being courteous & relaxed with customers, never making you feel rushed. Quick, polite staff give you a run-вЂ‹down of whatвЂ™s what, take your order when youвЂ™re ready, and turn it around very quickly. For the die-вЂ‹hard aficionado, finds like this donвЂ™t happen every day. With a bottle of wine to accompany our meal, we had an extremely good experience and I would highly recommend this place.ДЄn unassuming exterior, clean, unpretentious dГ©cor, and relatively high traffic, including a lot of Peruvians and other foreigners, is the first clue that this is a place out of the ordinary, where the marketing plan is basically that people who love food offer the food they love with great professionalism to all comers, and forget about the window-вЂ‹dressing. We ordered a second one and were stuffed. This place did not seem like much from the outside, located close to plaza and in street where you would not be expecting a gem.