Hipolito Unanue 203
Miraflores - 221-1322
Lunch Only - Call for a reservation
Just what Lima was missing... another high-quality, kick-ass, upscale cebicheria.
El Mercado is located just a block away from La Mar, and the food is as good (or maybe better) than Gaston's signature cebicheria.
It is the same style as La Mar and a bunch of other cebicherias that have been popping up: Clean, shiny, open air and innovative food. The food is not cheap, but the place is always packed and nobody seems to be leaving unhappy.
I visited twice, once alone and once with a friend. I missed an opportunity to get an extra photo, as my main dish was so good that I ordered it again the second time.
My first visit, I showed up at 3:30 in the afternoon, so getting seated was not a problem. The second time, I waltzed in at 1 o'clock, and the place was packed. I had to play the "I'm just a dumb American tourist and I didn't know and please give me a table please please please" card to get seated. So you should probably call for reservations. They also had English menus, so I guess that they were prepared for the dumb tourist.
Appetizers over the two visits were the Ronda of Conchas... six scallops prepared three different ways... with a cebiche sauce, bloody mary style, and chalaquita. I don't know what the third flavor was, but all six were outstanding. The other appetizer was Pulpo Mixto... thin sliced pieces of octopus, half in an oil dressing, and the other half in olive sauce. I really liked the oil version, but am not a big fan of olives in any form. My friend is native Peruvian, and he called the olive sauce the best he had ever eaten. Both appetizers were 33 soles.
For our main dishes, I had the Tacu Tacu a lo Macho (twice) and my friend had the Langostino Vietnam. My waitress recommended the Tacu Tacu (45 soles) the first visit, and it was chock full of seafood in an awesome sauce. There's a tacu tacu under the topping in this photo, trust me. My Langastinos Vietnam were shrimp with an Asian-ish twist; my friend finished every bite (also 45 soles).
Were the main dishes worth almost US$20? Yes, they were. On one hand, you can have a full lunch in Lima for 6-10 soles. On the other hand, $20 for something as hi-quality and delicious as these dishes is a bargain anywhere in the world. If I lived in Lima, I wouldn't eat meals this opulent every day, but when I did, El Mercado would certainly be in the (very long) rotation.
Very nice of you to keep finding new places to eat and sharing it with the membership.