I had my very first experience at Pisco y Nazca in Doral during a media dinner last night; and I will definitely be coming back for more. The Peruvian restaurant has a casual, trendy and fun atmosphere with earthy copper tones, rich teal and orange accents, walnut wood flooring and handmade concrete tiles all inspired by the textures and colors of Peru’s landscape. Upon entering, you are welcomed by the open outdoor dining area which offers an open view of the kitchen – so can have a look at the cooking preparations.
Our tasting party was seated in one of their private dinning rooms that accomodates up to 25 people. It was the perfect place to have an intimate dinner, meet fellow attendees, and enjoy a delicious Peruvian feast.
I kicked off the event with the perfect summer cocktail. It’s called Nenas Chilcano and I am officially obsessed with this drink. The ingredients that make this yummy drink include pisco, lychee puree, fresh lime, Dt. Germain, raspberry-hibiscus syrup and Fever-Tree ginger beer. It’s pink. It’s refreshing. And you need to try it or any of the cocktails on the menu.
Pisco y Nazca’s head mixologist, Joel Mesa, has designed an innovative cocktail program taking cues from traditional Peruvian libations such as the Pisco Sour while incorporating twists on modern classics with cocktails like the Nazca Mule highlighting pisco instead of vodka.
The tasting menu led with their authentic ceviche cremoso made with mahi, creamy leche de Tigre, and sweet potato. I enjoyed the fresh mahi with a hint of cilantro. If you are a ceviche lover, this is the dish for you.
Up next we tried the braised rib skewers and the shrimp skewers (anticucho de costilla and camaron). The anticucho costilla are braised beef ribs skewers drizzled with a pineapple salsa. The shrimp version of the anticucho was smoky with a delayed spicy kick. Both were delicious so I can’t pick a winner between the ribs or the shrimp. If you can’t make up your mind, just order both.
The bombas rellenas are chicken fritters made with quinoa. These fritters are served with an olive aioli sauce that, as a sauce-loving person, I want to slather on everything. I wonder if they sell jars of olive aioli to-go. Note to self: find out.
My favorite dish of the night was the Chaufa Aeropuerto, which is their Peruvian fried rice. The chifa fried rice has pieces of shrimp, tenderloin beef, chicken, and calamari; and is topped with pickled vegetables. I think it was the combination of the pickled vegetables with the fried rice that was so mind blowing. If you visit Pisco y Nazca, make sure to get some Peruvian fried rice heaven.
The final savory dish of the night was the seafood extravaganza Pisco y Nazca calls Mariscada. This massive dish is a mountain of mahi, octopus, shrimp, squid, mussels, clams, squid ink, risotto, and crostini. All the different types of seafood are served on a bed of squid ink, creamy risotto. The entire affair is drizzled with a spicy salsa to make the perfect seafood lover’s dish.
We ended on a sweet note by trying three different desserts. Definitely order the chocolate dome if you like your food presented with a bit of flair. What appears to be a chocolate dome is melted by pouring warm white chocolate sauce over the chocolate dome to reveal vanilla ice cream, candied chocolate, caramel popcorn, and sweet potato puree.
My favorite dessert was the arroz con leche (rice pudding) cheese cake with caramel sauce. I was surprised I preferred this dessert over the chocolate dome – being the chocolate fiend that I am. But, the mellow flavors and consistency of the cheesecake won me over. What can I say?
About Chef Miguel Antonio Gomez Fernández
Miguel Antonio Gomez Fernández is the Executive Chef of Pisco y Nazca. Fernandez most recently served as Chef de Cuisine at celebrity chef Gastón Acurio’s La Mar in San Francisco. Fernandez’s exceptional skills range from running the day-to-day operations of the kitchen to creating innovative menus using authentic flavors. His passion for Peruvian cuisine stems from his native roots.
Raised in Iquitos, Peru, a port city bordering the northern Amazon, Fernandez has a strong connection to the culture and flavors of his native country. He has a passion for and inherent responsibility to the environment and constantly looks for sustainable resources to use in his dishes. Fernandez’s authenticity and enthusiasm has been evident throughout his entire career and will be showcased through Pisco y Nazca’s impressive menu.
Make sure to visit Pisco y Nazca and tell them the South Florida Bloggers sent you. Pisco y Nazca is located in The Shops at Downtown Doral at 8551 NW 53rd Street, #A101 and open daily for lunch and dinner with brunch available on Sundays. For more information, please visit piscoynazca.com or call 786.805.4344.
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