La Mar by Gaston Acurio Menu

La Mar by Gaston Acurio Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: With its expansive tropically-planted patio on Biscayne Bay, this indoor/outdoor space has been a highlight of the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, since the resort opened. La Mar brings culinary excitement as well as views, thanks to the vision and recipes of La Mar's French-schooled Peruvian celebrity chef Gastón Acurio and the skills of on-site executive chef Diego Oka.

Food & Drinks: As the eatery's name suggests, seafood is spotlighted. Acurio has indeed described La Mar as a cebicheria, and flash-marinated raw fish ceviches and tiraditos shine; a sampler featuring typical flavor profiles is a good introduction. But the food really runs the gamut of Peru's varied traditional and contemporary specialties, from "Nikkei" (Japanese immigrant) fusion dishes to unique modern inventions. Dessert might feature Peruvian chocolate mousse and lúcuma mousse topped with caramelized sesame and hazelnut. The compact, Latin-dominated wine list is thoughtfully selected, but we'd recommend sticking to the extensive array of carefully crafted pisco sours, many accented with exotic tropical fresh fruits.