We’d heard whispers of this new Peruvian place on the grapevine and have been meaning to make the visit for some time. Through a series of unplanned events, including a small fire at Event Cinemas Marion, we were in the area and had a free evening on our hands.
This place is off the beaten path and could be missed if you weren’t searching for it, but look for the warm welcoming lights and the traditional clay style render on the building. That should point you in the right direction.
Being a Wednesday night in the backstreets of Glenelg we assumed we’d have no issue showing up without a booking. Turns out we were wrong. The staff however, were extremely accommodating to those of us who seemingly had all had the same idea. We pulled up at the bar while they organised us a table, and chatted away to the bartender about the authentic Argentinian and Spanish cocktail and wine collections.
We love trying new and exciting things at Glam, and though we’ve indulged in more Mexican delights than we care to admit, Peruvian cuisine is quite literally a foreign concept to us. Thankfully our waiter Will was incredible at taking the time to explain in detail the littler-known Peruvian ingredients to us, and each of his other tables. For a man who told us he could speak no Spanish, his pronunciation and knowledge of the complex words and ingredients was fantastic. All we’ve got is ‘Buenas noches’ and ‘Salud!’ FYI: that means cheers, clearly an important one in our world.
This communication between the staff and clientele is made easier by the limited seating in the restaurant. Will informed us the choice to seat 45 guests at a time, was a conscious one. Not only does it mean that the staff can have real conversations with their guests and the restaurant is spaced out enough that the staff can easily manoeuvre between tables; but also, even if the people at the next table have decided that the decibel of their voice needs to exceed normal standard, you don’t have to hear every word of their conversation. We really enjoyed this added level of intimacy, and the notion that Mestizo isn’t about cramming as many people as possible into one spot in order to make money.
But obviously you’re all here for the most important part, the food. Soon you’ll understand why we needed assistance configuring the menu. As the maitre d’ had been so wonderfully informative, we threw caution to the wind and let him select our dishes; which if you’re up for anything, we highly recommend you do too!
This is definitely a sharing communal kind of venue, which if you ask us, is the best way to try as much of the menu as possible in one sitting. Will presented us with a starter of a sort of Peruvian quinoa and chicken arancini. We didn’t catch the traditional name for this one, but it was a hit. Arancini are always a favourite but too many can leave you feeling full and stodgy. As it turns out, using quinoa instead of starchy white rice is a great way to avoid this and add a little extra texture too.
Chargrilled Pulpo
For mains we had chargrilled pulpo (baby octopus) with anticuchera (mayonnaise, herbs and ají amarillo chilli) sauce, coriander causa (cold potato mash with a small smokey yellow chilli rolled into balls), chimichuri and botija olive mayo. *wipes brow* what a mouthful! And that it was. Together these flavours worked incredibly. When you hear the words ‘baby octopus’ you tend to think chewy, rubbery calamari but this was nothing like we’ve tasted before. Will told us that the careful preparation time and cooking methods with the seafood was what led to the tender and flavoursome dish before us. In all honesty, I would’ve preferred the causa to be served warm to compliment the other elements on the plate but regardless of temperature it was still delicious.
We also tried the Seco de Costillas. It consisted of tender and succulent beef short ribs in a coriander and beer guiso (a slow cooking style) with ají (smokey chilli) panca beans. The meat literally fell off the bone and was so packed with flavour. The portions were substantial too, with two very meaty ribs on the plate. Ribs cooked in beer? How could you go wrong.
Dessert here is a real treat, as they only ever serve one this can be tricky for those who have food allergies or dietary requirements. But nonetheless, the ever changing singular dessert is a site for sore eyes. The guagueros (salted pastry) were filled with manjar blanco (salted caramel) and served with a chicha morada (funky tropical juice that tastes kind of like passionfruit and bubblegum) sorbet, an apple and mint salad and a spiced sweet potato cream. Again, sounds like a whoooole lotta crazy served on a plate, but the flavour combinations just worked so perfectly.
Manjar Blanco filled Guargueros
You really have to let go and trust the chefs and wait staff at Mestizo Cocina Peruana, which thankfully we love to do. If you’re the fussy type we still strongly recommend letting your guard down and giving it a go, you will be pleasantly surprised.
We loved our experience at Mestizo and will certainly be back again, hopefully to try one of their degustations, which have been so popular among the reviews. The staff were on point and the food was fantastic. We’ll be keeping our eyes on their Facebook page for upcoming events to tag along to, and strongly recommend you do the same.
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