Food: Peruvian cuisine
Address: Calle de Ayala, 27, 28001 Madrid, Spain
Phone Number: +34 91 702 6262
Website: http://en.aygmadrid.com/
What I paid: 90€ (tasting menu per person, including water and wine)
Visited: September 23, 2016

Astrid y Gaston is the name of the world famous Peruvian restaurant located in Lima, owned by the prestigious chef Gastón Acurio and his wife Astrid Gutsche. Gastón is considered to be one of the main ambassadors of Peruvian cuisine and is extremely popular, almost like a rock star, in his home country.

A & G Madrid is the name of Gastón’s restaurant in Madrid, the first Peruvian haut cuisine restaurant in the city.

Located in the Salamanca district, the restaurant is both tasteful and cozy, with a restrained interior in dark tones and a tranquil atmosphere.

The food served is described by chef Gaston as: “Peruvian, modern and free and our values are integrity, creativity and sensitivity.  Our commitment is to the product, the customer and society.  We want to create dishes that incorporate different flavors and the history that goes behind them.  We want our customers to leave our restaurant having had their hearts touched along with their senses”.

You can choose from both al la carte or from two different tasting menus:

1. Menú Tradición
2. Menú Yaykuna

We opted for the Yaykuna menu:

Bread

The bread wasn’t especially tasty.

Tiradito Apaltado:

Thin slices seabass over sliced avocado in classical “leche de tigre” marinade. Avocado spheres

Tiradito Apaltado

 This first “official” dish on the menu had a slight acidity and was tasty.

Niguiris de Atún y Salmón:

Citric tastes. Rocoto tapioca pearls, coriander. Seafood sauce

Niguiris de Atún y Salmón

The tuna “sushi” was especially good.

Zamburiñas:

Grilled small scallops with butter of lime and soy. Crispy garlic

Zamburiñas

Tasty!

Cebiche caliente:

Sauteed diced seabass in warm yellow pepper “leche de tigre” marinade and white onions. wrapped in banana leaves

Cebiche caliente

Magret de Pato 65º:

Duck maigret cooked at 65º. Quinoa, onion y nuts. Yellow ají pepper and orange sauce. Beet and coconuts rocks

Magret de Pato 65º

Terrina de Cochinillo:

Suckling pig over Arequipa dressing sauce, nuts, ají pepper powder and Maras salt

Terrina de Cochinillo

Granizado de Piña:

Pineapple, cinnamon and mint.  Lemon and orange zest. Spearmint leaves

Granizado de Piña

Mazamorra:

Rice pudding. chicha morada ice cream

Mazamorra

In summary:

Apart from a Guinea Pig, which I once had in Cusco (Peru) and is typical for some Peruvian regions, have I very little experience of Peruvian cuisine. Therefore, I thought our dinner at A & G Madrid was interesting.

I like tart food and a lot of the food served had its tartness originating from lemon, limes and other citruses (surprisingly though I could not trace any hints of sourness).  Acidity on the other hand should never dominate a fine raw material, but I think the dishes at A&G were all well balanced.

The service was good without being stiff and the restaurant was pleasant and nice. I wouldn’t mind visit the “original” Astrid & Gaston in Peru…