One of the perks of being a food journalist (I hate the term restaurant critic) is that I sometimes get invited to tastings when restaurants are introducing their menus or adding items to their menus to members of the press.
We are dined and wined. I never base a review on these visits because it is not what the average diner will ever experience. But it does give me a chance to sample many of the restaurant’s dishes. I was especially interested in doing so at the recently opened Jarana (it is pronounced HA-rahn-ah) because I did not know much about Peruvian cuisine.
American food critic Eric Asimov has described Peruvian cuisine as, “…one of the world's most important and as an exemplar of fusion cuisine, due to its long multicultural history.” Which is a subtle way to refer to colonialism and slavery. The Spanish conquered the Inca and then brought over Asian, Caribbean, and African slaves. Although it has a horrible backstory, the result is a cuisine that is rich in the flavors of the Indigenous people, Spanish settlers, and slaves. It serves to remind us that we are all the result of all that has happened to us, good and bad.
When we arrived for our four-course tasting dinner, there was a cocktail reception for the two dozen or so journalists, “influencers,” and their guests. As I sipped on my classic Pisco Sour, my hubby and I were lucky enough to strike up a conversation with a group of people who had all grown up in Peru, they invited us to join them at their table, so we had authentic guides during our meal.
Our first course was accompanied by a Pisco Punch, a delightfully refreshing combination of Pisco Quebranta, pineapple, and lime juices. It matched perfectly with the five bite-sized appetizers. The Japanese-Spanish fusion influence showed up in the Nigiri Criollo, a thin slice of prime New York strip steak topped with a quail egg, plantain purée, and Huacatay sauce on sushi rice. Nigiri Mar y Tierra combined shrimp, and lomito saltado (beef tenderloin), in a garlic sauce. Cebiche Criollo combined mahi and crispy calamari, while Tiradito Bachiche highlighted fresh hamachi slices and avocado. Finally, crispy wonton tacos filled with tuna tartare and avocado topped with garlic aioli capped off the first course. I could have gone home then and been happy, but three more courses were coming.
Our second course started with a glass of Bodega Norton Chardonnay. I’m not usually a fan of Chardonnay, but this one was superb and not overly oaky. Causas celebrate the diversity of Peruvian cuisine with layers of creamy potato, fillings, and sauces. We sampled Jarana’s Casera causa, with chicken, mayonnaise, avocado, tomato, egg, and huancaina sauce. It’s like the best combination of egg, chicken, and potato salad you ever had! Grilled octopus is the true test of a restaurant. Cook it a few seconds too long it gets tough, undercook it for a few seconds and it’s rubbery. Jarana’s was perfect. Served thinly sliced, drizzled with Botija olive sauce, garnished with avocado and chimichurri, and served with saltines. Corquetas de Gallina (chicken croquettes) served with parmesan cream were fine, but not my favorite dish. Anticuchos are skewered meat, and we were served corazon. I know enough Spanish to know that means heart. I took a small piece just to be polite. I had a glass of water ready to wash it down. But it was delicious and tasted like the best steak I’ve ever had. I even went back for seconds.
Thankfully, there was a break between the second and third courses. As I loosened my belt a notch, I passed on the wine for the third course, an Amalaya Malbec. One of Peru’s favorite dishes is chaufa (fried rice). We sampled Chaufa Aeropuerto chicken and beef, stir-fried with rice, and topped with a shrimp omelet and a spicy sauce. It was the best fried rice I ever had, but I have no idea why it’s called Airport, and neither did our dining companions. The rib eye steak is served Lima style, with the bones on the side, and is accompanied by a delicious potato salad. Pescado Nikkei (Japanese Fish) presented a whole fried red snapper with the flesh removed from the skeleton. It was served with flash-fried broccoli, and everything was drizzled in the most delicious spicy-sweet sauce. I devoured the broccoli and left the fish for my hubby.
Just when I was about to declare I wouldn’t eat anything for a week, they brought the final course. A chocolate cake with pisco syrup, lucuma (a tropical fruit similar to an avocado — it is a superfood) ganache, chocolate sauce, and chocolate crumble and picarones, a Peruvian fritter made with kabocha squash and sweet potato fritters, topped with honey. These were served with a shot of Algorrobina, a carob-based liqueur.
All these items, and more, can be found on Jarana’s menu. The restaurant is planning to implement a tasting menu similar to the one I experienced.
Jarana
19505 Biscayne Blvd., Esplanade at Aventura
786-840-8840
jaranarestaurant.com
