GEM A PERUVIAN

This Peruvian bijou restaurant, tucked away in the buzzing Rua de S. Paulo, between the Rua de Alecrim and the Elevador da Bica, ticks all the boxes.

There’s nothing quite like discovering a diamond in the rough and this is one of those. Decor is post-modern, industrial, and definitely rough around the edges in a very cool and contemporary way. Since one of the owners, João David, is an architect, that makes sense. He tells us the interiors were the result of his passion for design. Everything is made bespoke, from the benches with their rugged leather straps to the tiled tables. The overhead rusted tube lights give the 50 m² space a dark and cosy vibe. With just 28 seats, Amaru is intimate and cosy. And, with an open bar on the street, it’s also lively and welcoming.

Why Peruvian? Another partner in the venture, Daniel Mello, explains that after a scouting trip to Barcelona, the four friends, now partners in the business fell in love with the fresh impactful dishes.

sweet mango, while a third, Atum Nikkei, is a zingy soy, avocado, seaweed and radish mix with fresh tuna Nikkei. Each of them utterly delicious and satisfying. The best thing about them? The size of the chunks of raw fish –simply perfect! I’ve never had anything quite like it and something tells me I’ll probably be back for more. So fresh and interesting. These ceviches, pack a punch or two without being overly spicy, which has me hooked.

João, the owner who is clearly a regular, jokes he is one of the chief testers and still isn’t blazéd by his own food. You can tell by the way he’s enjoying it that this is 100% genuine. Together with the ceviche, I recommend a Pisco drink, oozing fresh ginger, and real lemonade. The Martini glass with a salt rim, is a real tongue teaser. You’d think by now I might get a lime overdose, but if anything, it leaves you wanting more.

The best thing about trying new cuisine is that voyage of discovery. We start with the Corazon Partido, or Beef Heart skewers. It takes a little courage but we go with the flow. When in Lisbon, in a Peruvian restaurant… The meat is very rich, almost powerful. The salsa covering the skewers brings a welcome freshness with plenty of spice, but no heat, bursting with sweet chillies and lime. Next, come the more vegetarian-friendly Anticucho de Papa Dulce, or Sweet Potato skewers with creamy spicy Huancaína Salsa, a thick yellow sauce made from yellow peppers. It’s an incredible mix of sweet and savoury that melts in your mouth, topped with thin fried crisps, adding a welcome crunchiness. We also try the Anticucho de Pollo, chicken skewers. Another great surprise – the chicken is so very tender with another salsa exploding with flavours!

Although I had no expectations, I’ve been very pleasantly surprised. I had an inkling ceviche might be on the menu, but nothing prepared me for the incredible three dishes served. First up came the Lo Puro ceviche with sweet potato, white fish and bell peppers, as well as deep-fried corn for that crunch factor. Each ceviche dish is drowning in lime juice, all hand-squeezed. I’m assured ‘it tastes much better that way’. The second one, Salmon Tropical comes with perfectly complementary

Stumbling across a hidden gem is such a treat. Amaru is definitely special and precious. An unusual address where your taste buds will leave sparkling, tingling and keen for another visit.