I recently dined at central restaurant in Lima, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. The background music felt more suited for a spa, lacking any vibe or energy, which made the atmosphere dull and uninspiring. The food was another letdown; nearly every dish was overly creamy, leaving no room for variety or excitement. Overall, it wasn't the experience I was hoping for.

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The food experience fell short of my expectations, which were admitedly fairly high. Opted for the Mundo Mater tasting menu which was said to provide a synthesis of the research and interpretation work of the Central team and this menu was specifically recommended for first time guests. The menu invites you to explore native ingredients found at 14 different altitudes throughout Peru, ranging from 10 metres below sea level to 4,200 metres above sea level, with each dish representing a particular eco-system. PROS: Remarkable use of indigenous ingredients by a chef who is true to his stated concept. Despite one or two fails and subject to what follows, dishes were tasty and flavourful. CONS: It is not normal for a 14-course menu to only require the use of spoons. Repettitive use of soft custardy textures in dish after dish quickly becomes boring and this lack of texture detracts from the taste. Felt I was in a test kitchen for baby food. When all is said and done, am I glad to have had this opportunity to eat at Central? Yes. Do I agree this is the No.1 restaurant in the world? Definitely not.

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A memorable meal. Tastes and textures were exquisite and the food was beautifully presented on creative tableware. I appreciated the fine crystal wine glasses which allowed the colours and aromas to shine through. Staff too were attentive but not intrusive and service was paced perfectly - we arrived at 7:30 and left at 11:00 and hardly noticed how time had flown - unusual for me as I’m often ready to leave restaurants well before the bill arrives. I loved the dining room which manages to be relaxed while still feeling special . Tables are well spaced giving a sense of having one’s own personal area. Dining out for me is having dishes I can’t prepare at home (I cook a lot). Being offered ingredients that have been transformed in ways that I can’t manage myself is the USP of dining out. And Central did all this and more. There is a certain magic in being able to transform an uninspiring razor clam into a delectable dish - and vision too of course. Altogether a great experience - expensive, but there is a large staff to pay. This restaurant and food isn’t for everyone. The food concept - altitude based - is exciting and the dishes do not conform to a palate accustomed to familiar foods. The aim is not to provide an impeccable rendering of familiar classics but to explore savours. So no doubt more conservative diners may find some dishes challenging.

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Some of the plates were exellent. Especially the cocoa. The wines-terrible only a petit shiraz/petit verdod was outstanding. The food-wine matches only two were a mtch. May be the best restaurant in south America but . Many others are better and reasonblie..

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So... How was my experience at Central Restaurant Lima, Peru? In a word: Unique. I’m not one who usually forks out $500 for a meal at a fancy restaurant -but was it worth it? Totally! It's a special thing. I don't think anyone would be able to easily try and taste this mix of ingredients, textures and flavours, let alone in such an artistic and clearly beautiful manner. Is it for everyone? I don't think so. It’s not your average fine restaurant where you expect to eat the best pasta or meat in the world. It's an adventure. Everything was and tasted unusually nice. Of course, I liked some dishes more than others but I liked all of them. And whilst some could, very well be considered "risky", to your average or demanding palate, they all seem very well thought-through and balanced. Which leads me to: the pairing… OMG! I'm so glad we included the drinks pairing -it took things to whole new level. The drinks themselves weren't just wines. But also distilled and fermented drinks -all locally Peruvian made. Again, each drink quite particular in its texture and taste. I was especially surprised about the wines cause; I’ve tried a lot of wines around the world throughout my life but I hadn't experienced many “good” Peruvian wines before. Some of these drinks I would definitely never have them on their own, nonetheless paired with a specific dish -as in the experience- wow, it opens up a whole new level of flavour and texture toning. And the glasses… OMG! I fell in love with the crystal wine glasses! They extracted profuse aromas from the drinks. Yet so thin and fragile, clear and clean that I had to ask the waitress: “How do you wash these glasses?!” The crockery and cutlery were also beautiful and authentic. Now, was it an out-of-this-world experience? Specifically in the culinary part, I would say: definitely yes. I could also be a bit naïve. I’ve had my good share of restaurants worldwide but this was my first experience at this level and apparently my first stop has been all the way to the top. Hence, at this level, I would give the whole experience 8 out of 10 (or 4 out of 5). Don’t get me wrong, everything was really good, especially in the culinary part but again at this level expectations could reach beyond human. There’s always, and will be, room for improvement -and that’s the magic of it too, isn’t it? The restaurant is nice, beautiful… but it could be breath-taking. The altitude ecosystems concept is very unique but it could convey a more vivid experience through the staff. Most of staff was super nice and attentive but they could even have qualities to take you into a vivid journey of the ecosystem experience you are meant to be delved in. In this regard, I guess my level of excitement did not match theirs. Whilst for me it was all sheer exciting novelty, for them was routine work expected to be delivered to a certain standard: a bit scripted if you will. Again, don’t get me wrong, the service was fine even though I could point out a few things but I don’t want to be a party pooper. 😊 All in all, I can confirm that I loved it as I’m all excited again whilst writing this review and wanting to relive the moment. I clearly remember sitting there and feeling exactly like when you’re on a cruise and never wanting it to end. Even after 4 hours, I could’ve sat there all afternoon and into the night. And of course, the company contributed heaps!

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It is possible to have a perfect meal. We had planned for a wonderful dinner…and our exceptions were surpasses. Immediately sat in a large , somewhat spare but beautiful room. A brief explanation of the restaurants philosophy/what the meal would be, and we were off. Service was professional and prompt, at the same time comfortable and engaging. The pace was our pace…next course fairly promptly after we were finished, but we lingered over some courses and all worked the same. Sommelier was knowledgeable, helped us through electronic wine list and suggest 2 great bottles well with our price range. And the food…the food was very good to spectacular. Courses were big enough to enjoy but not overfill. The open kitchen was fascinating to watch, all seemed to be serious yet smiling. Part of a great dinner is some luck. You’re having a good day, staff all working well and everything seems to come together. But a perfect dinner…that’s a rarity and one ingredient has to be a very great restaurant. Last night, Central gave us that gift.

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The food experience fell short of my expectations, which were admittedly fairly high as should be expected for a restaurant consecrated No. 1 in the World in last year’s San Pellegrino/Acqua Panna Top 50 List. I needed a few days to analyze why my experience at Central left me discombobulated. I had the Mundo Mater tasting menu which was said to provide a synthesis of the research and interpretation work of the Central team and this menu was specifically recommended for those visiting Central for the first time. The menu invites you to explore native ingredients found at 14 different altitudes throughout Peru, ranging from 10 metres below sea level to 4,200 metres above sea level, with each dish representing a particular eco-system. PROS: Remarkable use of indigenous ingredients by a chef who is true to his stated vision. Tasted food items I would not anywhere else. Despite one or two epic fails, dishes were tasty and flavourful (if you set aside the Cons) CONS: It is not normal that a 14-course tasting menu would only require the use of spoons. Repetitive use of soft custardy textures in dish after dish becomes boring and after a while, detracts from the taste. The second problem is a direct consequence of the first. It is a truism that “we eat first with our eyes”. At Central, the food vehicle of choice is a variety of nice ceramic bowls to hold all the custardy and soft preparations. When dishes are served in a bowl, you can only appreciate one dimension, the surface of the dish. In the menu I was served at Central, there was little to be eaten with the eyes. Most dishes were lacking the visual appeal of memorable dishes. Interestingly, when researching dishes that were served at Central in the past, there seemed to be many examples of dishes that are very different from what I was served. When all is said and done, am I glad to have had this opportunity to eat at Central? Yes. Do I agree this in the No. 1 restaurant in the world? No, at least not based on the menu I was served. Would I go back to Central? Maybe, if provided some indication of a change in the menu direction (not in the ingredients but in preparation and presentation).

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