La Mar by Gastón Acurio Turns 5 and Gets a Revamped Menu

La Mar by Gastón Acurio Turns 5 and Gets a Revamped Menu

September 25, 2019 by

Jen Karetnick Jen Karetnick

La Mar by Gastón Acurio gets a menu revamp in honor of its fifth anniversary. Miamians su er from an undiagnosed but obvious societal problem I like to call RADS, or Restaurant Attention De cit Syndrome. Every time we see the ash-bang of a new star chef or restaurateur reworking across the horizon, we rush to stand under the glowing pyrotechnics, leaving the previous burst to fade in our wake. Our obsession with the trendy often leaves older venues attempting to cut through the noise—even those like upscale Peruvian restaurant La Mar by Gastón Acurio and others that had heralded debuts themselves or have captive audiences by virtue of location. So how do they regain those breathy, elusive oohs and aahs from the RADS community? A number of ways: Redesign the interior. Hire a new chef. Rework the menu. Celebrate landmark occasions. Located in the Mandarin Oriental Miami, La Mar has enacted three out of four of those strategies to bring back our attention (if it ever truly left, that is). e colorful interior and the view from the dining terrace, overlooking Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami from Brickell Key, are as engaging as ever. And it's doubtful one would think to replace executive chef Diego Oka, whose signature is as rmly embedded on our palates' collective vellum as his trademark baseball cap is on his head. But the restaurant has brought on a fresh member of the team in the form of executive pastry chef Jamon Harper. He makes a mark with inventive sweets such as e Huatia, which is essentially built on roasted potatoes that top smoked almond-cocoa crumbles, then covered with brown butter powder and caramel sauce. Served in a clay dish under a cloche that releases all sorts of re and smoke aromas when lifted, the dessert pays homage Keep It Casual If you don't want a full dinner, but do want to sample a range of ceviches and appetizers, take a seat at The Cebiche Bar for a meal served sushi style. Alfresco Flair If the weather permits, do sit outside. As lovely as the interior is, the view from the patio is one of the best in town. Check the Mandarin Oriental Miami's Instagram for examples. Cocktail Culture Beverage director Iain Harrison's new tiki-style cocktails are as colorful as the fare. Try the Barrel O' Pisco, a mix of pisco, Cuban rum, elderflower, lemon grass-infused syrup, watermelon and bitters, which serves two The muchame features cured salmon, chalaca, capers, garlic, olive oil and aji amarillo; executive chef Diego Oka.













La Mar by Gastón Acurio Turns 5 and Gets a Revamped Menu

September 25, 2019 by Jen Karetnick

La Mar by Gastón Acurio gets a menu revamp in honor of its fifth anniversary. Miamians su er from an undiagnosed but obvious societal problem I like to call RADS, or Restaurant Attention De cit Syndrome. Every time we see the ash-bang of a new star chef or restaurateur reworking across the horizon, we rush to stand under the glowing pyrotechnics, leaving the previous burst to fade in our wake. Our obsession with the trendy often leaves older venues attempting to cut through the noise—even those like upscale Peruvian restaurant La Mar by Gastón Acurio and others that had heralded debuts themselves or have captive audiences by virtue of location. So how do they regain those breathy, elusive oohs and aahs from the RADS community? A number of ways: Redesign the interior. Hire a new chef. Rework the menu. Celebrate landmark occasions. Located in the Mandarin Oriental Miami, La Mar has enacted three out of four of those strategies to bring back our attention (if it ever truly left, that is). e colorful interior and the view from the dining terrace, overlooking Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami from Brickell Key, are as engaging as ever. And it's doubtful one would think to replace executive chef Diego Oka, whose signature is as rmly embedded on our palates' collective vellum as his trademark baseball cap is on his head. But the restaurant has brought on a fresh member of the team in the form of executive pastry chef Jamon Harper. He makes a mark with inventive sweets such as e Huatia, which is essentially built on roasted potatoes that top smoked almond-cocoa crumbles, then covered with brown butter powder and caramel sauce. Served in a clay dish under a cloche that releases all sorts of re and smoke aromas when lifted, the dessert pays homage Keep It Casual If you don't want a full dinner, but do want to sample a range of ceviches and appetizers, take a seat at The Cebiche Bar for a meal served sushi style. Alfresco Flair If the weather permits, do sit outside. As lovely as the interior is, the view from the patio is one of the best in town. Check the Mandarin Oriental Miami's Instagram for examples. Cocktail Culture Beverage director Iain Harrison's new tiki-style cocktails are as colorful as the fare. Try the Barrel O' Pisco, a mix of pisco, Cuban rum, elderflower, lemon grass-infused syrup, watermelon and bitters, which serves two The muchame features cured salmon, chalaca, capers, garlic, olive oil and aji amarillo; executive chef Diego Oka.