Latin Finance - April 2008 - 47

Peru Lima Set in the middle of Peru’s desert coastline, this arid capital can seem a little hostile until you discover its restaurants. From simple cevicherias to cutting edge neuvo andino creativity, food is what makes Lima a leading business travel destination. Eating Rafael. Rafael Osterling is a rising star of LatAm gastronomy. (He opened in Bogotá late 2007, with Buenos Aires to follow in Spring 2008). Fuses Peruvian culinary tradition with a swathe of influences from cooking at some of the most inventive restaurants in Europe. Occupies ground floor of a colonial building. Simple, welcoming dining room abuts small, but lively and sophisticated, bar. Try the braised veal-ossobucco cannellonis in porcini, spinach and artichoke emulsion. The bread is excellent. (San Martín 300, Miraflores, Tel: 51 1 242 4149). Fusion. Serves a mix of Peruvian ingredients, Japanese recipes and Italian standards in sleek, modern dining room. Some dishes sound risky but come off. There is no fear in this kitchen, but perhaps strongest at its simplest with any number of meats. Decent wine list. (Av. Choquehuanca 714, San Isidro. Tel: 51 1 422 7600). Huaca Pucllana. Long-standing Lima favorite, with good reason. Eat on the terrace overlooking the ruins of a 1,500 year old pyramid and tuck into one of the original purveyors of nuevo andino cuisine. Puts a new spin on old recipes but still can’t put much meat on the bones of a cuy. Great chupes, strong on seafood. Try rabbit stew served over Andean cheese polenta (Av. General Borgoño, Cuadra 8, Tel: 51 1 445 4042). floors, 15 variations on the pisco sour, including pomegranate, passion fruit and coca leaves in the signature drink, a brujo sour. Later Lava Lounge (Bolivar 116, Miraflores) is still red-hot. From ThursdaySaturday the bar at Rafael has a DJ and a keeps good crowd until late. Sleeping Readers’ Choice JW Marriott. A smart, busy modern cliff-top hotel in Miraflores. In addition to standard business essentials like meeting rooms and wireless internet, it boasts sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean from all 300 rooms, as well as the La Vista window-walled restaurant. Average room rate $300. www.hoteles.marriott.com.pe/jwmarr iott-lima Downtime Museo Larco. If you lack the time to make it to Kuelap, Machu Picchu or any of Peru’s other major preColumbian sites, the Larco Museum provides an excellent overview of 3,000 years of history. Located in an 18th century mansion built over a 7th century pyramid, the world’s largest private collection of Peruvian preColumbian art is strong on gold and silver and has an enormous collection of erotic art. www.museolarco.org On Horseback. The pre-Inca city of Pachacamac, 23 kilometers from Lima, is a ceremonial center where archeologists discovered an Indian burial ground in 2002. Excavations continue to this day, turning up centuries-old mummies and artifacts. The three-hour ride starts in Lima and includes a personal guide for $95 per person. Other trips include time on the Mamacona beach and lunch. www.cabalgatas.com.pe The View from on High. Etched into the Pampas of Jumana is a menagerie of animals – a spider, birds, a monkey, a lizard – and all manner of swirls, gashes and lines. Relics of the pre-Incan Nazca culture, the only way to really appreciate them is from the air. You can choose from any number of operators in Ica or take a day trip jetting down from Lima (and transferring to a small plane in Ica to see the lines) with AeroCondor aerocondor.com.pe Miraflores Park Plaza. Ocean views, extras like cool towels at the lobby door for joggers during the summer. WiFi throughout. Zest Spa provides relaxing array of treatments incorporating indigenous products. Poissonnerie Restaurant focuses on seafood. Average rate for junior suite with luxury butler service is $490. www.mirapark.com Country Club Lima. Known locally as “The Country,” this elegant 1927 San Isidro hotel is considered a national monument. Completely refurbished, it has plenty of modern touches, including a WiFi in the lobby and expansive, traditionally decorated rooms. Guests can take advantage of playing privileges at the Lima Golf Club across the street. Average room rate $199. www.hotelcountry.com Swissötel. Polished San Isidro business hotel get marks for prime location and attentive service. Executive floor offers perks like meeting rooms and private lounge with open bar. Average room rate $357. www.lima.swissotel.com Drinking Once-staid Lima has developed a lively bar scene with a slew of stylish clubs in select neighborhoods. Asia de Cuba (Avenida Conquistadores 780, San Isidro) is a reliable choice – go late. Also solid is Huaringas Bar (Calle Bolognesi 460, Miraflores), a comfortable lounge on two Lima: Crowne Plaza 2008 LATINFINANCE 47

http://www.hoteles.marriott.com.pe/jwmarriott-lima http://www.museolarco.org http://www.mirapark.com http://www.mirapark.com http://www.cabalgatas.com.pe http://www.hotelcountry.com http://www.ichotelsgroup.com http://aerocondor.com.pe http://www.lima.swissotel.com

Latin Finance - April 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Latin Finance - April 2008