Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio will open a branch of his restaurant chain, La Mar, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Brickell Key.
Acurio is Peru's most famous chef. He's most well-known for popularizing traditional and modern versions of Peruvian cuisines, including ceviches, Asian-Peruvian dishes and Andean cookery, at dozens of restaurants around the world.
Among the honors Acurio has received, his Lima restaurant Astrid y Gaston was included in San Pellegrino's list of the top 50 restaurants in the world.
(Read more about why Miami food lovers should know who Gaston Acurio is.)
"Our new La Mar restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Miami will be a beautiful space with a large terrace overlooking the bay, " says Acurio. "We will recreate a Latin-spirited atmosphere that is cheerful and fun where guests can enjoy original Peruvian flavors."
Acurio opened a San Francisco location of La Mar in 2008 and he just opened Tanta in Chicago this summer. The New York outpost of La Mar just closed; apparently the food, service and ambience presented issues for some, including New York Times critic Pete Wells.
Regarding the New York location, Acurio said, "We're looking for a new space where we can develop a similar concept. We might not have the ocean, but we will keep the same spirit."
The Miami branch of La Mar will be nestled in the Mandarin Hotel Miami, which just won a rare and glowing five stars from Forbes Travel Guide for its hotel, spa and restaurant, Azul.
Alexandra Wensley, director of communications for the Miami hotel, announced that the restaurant will open in December, replacing Café Sambal.
This is a guest post from WLRN contributor Trina Sargalski's food and drink blog, Miami Dish. She is also the Miami editor for Tasting Table. You can follow her at @MiamiDish on Twitter.
