It was not by surprise that I came across Astrid y Gaston in Santiago’s barrio Providencia, but it was with stirring impression that I walked out after my meal, glowing with delight. I had heard from a Chilean friend who spent some time in Peru where he claims “he ate like a king,” about this restaurant whose creative, inspired chef, Gaston Acurio, was elevating Peruvian food not only in Lima, but in Santiago, Bogota, Madrid and Panama. Taking influences from Japan, France, Spain and Peru, the restaurant’s cuisine celebrates a melting pot of cultures and flavors in its dishes, dividing the menu into traditional and contemporary selections. Located on a residential street in what could have been a former house, the entrance was very cool, the room itself, however, is a bit jarring in a way, with unusual artwork and bad track lighting. The glassed-in kitchen leans towards that modern laboratory feel without being clinical and every element of service was professional and friendly so it was easy to excuse some of the unfortunate design choices. Being the girl from New York, dining alone in a Latin American country at one of the city’s top restaurants on a Monday night was slightly intimidating at the outset, but any hint of shyness passed with my first bite of Insalada Infancia paired with a glass of Amayna Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Leyda Valley, its exotic fruit flavors pairing nicely with the sweet coconut and mild spice in the salad. Delicately poached shrimp softly bathed in coconut milk sat atop of a bed of mixed lettuces with sweet peppers and a sauce that resembled none other than Cantonese sweet and sour sauce. It was incredible the way that flavor was adapted into the dish that I sat pensive for a minute figuring out exactly what it was! I selected a very traditional dish found at many Peruvian restaurants for my main, Lomo Saltado, marinated steak with onions and a side of white rice with fresh peas and fried potatoes (pictured below). The steak was prepared to the perfectly cooked degree, the sauce of red wine, onions, cumin and tomato giving it that extra pop with forkfuls of rice and then potato for a fun adventure. I ate this fastidiously while drinking a glass of Vina Sutil Reserve Syrah 2004 from the Colchagua Valley as I chatted up the sommelier about the wine list and the general culture of wine professionals in Chile and then took a tour of the wine room upstairs (an advantage of eating alone).
The offerings for dessert were quite inventive, some reminiscent of a WD-50 creation, and I settled upon strawberries in balsamic vinegar with carrot sorbet, carrot cake and goat cheese mousse. Brilliant. Each element complimenting the other, sweet and savory flavors, cold then soft and fluffy textures, a sophisticated, artful dish with everything in perfect balance.
