Address: 13 Paseo de la Castellana

Tel: 34-91-702-6262

In a country that, culinarily speaking, has never embraced its colonial past, star Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio has taken the Spanish capital by storm. You wouldn't know it by the look of the place: The latest outpost of his raved-about Lima restaurant is on a staid central boulevard, and its interior is a study in sleek elegance. All the action, then, is on the plate. From the pristine lime-inflected seviche (in multiple iterations) to the crisp-skinned leg of duck served with a rich saffron-colored rice, the flavors of Acurio's New Andean cuisine are a revelation. So, too, are the playful nods to Mediterranean cuisine: Here, a dulce de leche comes topped with a thick squiggle of port-flavored meringue. Needless to say, the restaurant also serves up the city's best pisco sour (entrées, $33–$40).