Somewhere on the Lima/Genoa Border
Francesco’s fusion of Peruvian and Italian is all about the family history
Callao is a port city in Peru, part of the Lima metropolitan area, and home to a preponderance of Italians and Peruvians of Italian descent. It is Peru’s chief seaport, home to its fishing fleet and, by default, innumerable seafood restaurants.
This explains much of the allure and raison d’être of Francesco, the six-month old restaurant on Miracle Mile adjacent to the Miracle Theatre. It’s really more of a rebirth than a new restaurant, since Francesco operated on Alcazar for 15 years before closing in 2016. And like its predecessor, it fuses Italian and Peruvian seafood, an homage to the grandparents of owner Franco Danovaro, who nearly a half century ago, moved from Genoa, Italy to Callao. It was their son and Franco’s father Aldo who then made a name for himself 40 years ago as a restaurateur, first in Callao and then in Lima’s upscale Miraflores neighborhood.
“Some of the original recipes were from Italy but using products from Lima. There’s a lot of my grandmother’s influence from Genoa, which is all about seafood,” says Franco. “We also have a lot of recipes of Peruvian classics, a lot of dishes that are very Peruvian, but with a twist [of Italy].”
Among the appetizers, this is immediately apparent in the rocoto relleno de Camarón ($29), a Peruvian red pepper stuffed with shrimp and then topped with a distinctly Italian dose of cheese, and in the Tuna Musciame ($25): dry slices of tuna with garlic and oregano, served with tomato and avocado. On the other hand, the Tiratido Francesco ($31) fuses less from Italian influences than those of Japan, with its raw white fish bathed in a creamy citrus sauce. Meanwhile, the Ceviche Clásico is just that – pure Peru.
Among the entrees, our favorite fusion dish was the spaguetti en salsa de nueces con scallops a la parrilla ($32), a long-winded way of saying seared scallops over spaghetti with walnut sauce. It was a lovely combination of Peruvian sea fare and Italian pasta. For the classic Peruvian taste, we ordered – and thoroughly enjoyed – the canelones aji de gallina ($32), poached chicken in a bath of sofrito made fromred onion, garlic, and aji amarillo (a sort of mild yellow curry) with parmesan cheese and ground nuts. Peruvian comfort food at its best. We were also moved by the Trucha de los Andes, grilled trout over arugula and fennel salad ($45) coupled with Huancaina Potato Pavé. With such a dish, you are reminded that the potato came from the Incan civilization that conquistador Francisco Pizarro conquered – though not its cuisine.
Besides a variegated menu that includes things like duck breast green risotto, lomo saltado, and seafood lasagna, what’s remarkable about Francesco is the impact of the décor. Even prior to Danvaro telling us that “in some respects, we want to simulate a boat,” the maritime motif with its curving lines and blue palate came strongly through. Several of the walls are covered with huge, horizontal mirrors with nautically rounded edges (imported from Peru) which are strategically raised high enough so that you see the room but not yourself.
Combined with a soothing, upbeat soundtrack of basso nova music, the interior makes you feel immediately upbeat. You can almost feel the restaurant moving through the water, and the low-backed chairs and blue-leather banquets are soft and comfortable like the restaurant itself. For those who ate in the legendary Ortanique restaurant that formerly occupied Francesco’s space, the vibe could not be more distinct from the previously heavy-draped, dark-orange palate.
The round, central bar of the main dining room adds another bright, curved element to the Love Boat feeling. The whole place comes across as elegant without being precious, like an old ocean liner. And if you start the evening with a Pisco Sour and end it with a Suspiro Limeño – a Peruvian dulce de leche (that tastes like buttery caramel) topped with Italian Merengue – you’ll leave with a soft, dreamy appreciation of what Aldo started four decades ago.
FRANCESCO RESTAURANT
278 MIRACLE MILE
305.797.4039
francesco-restaurant.com