MPP Brickell

It's National Ceviche Day! Peru has designated June 28th as the day to celebrate that delicious dish we all love made from uber fresh fish, marinated in citrus juice and mixed with ingredients such as the ever popular aji Amarillo and nice, hot chiles. Serve it in glass, and you can drink the Tiger's Milk for some extra fortitude.

 

 

Because I happen to love ceviche, and to be perfectly honest, find Peruvian cuisine as a whole incredible fascinating, I decided to make today's post on a relatively young Peruvian restaurant in the gastronomically booming area of Brickell. MPP Brickell, located at 141 S.W. 7th Street is quickly becoming a hot spot in the area. MPP stands for "Mi Propiedad Privada"; named after its predecessors in Lima, Peru. MPP is one of only five restaurants in the country approved by PROMPERU (Peruvian State Agency) to import its country's products; a  distinction they are very proud of.

 

The ambiance and décor at MPP Brickell is contemporary yet warm. The outside couches welcome you with their colorful orange and brown cushions, while the inside lounge and bar area make it the perfect place to have some drinks and unwind after a long day at work, or simply watch a game on one of their large screen T.V.s. I like the way the ultra chic lighting and the sleek, modern white furniture in the dining area match so well with the upscale Brickell feel.

Maki Causa Festival

Three Pepper Ceviche

The first thing I noticed about the menu was how extensive it was and how they offered an original take to traditional Peruvian dishes. We started with the Maki Causa Festival, a dish consisting of five causa makis (potato causas prepared to resemble sushi rolls), filled with panko-crusted prawns, avocado, and cucumber, and topped with fish and a chalaca style sauce.  They were scrumptious, with a creamy texture and a tongue tickling kick. We also had their Three Pepper Ceviche, a combination of fish and seafood marinated in lime juice and combined with three kinds of creamy pepper sauces. It was an excellent rendition of the popular Peruvian delicacy with a completely different flavor.

Sautéed Filet Mignon

Chiclayana Rice with Seafood

Since I crave and enjoy this country's cuisine so much, I wanted to go for something different while indulging in some of my regular favorites. As a result, we chose the Lomo Saltado, one of the most popular dishes in Peru, (on MPP's menu it's called Sautéed Filet Mignon) and ventured into unfamiliar grounds by ordering the Chiclayana Rice with Seafood. I had never had this before so I was excited. The Lomo Saltado was exquisite. The sautéed beef tenderloin was enticingly flavored with onions and tomatoes, and served with white rice and French fries. The meat was very juicy and tender. While I had had Chaufa before, a Peruvian style of fried rice, Chiclayana Rice was totally new to me. It was amazing! The rice was moist and cooked with a variety of seafood, cilantro sauce and duck reduction; its signature ingredient. I noticed the main source of seafood that predominated the dish was calamari, and I would've liked to perhaps have more of a balance of the others (shrimp, fish, etc.) but it was fantastic nonetheless. I can't believe I have added yet another dish to my long list of Peruvian favorites.

Suspiro Limeno

To finish our delightful meal, I couldn't help but resist a taste of the ever satisfying Suspiro Limeno. While there are many desserts from this country I adore, this one is the one I always come back to. The creamy, sweet custard-like gem has a similarity to dulce de leche but lingers on the tongue just a tad bit longer. Theirs was fabulous and I had to stop myself from licking the glass when I couldn't spoon out anymore.

We truly enjoyed our meal at MPP Brickell.  Our server was very attentive from the moment we walked in and enjoyed talking to us about the dishes and giving us an insight into the origins of the restaurant. They have a number of different daily specials and events ranging from discounts on their ceviches on certain days of the week to live music. I also got a glimpse of their lunch specials and found them to be a great deal, particularly in this part of town.

Before I forget, like I told you at the beginning of this post, today is National Ceviche Day and to celebrate it, MPP Brickell is having an awesome offer. Their wildly popular ceviches will be available for only $10 all day long. This is a great opportunity to try as many as you'd like to and not break the bank doing it. Don't you just love food holidays? For more information on MPP Brickell, visit their website at http://www.mppbrickell.com or call them at 305-400-4610.