MAP Café

Description:

• Though the name might seem a bit misleading, causing one to conjure a globe-trotter's bohemian hangout, this is in fact one of Cusco's most stylish and elegant restaurants. Housed in a modern, minimalist glass-and-steel box with few adornments other than views of the handsome colonial patio it sits in the middle of -- Casa Cabera, now the beautifully designed Museo de Arte Precolombino -- it places its focus squarely on the elegantly prepared and presented food. This is much more than a museum cafe. At dinner, the chef presents a four-course, S/105 ($35/£18) prix-fixe menu (including a glass of wine, selected from one of the city's best wine lists), which is actually a fair deal given the high quality and service. Standouts include the fresh trout tartare and sampling of Lima-style causas (cold mashed-potato-and-vegetable casseroles). For diners in the mood for a taste of creative Andean cuisine, the guinea pig confit is a daring dish. As a bonus, the museum is open until 10pm, making it possible to make a dinner and pre-Columbian date of the evening.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010