El Mirador is one of the most distinguished cevicherias in La Punta del Callao. While eating in the old downtown district of Callao, I like Cevicheria Mateo. But when eating in La Punta you can’t beat El Mirador.

As the name implies, it’s not only about the food. It’s the view while you’re eating.

The fourth-floor dining room offers a 270-degree view of the best real estate in La Punta, including over the Peruvian naval academy.

And the academy’s harbor.

So if you can, get a table closest to the rails.

The place was full with a long wait for Dia del Pescador, or Day of the Fisherman, a public holiday in Peru. So we didn’t have a view from the table.

My dear old dad was in town. Here he is waiting for our table. The couches look inland toward Plaza Matriz.

The food made the wait well worth it. Above is the signature appetizer sampler, the Piqueo El Mirador. Note the aji amarillo ceviche bites and, hidden, pulpo al olivo (octopus in black-olive-cream sauce). Also the conchas parmesanas (baked-parmesan clams), a Callao specialty.

We had 10 people in our group, so we got two appetizers. The Piqueo J/24, named for the recreational and competitive sailboat., is even larger. It comes with no less than 12 parmesan clams. Beneath each platter was a deep-fried medley of fish and shellfish (jalea).

That platter came on two plates, one for the choros a la chalaca (Callao-style mussels) and ceviche bites.

Some of us were full before the entrees arrived! This is their fish of the day in a shrimp sauce.

 

Ceviche El Mirador, the house ceviche, came with raw fish in a spicy aji sauce with causa and white corn. This would qualify as the fairly recent cevicheria innovation known as “causa acevichada,” putting causa on the same plate as ceviche. Instead of making it an appetizer, many restaurants simply sub causa in for sweet potato for a standalone meal.

Leche de tigre. I was surprised it was a full glass, not a little shot.

I’m a Cusqueña guy, but when in Callao it’s always Pilsen. Chim Pum … !

Location and info

El Mirador Restaurante
Malecon Figueredo 110, La Punta
Phone: 4293483

El Mirador is located almost at the end of Playa Cantolao on the north side of the peninsula. If you’re walking toward the end of the peninsula, stay on your right and it’s the last building before the naval academy.

Pictures

Above, a container ship leaving the port of Callao. Click the images below to enlarge. Or see El Mirador’s pictures on their official Facebook page. For pictures and things to do in La Punta, see our profile.