Cala
Seafood snacks with a stunning sunset view
Cala offers one of the best if not the best view of Costa Verde. It also offers a diverse menu of snacks, entrees, and cocktails to match your mood and the time of day.
Location
Set along Costa Verde, Cala boasts an amazing location. If you’re lucky enough to be seated on the patio, it will feel like you’re floating over the beach.
Restaurant Layout
Menu
The menu at Cala varies depending on what part of the restaurant you’re in and the time of the day. We like Cala’s menu especially the terrace menu because there’s a wide range of small and larger places and you can match your appetite.
If you’re at Cala for lunch, I would go for the raw menu including a variety of ceviches. There were people (mostly tourists) ordering ceviche until late in the night at Cala which was a bit strange since traditionally ceviche isn’t eaten after 3 pm.
We now go straight for the makis section of the menu (“snacks & japo”).
Overall, the menu was well-rounded, but there were some strange items like pollo a la brasa. I didn’t try it, but I can confidently say that Cala isn’t the place to try pollo a la brasa. You’d be better off at the numerous pollerías that you’ll come across during your time in Lima.
Prices
The prices were reasonable especially given that you’re paying for the view. The makis were around 25 soles or $6.50 each and were equivalent to a half maki at other restaurants. Cocktails were around 40 soles ($10).
What We Ordered
For our most recent visit, we ordered conchitas a la parmesana and three half maki rolls. For the makis, we ordered the acevichado (the classic), cala volcano (shrimp, sriracha mayo, jalapeño), and the crab roll. I didn’t realize that I ordered two types of crab rolls. We’d usually try to have a little more variation, but they were delicious so we can’t really complain.
For drinks, we ordered the Grabs (gin, passion fruit, strawberries, raspberries, and lemon) and Pisco Punch.
Our previous visit was during lunch so we ordered ceviche and makis. The house ceviche has green leche de tigre. The green comes from the cilantro so it’s definitely not something you’d want to order if you’re not a cilantro lover.
Our Take
The conchitas a la parmesana were a little subpar. The melted Parmesan felt like it had been sitting too long before it was delivered to the table
The makis however were spot-on. Before she met me, Mariela didn’t like makis. Then I took her to Cala and she saw what was possible. The maki at Cala has a fusion vibe—a little saucier and with less soy sauce than at a traditional Nikkei restaurant. Regardless, they are delicious.
The drinks were nice and refreshing, featuring a lot of Pisco, Gin, and fruit—exactly the kind of cocktails you’d want while enjoying the beach view.
The sunset was spectacular. It had been cloudy the whole time we’d been in Lima (pretty typical) and this was the first real sunset we’d seen for months.
I have a couple more rooftop bars to try, but I suspect that the view at Cala may be the best in Lima, especially from the lounge. The view dramatically overlooks the beach just like you’re hovering over it.
Most of Costa Verde is largely undeveloped. Compare Lima’s waterfront to that of just about any other city in the world and you’ll see how pristine it is. La Rosa Nautica is the only restaurant that is so close to the water. Thus, Cala’s view is largely unrivaled.
Essential Info
Cto. de Playas, Barranco 15063
Sunday-Wednesday, 12 pm-1 am
Thursday-Saturday, 12 pm-3 am
https://cala-restaurante-lounge.cluvi.pe/
For sunset lovers, I recommend that you arrive one hour before sunset. Cala takes reservations but you can’t reserve a specific table (for example, a table by the window).
There’s also live music for special events (check the Instagram)
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