Sutorīto Māketto (Miraflores, Lima)
Sutorīto Māketto (Miraflores, Lima)
Doesn't quite live to its potential as "Nikkei with an attitude"
Sutorīto Māketto has been featured quite a bit on Peruvian food TV and travel blogs so I decided to check it out on a weeknight. Last time I was in Lima, I went to at least one Nikkei restaurant a week for a couple of months. Read on to see how Māketto stacks up.
Location
Sutorīto Māketto is located in a part of Miraflores near the coast that we don’t normally visit at night. We’ve visited this area many times for its cevicherías—La Mar is just around the corner.
Restaurant Layout
The restaurant is laid out like a small beer hall with a long bar and food counter on the right as you enter. There’s also some seating outside which you’ll see as you enter.
Menu
The menu fits nicely on two pages with another page for drinks. There are a lot of small plates—ganyaki (nigiri), crudos, snacks, and bao. The Makis were available as full or half rolls. If you want something more filling, there are rice bowls and noodles. As usual, I focused on the maki and nigiri.
Stray Thoughts
Many of the dishes are similar to standard items at Nikkei restaurants, but sometimes Maketto renames the items just for the sake of it.
The stars next to signature dishes are helpful for those with decision paralysis.
I have to say that this is the best-written English menu I’ve seen in a while. It was clear that they didn’t just plop their menu into Google Translate.
What I Ordered
I ordered the Maketto Fried Chicken, TNT Conchas (2 pieces), Ganyaki Bombastic (2 pieces), El Cangri Maki (half roll), Soft-Serve. The Maektto Fried Chicken (MFC) was a bit larger than expected; I had leftovers.
Prices
The prices for Nikkei in Lima are pretty standard. Nigiri are 17-22 soles, makis are 36-48 soles for full rolls, and mains are 35-45 soles. The most expensive dish, the collar is 65 soles (17 dollars) and is meant for sharing.
My Take
When I visited, the flavors at Maketto didn’t quite live up to its bold decor and spunky menu.
The Gunkan TNT with conchas (scallops) was the most disappointing. I usually enjoy conchas the most but these felt very plain.
The Ganyaki Bombastic featured an interesting interplay between the salmon, crab, and parmesan. However, I think the “Bombastic” descriptor oversold the dish a tad.
The El Cangri Maki was a bit more interesting. It was creamy while the sweet potato shavings on top provided a satisfying crunch.
The Maketto Fried Chicken was beautifully fried but did not have much pizzazz. Though the texture was crunchier, it was not too different than an ordinary chicharrón de pollo or a basket of chicken tenders. I guess I was expecting something more like Momofoku’s Korean Fried Chicken.
The Aisu Kurimu soft-serve with miso butterscotch and cornflakes, was good with interesting textures and contrasting flavors—a little saltiness and even umami to go with the sweetness.
The seafood and chicken were fresh and the textures in the dishes were interesting. However, the food lacked the finesse that you see at other Nikkei restaurants which is not entirely unexpected given the ambiance and casual setting. Regardless, I think the flavors could’ve been quite a bit bolder.
I wouldn’t mind giving Maketto another chance, especially as a late afternoon snack Next time, for variety, I would substitute some of the nigiri for a bao or two. If I come with Mariela, I’d be down to try the Batayaki Fish Collar.
Essential Info
Av. Mariscal La Mar 830
Everyday, 12-11 PM
You don’t need a reservation, but Maketto is still popular so you may find a short line at times you wouldn’t necessarily expect (for example, 9 PM on a Wednesday)
Number of times we’ve visited: 1 (we also ordered delivery from here once.)
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Have you been to Maketto?
If so, leave a comment and tell me what you thought!