Astrid and Gaston

It is not often that i get to eat in a five-star Michelin hotel. As a matter of fact, that would be never . . . until Tuesday night. Due to the recommendation of a Peruvian friend in Wichita, we made arrangements to go to Astrid and Gaston - one of Lima's finest. Astrid and Gaston is housed in a 300-year-old mansion, and it has been decorated to make the diner know they are in someplace special. Small sitting areas with beautiful fabrics and treatments allow for diners to visit and enjoy before and after their meal. The dining area is a two-story affair with the bar in the middle of the first floor. Around the bar is a large live tree ornamented with numerous Peruvian and Andean artistry. Our waiter knew everything about every dish, and if he didn't know he checked. I was concerned about MSG and soy sauce, and he took extra care to find out if any of the dishes contained it. In one case, he actually went back to double-check on one of the appetizers and sure enough, they sprinkled a little MSG on the meat. I wonder how many other restaurants would have taken such care. For appetizers, we ordered chicken wings that were covered in chile peppers and other spices. Then we had zucchini flowers, stuffed with cheese and deep-fried, presented on a large squash. They tasted like chile rellenos without the chile kick - delicious. For our entree, Jim and I had a fish wellington, Jenni had a beef stir fry, and Don had sea bass with scallops and candy pasta - all quite filling and delicious, perfectly plated and delivered. But the piece de resistance was the dessert. We ordered Tiramisu, which was delicious, and a chocolate bomb. Having no idea what to expect, we were stunned when our waiter, Luis, brought us a ball of chocolate about 6 inches in diameter. Then he picked up a small bowl of hot liquid and began to pour it on top of the bomb. Soon the chocolate began to melt, and by the time he was finished dripping the liquid, the bomb had opened up like a flower to reveal the insides - fruit and other tasty sauces. The dark chocolate combined with the sweet sauces was beyond compare. We felt like royalty! What a way to end our stay in Lima.