Jean Paul’s House is a charming 1920’s cottage located in the outskirts of Wynwood and Downtown Miami. This bistro run by Jean Paul Desmaison is an intimate venue and an ideal setting to try New World cuisine with a Peruvian touch.
By Brenda Benoit
The inside was simultaneously rustic and modern, classy yet relaxing; the kind of place for a leisurely lunch or a romantic dinner.
This time my dining companions were Issa and Yazzy, a dynamic duo of tasters, and invaluable assistants.
We started with the Grilled Octopus, which was roasted with garlic and peppers, olives, tomatoes, thyme, fingerling potatoes and extra virgin olive oil. The octopus was soft and pillowy, the potatoes adding a creamy bite to the plate. It was a pleasant dish and we all enjoyed it.
Then came Tiradito, swimming in leche de tigre and topped with avocado, tomato, onions & cilantro. This was outstanding and quickly consumed by Issa, who is an aficionado of raw fish. Needless to say, I had to hurry up to get a taste as it was gone in an instant.
To explain, Tiradito is a Peruvian dish of raw fish, similar to sashimi and carpaccio and leche de tigre usually contains lime juice, sliced onion, chiles, salt, and pepper along with a bit of fish juice. It is the marinade used for tiraditos and ceviches.
The Crispy Pork Belly was braised in grapes and pisco, served with sweet potato puree. It was lovely: crispy-dark on the outside and soft on the inside. The potato mash sweet with cinnamon notes. Pisco is a grape brandy popular in Peru and Chile and its flavor brought together all the components of this plate.
The Shrimp Risotto was served in a traditional Peruvian chupe style?; that is, the ingredients were based on chupe, which is a typical Peruvian chowder. It was creamy, flavorful and easy on the palate.
For dessert we had the Warm Milk Chocolate Tartine with peanut butter powder, passion fruit sauce, sesame nougatine and chocolate crema. Decadent is the first word that comes to mind, the peanut butter powder adding an uncommon dash of flavor.
Chef Jean Paul uses only high quality ingredients, mostly sourced from local farms and fisheries. He welcomes you to his “house” where you will be treated with very good food and exceptional hospitality.
Jean Paul’s House
2426 NE 2nd Ave Miami, FL 33137
305 573-7373
http://jeanpaulshouse.com
