Sipan: Fusing Up Killer "Peruponesa" Food

These, ladies and gentlemen, are empanadas.  Yes.  Japanese Peruvian empanadas.  Which is why they don't resemble your run-of-the-mill empanada found anywhere else in Central or South America.  Filled with slices of fresh Argentinian grade A beef, luscious pieces of langoustine (langoustine!), corn kernels, sweet onions, peppers, herbs, and salsa - these are proof that meat-loving Peruvians and the seafood sorcerers of Japan should just get together and make some serious gourmet love.  Because by god, they were d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.

These empanadas are just one of many genius creations that you can find at the "Peruponesa" fusion hotspot, SIPAN, which has several locations in Buenos Aires.  My partner and I had dinner at its Palermo Soho outpost at the beginning of his Buenos Aires visit, and, despite the insane number of restaurants that I wanted to show him on my list, we ended up going back there for our last dinner together before he left.  It was that good.

SIPAN is the kind of fusion restaurant that can place Buenos Aires squarely on the list of outstanding international culinary cities.  With a full sushi bar, fresh fish and local ingredients flown in directly from Peru, chefs long trained in the art of fusion food, an extensive wine & cocktails list, and gorgeously designed interiors that are both elegant & hip - SIPAN shows that it is worth every bit of hype it gets.

The restaurant specialises in bite-sized tapas to share, and the Japanese culture of small servings of sushi & sashimi makes for the perfect partner to Peruvian tapas.  Aside from the Empanadas Sipan, we also ordered the Sashimi Sipan and the Sushi Sipan.  We figured out early on with the empanadas that house specialties might have something to them, and we weren't proven wrong with our two following choices.  My absolute favourite dish has got to be their house sushi: filled with fresh langoustines, avocados, a sliver of cream cheese, it is topped off with locally-produced honey (poured table-side) that altogether creates a mixture of unexpected flavours in your mouth.  It was the most delicious sushi I'd had in as far as I could remember.

Although our stomachs were already ready to burst by the end of the meal, we decided to go ahead and try to make space for SIPAN's famous ceviche.  It's a concoction of fresh octopus, chunky shrimps, white fish, corn, white onions, and peppers all swimming in a special sauce (also poured table-side).  Not sure if it was because we were already full to the brim, but alas the ceviche fell a little short of the standard we had come to expect.  It was still quite good, but not as mouthwatering as the empanadas, sushi, and sashimi.

Altogether, it was definitely the best Peruponesa food I've ever had.  As I am a lover of superlatives, I was even tempted to say that night that it might just be the best Japanese fusion food I've had, period, but maybe I'll hold off on that judgement for now.  :)  In any case, it is definitely more than worth a visit!  You pay a bit more than what you would normally pay for a fusion eatery in BsAs, but the food, service, and interiors make it worth your while.

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SIPAN
The Palermitano Hotel
Uriarte 1649, Palermo Soho
Buenos Aires
Tel: +54 11 4833 9383