Pisac Peruvian Bistro — Restaurant in Toronto

Omg, what can i say? My Peruvian friend came here and was raving about it. A couple of us in the group have never really tried Peruvian food before and heard this place opened up so we came to check it out. Boy oh boy, we were not disappointed.. my group is actually having withdrawals lol.

The decor is really nice but hard to describe: It's fancy yet welcoming without being pretentious. You would feel equally comfortable bringing a date here to impress them as well as bringing your family here to just talk and enjoy a nice meal.. it's a very well thought out space. I was impressed.

The music is fantastic- just enhances the ambience that much more..it's lively yet easy listening and subtle.. perfect volume where it's just in the background..

Now the food, food, food: We all started with the empanadas- i had both a chicken and a beef because I'm fat.. and you're thinking, "How good can an empanada be?" These were the best empanadas I've ever had in my life.. The crust was just lifechanging like i took a bite and almost blacked out from flavorfullity.. it's actually hard to say which was better so I'll just have to get them both again next time lmao!

Next item i tried was the Tamal.. the pork one was sold out so i ended up sharing with a friend.. I never had a tamale like that before.. like i truthfully am not a lover of tamales in the first place.. i had some Salvadoran ones before and they're just okay.. i find them usually too thick and corny.. but this one at Pisac had a lot of flavor and not just a squishy, corny mess.. the filling is like a roasted pork and there's some cool little toppings on top, each forkful of the half i shared was a special experience for me.. I think I'm going to try tamales at other places now in case i miss out on something good like this... Last course was the ceviche which we all had: wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww is all i can say.. there's two kinds but we all got the Mixto one which is like a variety one.. The seafood is so fresh like i feel like they have a fish tank back there and just grab stuff lol... Un-believably good.. The calamari was so soft.. omg, i expected rubber but it was so soft, it was almost buttery.. There was something called choclo in it which is like a corn thing and we found out that it's flown in from Peru! That's a cool little factoid you would see on the movies lol, i was very impressed.. everyone actually drank the juices from the bowl after! Lmao!!

K my fingers hurt from typing now.. and i don't typically write long reviews like this but i felt like i needed to do this place justice.. Because they have an angel in the back with a wand just like creating magic... highly recommend is an understatement.. PS, the purple corn juice is stupid good as well. I had...

Food: The dining experience was, unfortunately, not up to par. In contrast to other Peruvian restaurants, the flavours were either excessively intense (in a bad way) or lacking altogether (not even subtle, just non-existent. Most of the seafood was chewy, and the amount of protein on each meat dish was too small. The presentation of the dishes was substandard and did not resemble the photos online. We could not help but wonder if there had been a change in chefs, as the plating and flavour profiles were more reminiscent of a diner than a restaurant of the advertised price range. We commented that their price points should be $12-$15 lower to match the quality. The whole thing made us quite sad, to be honest. We were really excited to try this restaurant and to add it to our recommended restaurant list.

Service: The staff was lovely, but was set up for failure. Since their menu explicitly states that a 20% gratuity will be added to groups of six or more, our assumption was that they would take our group of six. However, since we were told they could not accommodate us due to the small size of their kitchen, the interaction left a bad feeling in our mouths. They eventually agreed to seat us, which we appreciated.

Atmosphere: The restaurant has a pleasant ambiance, and the patio looks like it would be good for gatherings with friends and family. Unfortunately, we will not be recommending this place due to their unclear rules re: groups and the pricing that doesn't match the quality of the food.

Advice for management: Either equip your kitchen and staff with the tools to take groups of six or more, or remove the option altogether from your menu. It's not fair for your staff to have to follow unclear rules when they're already busy doing their jobs. Rebook at your price points or invest...

Simply put: Amazing. I was visiting Toronto with my wife on our anniversary and we couldn't have picked a better option for lunch. The place is relatively small but nicely decorated, what gives it cozy and romantic feel without feeling crowded. The dining area as well as the restrooms are clean. Now, about the food: we've had the Calamares Fritos (fried Calamari) for appetizer and without exaggeration I would say the taste, smell, texture and side sause are the best i've ever had (everything i've tried elsewhere would be a distant second). For the main dishes, we've had Arroz Con Mariscos (which is Peruvian rice mixed with mussel, shrimp, octopus, calamari, green peas, and red pepper) and Seco de Cordero (which is braised lamb shank over rice and beans). Since it was our first time trying Peruvian dishes (for the lack of such restaurant in our hometown); therefore i can only say that both dishes we've tried were flavorful and incredibly tasty. (Many other cuisines have a version of the Lamb Shank dish, however, i would say this tops the Greek, Italian, and the Middle-Eastern ones I've had). It is also worth noting that the portions are generous. To put things in perspective: Although we were so full that we couldn't finish the plates; however, due to the beautiful experience we've had thus far we asked for a house-made Peruvian dessert of the Chef's choosing. We were served the Mango Cheescake. It was so unique and tasty we couldn't put the spoons down until we've wiped it clean :). I rarely take the time to write reviews, but when I encounter something i consider exceptional, I feel a sense of responsiblity to share the beautiful experience it had been given as a tribute...