Where Chefs Eat: Mitsuharu Tsumara on Lima, Peru | Condé Nast Traveler

"Sitting in the dining room, I could really feel the restaurant's mentality at work: chef Mitsuharu Tsumura—Micha—has taken his 16-year-old restaurant from a Limeño nikkei champion to being named the Best Restaurant in the World by World's 50 Best. Maido embraces nikkei techniques and the culinary traditions of the Japanese diaspora, pairing flavors from every corner of Peru—fish from the Peruvian Amazon, chilis dried in the Andean sun, and fermented beverages made with endemic fruits—with showstopping touches like bluefin tuna carved tableside like a Spanish jamón. The team is part of the city's fabric, and the dining philosophy is clear in his words: “We really don't want to be just a check in your life…We want to be the place you go back to.” There is both a tasting menu and à la carte options, and you'll find travelers and locals alike lingering at the bar or lingering over long meals." - Megan Spurrell