Miami’s Ceviche 105

At CVI.CHE 105 every table is full.  The warehouse space in downtown Miami hums and buzzes like a beehive.  Cement columns anchor stark white tables and chairs cramming the space where white paneled walls with illuminated vitrines harbor Latino-centric curios.  All the more to keep you in the mood.  It’s fever pitch on a Friday night and the guests are ready for … ceviche. And pisco, of course! If you are not familiar with ceviche it’s time to change that.  A delicate concoction of marinated fish, there’s nothing like it in a tropical setting, as long as you wash it down with the very best pisco.

Downtown Miami has not quite been the same since the restaurant opened in 2008.  A quick glance at the menu indicates that a lot of imagination is at work here.  Dishing up some exquisite traditional cooked Peruvian food in a modern presentation along with a myriad of innovative takes on ceviche, CVI.CHE 105 makes a big statement but the most innovative thing is not just the food but also the cocktails.  Pisco cocktails are the mainstay here.  Like Mexican food and Margaritas most people associate the Pisco Sour with Peruvian cuisine but here at CVI CHE 105 we were thrilled to find a diversity with the pisco spirit in the many complex recipes incorporating it.

Chef Juan Chipoco opened CVI.CHE 105 in 2008 and the restaurant tripled in size by 2010. The reason for that is because Juan comes from Peru and creates an authentic Peruvian atmosphere in his restaurant.  As the chef he’s come up with infinite variations on ceviche, but the menu also features dishes that include chicken and meat.

The story of CVI.CHE 105 is bittersweet and it’s a story of how America is the land of opportunity.  Juan Chipoco and his business partner and co-owner Luis Hoyos came to the U.S. fifteen years ago and worked their way up in various restaurants.  In 2007 they bought a Cuban restaurant and worked day and night to make it a success.  Almost verging on bankruptcy, they changed the concept to what would become CVI.CHE 105: a hip restaurant celebrating the flavors and colors of Peru.  Chipoco as chef, wanted to make sure that every dish on the menu was a traditional taste and was the right combination of ingredients from his childhood.

CVI.CHE 105 has been a real word of mouth success in South Florida and the way that pisco is served is both traditional and clever.   Paolo Garcia, the head bartender, has created an eclectic menu of cocktails that show what you can do with pisco.

Next time you’re in Miami be sure you make the trip downtown to try CVI.CHE 105 for the down home Peruvian food and a pisco cocktail.