Oroya: what is it like and what is served at chef Diego Muñoz’s new rooftop in Madrid?

Oroya, this basket, box or instrument used to move from one bank of the river to another, gives its name to a new rooftop in Madrid commanded by the Peruvian chef Diego Munozbecause it symbolizes the historical and gastronomic connection between Peru and Spain.

Located on the fourth floor of The Madrid Edition hotel, this terrace with an impressive view of the city, is committed to celebrating Peruvian gastronomy in Madrid, and it has been a success. “Oroya has a very interesting offer of piscos, a fairly Peruvian food menu with all the product that arrives in Madrid and has had a very good response from the public”, details the chef and creator of the concept, Diego Munoz, via telephone. “It is a quite humble rooftop, we are on the 4th floor, it is short because in that area of ​​Madrid the buildings are not tall and the sky is the roof. We have an indoor room that houses 60 chairs and a more casual outdoor room for 90 people. Next to it is the pool with Filipino chairs and stools for sunbathing”, Muñoz describes about the distribution of space.

The decoration is one of its main attractions: abundant vegetation and large windows that give the idea of ​​a greenhouse, colors that evoke the Peruvian cultural diversity, a vine-covered pergola, a long oak table for relaxed lunches, make Oroya a space without tension and a letter that converses with the concept. “We wanted to evoke multiculturalism in its decoration because Oroya is a celebration of the core of Peruvian gastronomy that has been influenced by many people. We wanted to raise this sensation of many colors rather than cling to a Peruvian cliché or something already known. It means what we are today as a Peruvian nation and culture: a beautiful mix of everything and evolution”, emphasizes Muñoz.

A letter to share

Oroya’s menu is not exactly that of a restaurant with starters, backgrounds and desserts; rather, small plates that fall in the middle of the table to share with a group of friends or enjoy alone entertaining:

“It is a rooftop menu that can be a restaurant experience per se. It is a very changeable letter, we see the things that are beautiful for the concept and we reform it with those nuances. You will always find a ceviche or an interpretation of ceviche, little things to snack on, Peruvian references of all kinds. It is not a purist Peruvian cuisine, but rather with a lot of peppers, Peruvian fruits, the Pisco Bar is truly a success”, says Muñoz over a menu of Peruvian and Hispanic techniques, without neglecting the historical influence of Africa, Italy, China and Japan in our gastronomy.

We will find sea bass ceviche with ají limo and leche de tigre; wrinkled potatoes with huancaína and coffee; oysters with dashi, umeboshi, pickled chalaca, and sea grapes; or ha-kao on parihuela broth. Pickled cauliflower, Pucusana-style fried squid, chicken thigh in Nikkei anti-spoon sauce. In addition, desserts such as soursop in millefeuille, cachangas and our top representative, lucuma covered in chocolate and pistachio.

Like the dishes, the Pisco Bar shines by itself in this format. For chef Diego Muñoz, the presence of pisco is very important in his repertoire: “Although we don’t have 70 labels because we don’t have that logistics in Madrid or New York, we hope it will be built. The will is to follow in the footsteps of mezcal from Mexico”. The Pisco Bar in Oroya is one of the few bars based on pisco. They offer specialty cocktails from different labels, strains and processes, although it is not the only spirit.

Its cocktail bar is prepared to perfectly accompany the dishes on its menu. Among the main ones is the inevitable Pisco Sour –with Puro Quebranta pisco, Mosto Verde Italia pisco, egg white and lime–; Capitán Oroya –with Quebranta pisco, vermouth blend and oloroso–; and, the Carajazo –with espresso, Licor 43, Mosto Verde Quebranta pisco and rested tequila–.

A whole experience and an adventure that crosses borders prepared by Diego Muñoz, called the nomadic chef by the New York Times Magazine for leading a life of exploratory cooking trips. “Next month I will go to Armenia for a month-long residency. I live south of Lima, but I am always traveling, developing interesting projects and seeing where to grow. I travel a lot, but my dream is to open things in Peru, I would be interested in opening a restaurant in Ayacucho, Juliaca, the jungle”. We hope to see a new proposal materialized soon in our country.

More data:

• Currently in Peru, chef Diego Muñoz is part of La Gastrónoma and La Vikinga
• Oroya location: Plaza de Celenque, 2, Madrid.
• Website: www.oroyamadrid.com
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