Flor de Lis Restaurante - Guatemala City- 03.29.15
The ultimate meal isn’t just about the food. It’s about the flavors, the plating, the ambiance, the decor, the company, the conversation… and it all came together perfectly at Flor de Lis. Though, you know what’s impossible? Taking photos that do it all justice while armed with just an iPhone and bouncing between great conversation and delicious bites you need to taste as soon as they reach the table. So consider this post a teaser of the reality of a meal at Flor de Lis… but honestly, you need to get to Guatemala City to properly experience it for yourself (or if you’re lucky, we can get them to come do a pop up in LA! or NY? or Miami?)
Backing up a moment - i’ve shown you our amazing Guatemala adventures as well as the story of Flor de Lis’ Pingüi and our Puma Penguins… so you’ve seen peeks of Flor de Lis, but a proper post is definitely overdue! The plating is so stunning! And it all tastes… SO GOOD. To be honest, when Harold reached out about the penguins, with our few hours in Guatemala City, I had to find my way to Flor de Lis, so of course we happily accepted when Harold invited us to dinner with his fiancè and Chef Diego Ruben Telles. Chef Diego is originally from Guatemala and after cooking in Spain and training in Denmark at NOMA, he’s returned to experiment with modernized Guatemalan cuisine.
I’m not kidding when I say the meal was one of the best i’ve had in some time. Situated in Guatemala City’s modern Paseo Cayala (think mini city with-in the city complete with private security - it reminds me of a huge Santana Row with luxury shopping, homes, offices and more which will continue expanding the next few years) - Flor de Lis is a delicious modern twist on traditional Guatemalan flavors and ingredients. While Chef Diego often described the plates as ‘simple’ with regards to the minimal ingredients used, the way he transforms a single ingredient (like a carrot!) into multiple textures (think charred, powdered, saucey) on the same plate is a masterful transformation that i’d consider molecular gastronomy. In addition to using local ingredients (as local as the plants growing right next to our table!) their stunning plating includes traditional Guatemalan pottery, wood, ceramics and more in a whole new context. They want you to truly experience and enjoy the food - so while the plates may look too pretty to disrupt at first, the smell will pull you in, and once you grab a piece with your fingers and taste the sauces, the ultimate compliment is for the chef to see you licking up every last drop! Flor de Lis serves up a delicious, relaxed, beautifully modern experience all around that can’t be missed if you’re in Guatemala City. See the iPhone pics of our experience on the next page!
The new video up on the Flor de Lis Facebook Page
Todavia no has vivido la experiencia de Flor de Lis? Cocina guatemalteca de autor, tradición como nunca la has visto
Posted by Restaurante Flor de Lis on Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Paseo Cayala - with all the parking below, as we headed up to the restaurant I was in awe of their model of what currently exists, and how much more space they will be expanding to fill!
It was a quiet Tuesday night on Paseo Cayala!
And of course, as we get close… first thing i see is Flor de Lis’ Pingüi who is inspired by our Puma Penguins!!!
My seat had the perfect view of Pingüi looking up at the menu outside.
While we were invited to do a special tasting menu - of course i had to take a peek at the fun wooden menus!
Between the amazing descriptions Chef Diego gave us, and our excited conversations between tasting these gorgeous dishes… I can not even begin to properly describe everything we tried, so for now, take a look at the pictures! The carrot in the bottom of the image below is the one that is charred on the exterior, on top of an amazing carrot sauce, and even that powder is carrot!
My favorite dish visually - the Tartar de Hongos! Mmmmmmm this mushroom dish is presented on the beautiful wood we saw all over Antigua that is created by a fungus. And you dip them in the edible moss!
Can you believe this is a squash? And in the little box… fish!
A peek at our table from upstairs which has a few more tables…
They really are as delicious as they are beautiful! And in the top right - a special Guatemalan Sal Negra de Rio… a black salt!
The final plate even looked like a painting. Dessert! A bitter chocolate mousse with toffee and Gallo Black Lager! (Also, how were we drinking the regular Gallo Cerveza earlier in the week? The Gallo Lager is our new Guatemalan beer favorite!)
See? It’s no surprise that Flor de Lis is currently #1 on Trip Advisor.
We were having so much fun tasting our way through it all, we closed out the restaurant.
… and just a few more fun details. The edible moss on wood! Coconut grid behind the red/yellow stools by the kitchen! Stunning volcano views in the women’s bathroom. The upstairs seating area, and the wooden spiral staircase!
For more - check out the Flor de Lis Facebook Page, and definitely treat your tastebuds to their surprising delights if you find yourself in Guatemala City. The menu is constantly changing depending on what the chefs can get their hands on! And definitely see Pingüi when there!
Thanks again to Harold, Monique, and Diego for showing us a whole other (delicious) side to Guatemala City!
wow great to read this post, I live in Guatemala, and I am proud to read this, is my next stop to taste this amaizing restaurant!
thanks a lot for sharing
----- Vicky 04.02.16 14:53