There was a moment when we both looked at each other and wondered if it would be disgraceful to actually drink the rest of the ceviche. The marriage of flavors was like an awakening–a discovery that subtlety and boldness can coexist on a plate…a plate that we didn’t want to see the bottom of. But let’s back up, shall we?
Ladies and gents, we’d like to introduce you to our favorite culinary find this summer: El Batan.
We discovered El Batan after our friend Davide from Ça Passe Crème posted a myriad of incredible food pictures on his Instagram stories. After his emphatic endorsement, we decided to opt-out of our regular FaceTime meetings and meet in-person…in an actual restaurant…with other people making our food and drinks (hallelujah! #2020).
El Batan describes itself as a restaurant serving Peruvian fusion–a blend of creative gastronomy and traditional Peruvian fare. Regardless of its description, all of the dishes are inspired by abuelita–their grandmother’s cooking–and are meant to invite you on a culinary journey. And that’s exactly what it felt like; familiar, delicious, satisfying, and exciting. Like we had just discovered a way to travel outside of Lausanne, and El Batan was our ticket.
The food is phenomenal. The staff is kind. The cocktails are on.point. Though the location is a bit outside the center, and the indoor ambiance nothing to rave about, it is worth it in every sense. Just prepare yourself to encounter flavors and combinations that are surprising and delightful…if only more dining experiences were like this.
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A few TLG tips:
- Definitely start with a cocktail–the pisco sour was out of this world.
- Order at least one of the ceviches. The menu is on the smaller side (which we love!), so you shouldn’t have trouble selecting the ‘right’ ceviche…they’re all delicious we’re sure.
- As we mentioned, the inside of the restaurant is fine but nothing super special. While the weather is still nice, grab a seat on the terrace.
- Try at least one regional specialty–they have some house favorites listed on their menu and we plan to return to make our way through the entire list ????
+41 21 625 05 54
restaurant@elbatan.ch
Make a reservation here.
Hours:
Monday: 12:00 – 15:00
Tuesday to Friday:
12:00 – 15:00 | 18:30 – 23:00
Saturday: 18:30 – 23:00
Sunday: Closed