Chef at Atton Brickell's Lima has his finger on the pulse of Peruvian cuisine

Close to, but far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Brickell sits a modern boutique hotel Atton Brickell. That's where you'll find Lima, a restaurant where the Peruvian cuisine is passionately created by Chef Kyriacos Petrou.Right on the corner of 15th Road and SW First Avenue, and just minutes from where I grew up, Atton features a wonderful rooftop pool and great art-centric happy hours at Uva. The lobby is nice for relaxing with your happy hour cocktail. The day I was there to sample the Executive Lunch with my friend Raquel the place was filled with soccer fans glued to the wide screen television watching the World Cup.After some great conversation with their Director of Food & Beverage Maximilian Heindl we placed our order.The Latin Beans Salad was a refreshing blend of crunchy, crisp edamame, creamy black beans, sweet corn, plus red onions and peppers that provided a nice bite, all tossed in a tangerine vinaigrette. It was a nice portion, good enough to share.We also ordered the goat cheese and pesto terrine, a nice wedge of goat cheese drizzled with a garlic, basil and olive oil pesto served with a nice mixed green salad. Creamy, dreamy with a hint of goat cheese tang.We veered off the Executive Lunch Menu because the grilled octopus was highly recommended and I'm so glad we followed their advice. Tender to the bite, the generous portion of octopus was dressed just so with a simple lime juice and extra virgin olive oil marinade. The Peruvian corn, grilled lemon, juicy ripe tomatoes and sliced red onion added both color and contrast of flavors.The traditional ceviche was also an off menu choice but at a Peruvian restaurant it's always a must. Nothing wrong at all with this choice. They make it with their fish of the day (meaning, as fresh as it can get) and marinate it simply with lime juice, cilantro and diced red onions. Simplicity at its best. The crunchy corn canchas were fun to munch on while taking in the acidity of the ceviche.Another great and hearty choice on the Executive Lunch Menu is the seafood pappardelle in a creamy garlic broth. The thick pappardelle pasta's tossed with a sauteed mix of seafood and a creamy white wine garlic sauce. My fork just kept twirling and twirling, it was impossible to stop eating this dish. Every mouthful was better than the one before.We then ended our meal on a very creamy note with a couple of mousse desserts. Decadent and sweet but not too sweet, an ideal ending to a delightful Peruvian meal.Lima at Atton Brickell, 1500 SW 1 Ave., Miami (786) 600-2600