Memories of home and delectable food are inspiration for Pier 94 in Downtown Miami

By Josie GulliksenThe open kitchen, open air and indoor seating and definitely the buzz of Downtown Miami were an immediate draw for chef/owner Alex del Corral of Pier 94. A veteran of Miami restaurants... s who honed his skills in the corporate restaurant world, del Corral’s love for Italian cooking as well as cuisine from his native Peru are evident in the menu he’s devised.The location’s address combined with his memories of eating the freshest Peruvian food on the piers in Peru after a day of surfing are how he came up with the name Pier 94.“94 is the number of the building and the pier in Peru is where I used to eat the healthiest, freshest ceviches and seafood dishes I’ve ever had. It was the perfect name for my first restaurant venture,” he said.Cooking since he was 16 years old, the menu is a work in progress. Already though, it features some truly unique items. The fusion of the dishes is mainly Italian and Peruvian. For example, the linguini huancaina with lomo saltado which combines pasta with the traditional yellow sauce normally served with potatoes and the authentic lomo saltado tenderloin steak.Original appetizers like the scallops cooked in Chardonnay and lime juice gratinated with Parmesan cheese or the causa potatoes which are smothered in a traditional green ocopa sauce, are excellent as starters.Just like the menu, the space is also evolving. The plan is to add booth seating and additional tables. And the second floor will be for hosting private parties and special events.One spot that will stay untouched is the wall mural of a pier, a constant reminder of what inspires del Corral each day.