The characteristics are real Peruvian Food, in Homely Sarasota. No similar restaurants, this is the very best of type. A do not miss destination and the owner is the top purveyor of South American/Peruvian food for hundreds of miles. Do not confuse Darwin’s with other copiers in this area. Darwin IS the Original.
Chef Darwin's restaurant is one of the finest anywhere. Everything on the menu is spectacular. We loved it so much we went two days in a row and would have gone more except we were at the end of our stay in Sarasota. The restaurant is now called Amazonica and it is a 5 star masterpiece. The service could not have been better. Our server knew the menu perfectly from top to bottom and everything she recommended was spectacular. For starters, the ceviche was outstanding as was the choripan (chorizo sandwich) and the smoked pork on a bed of mashed green plantains. The skirt steak with Chef Darwin's own chimichurri sauce is to die for as was the short rib, which falls off the done and is superbly tender. For dessert, do not miss the blue corn churros with the suspire (whipped condensed milk) sauce. Chef Darwin came out to greet us and it was a distinct pleasure to have been in his outstanding restaurant. Thank you Chef Darwin!!
Ripoff. Poor service. Unbelievable bill. $17,00 for an undersized martini which required three requests for an olive! Poor signage created confusion for guests. TWENTY percent gratuity added for poor service. A great place to AVOID.
A new find for us! We wanted to try something new and local and I'm so glad we did! Great flavors and even gluten free options! Give this place a try!
I am a snowbird and read about this restaurant in the Sarasota Herald Tribune a few months ago. I decided this was the place to have my birthday dinner. As conservative Canadians, we wanted to eat outside. The patio was heated and comfortable on this cool January evening. The Staff was quite cordial and the service first rate. Most importantly, the food was delicious. We had the shrimp ceviche followed by the Peuvian Paella for me and the Beef Stir Fry for my wife. Desert was Churros, and they didn't disappoint int.Overall a first rate experience. Same time next year. Of course
Excellent a cornucopia of flavor. 4 of us had 8 different menu items and they were excellent. Think Spanish Portuguese argentine mixed with Japanese Thai and Indian spice. Good portions properly spiced. If the first thought you have in the morning is wow that was an awesome meal last night. You got your money's worth. Everything was amazing.
My family of five had a wonderful experience at this Peruvian restaurant. The signage, menu and web site indicate the name has changed to Almazonica. It is located in a nondescript strip mall on Tamiami Trail. The decor inside is upscale-rustic and attractive. We ate outdoors. Our server was very helpful in selecting items, as we are not familiar with Peruvian cuisine. Service was friendly and efficient. Everyone seemed dedicated to making our experience enjoyable. Our appetizers included the potatoes (good but not really memorable), fried octopus (fabulous), chorizo (very good) and mixed ceviche (must-have). A few of us tried the traditional Peruvian cocktail called Pisto, one version slightly sweeter than the other. Both were delicious. The chef has also started brewing his own beers. We tried the double IPA and the triple IPA. We rate both very highly. For entrees we had the skirt steak, the NY strip, the Peruvian paella, the cod and the Peruvian beef stir fry. Everyone was in agreement that this was our best meal in Sarasota. The meals were interesting, creative, made with high quality ingredients and presented beautifully. The only (slight) criticism is that the paella did not arrive with the other entrees and took 5 minutes more to come to the table. Paella does take awhile to prepare, but the service could have been better coordinated. For dessert our server recommended the churros, which came out piping hot, with whipped cream and a fruit (raspberry?) compote for dipping. We devoured it. The second dessert was the tres leches cake, which was also divine. I recommend this restaurant very highly. I urge you to try it!
Just finished a fabulous meal at Almazonica Cerveceria and Peruvian Eatery, formerly Darwin. My wife and I have dined here before Covid, and done takeout during, so an in person visit was a fulfilling experience for us.Darwin and Lleyes combined to provide us with an amazing gastro experience suiting our wishes:Pisco sours; an interestingly complex palate in a simple combination of ingredientsHouse made Guacamole; served with the best lengthwise cut plantain slices, I can’t call them chips!!Choros a la Chalaca; a 4 mussel plate of delicious shellfish with bits of onion, tomato and Peruvian corn (2 BIG kernels each!)Camaron Ceviche; delicious shrimp and fixinsTruffle Parmesan Papas; wedges of creamy fried skin-on potato, dressed with truffle oil, parmesan… crazy goodOven Roasted Pork Taco; delicious tender pork cubes, onion, guac with a delicious aioli (see the menu for the ingredients)Almazonica Fried Chicken (AFC); delicious boneless thighs perfectly prepped/ battered/cooked and tossed Buffalo style in a terrific sauce, with great jasmine fried rice.Two good sized thigh quarters, I had to get another order of fried rice to go home with one of them!!Chicha Marada; delicious Peruvian purple corn beverage scented with cinnamon.NO ROOM FOR DESSERT THIS TIME!!Darwin prepares and serves Peruvian cuisine sometimes modified for the palates of others, sometimes fused/accentuated with other elements, but always, in my several visits, high quality offerings with great ingredients, great preparation and easy to eat!!If you have a desire to find an uncommon dining experience with variety, flavor and excellent preparation, get to Almazonica.I believe you’ll become a fan as well.
I loved this restaurant. The food was great. The service was great. I loved the bar area. They served us fried plantains with a great avocado dip. I had the lomito Al jugo saltado. It was delicious. The sauce was great. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
My husband and I had our first meal here tonight and really enjoyed the whole experience. I had the skirt steak and my husband had the Lomo. We started with the wings. The food was the same excellent quality you'd get at Selva but in a more casual atmosphere. Everyone who was working there was so kind and attentive, including the bartender who helped my husband pick his beer! I don't know the name of our waitress but she was so friendly and lovely! Thanks for a great dinner experience and we will be back.