Top In Asia | Feliz KL: Chef Franco Aldana crafts comforting Peruvian classics with an elevated edge

Celebrating a full year in Malaysia, Lima-born chef Franco Aldana is making fresh strides as the foremost envoy of Peruvian cuisine in KL, elevating his country’s comforting classics at Feliz on Avenue K’s rooftop.

One of the city’s most distinctive restaurants, Feliz draws cosmopolitan diners seeking global gastronomic adventures, curated by a chef who honed his prowess in Peru’s top-ranked Astrid & Gastón and trailblazing Osaka Nikkei.

Feliz’s masterful latest menu showcases South American flavours with international flair, inspired by the high-altitude terraces of the Andes where native potatoes thrive and the Pacific bays where coastal scallops are harvested for ceviche.

Chef Franco sources signature produce from his homeland for recipes that resonate with chillies like ají panca and ají amarillo with uniquely smoky and fruity heat, as well as aromatic Peruvian capsicum, corn and peppercorns.

The result is a one-of-a-kind feast: Grilled fish collar in tortillas, mashed yellow potatoes with octopus, Latin-style paella with shellfish, bold Peruvian soup with pasta and beef, Peruvian-Japanese sushi rolls, Venezuelan chocolate brownies with Colombian coffee caramel and more, buoyed by a complete bar of South American cocktails and mocktails.

Chef Franco says his aim is for everyone to enjoy all the vibrant, varied flavours of Peru in a single meal. At Feliz, that mission is satisfyingly accomplished.

Start with small plates that illustrate how Peru’s 2,414-kilometre coastline has infused its food with ocean-fresh abundance.

Tacos de Collarin de Pescado turn up as fun DIY tacos unlike the typical fish tacos in KL: Fleshy grilled collars of seasonal fish, moist and mouthwatering, are served with soft tortillas, assembled with rich salsa and sauces for bursts of full-bodied flavour from land and sea.

Conchas Del Pacifico prove luscious with delicate Pacific scallops, raw but refined with splashes of a citrus marinade and aji amarillo, balancing the natural sweetness of the scallops with a shining peppery tang.

Peru’s prime crop, the potato, is made irresistibly indulgent in Causa de Cangrejo y Pulpo (a modern take on a time-honoured staple of smoothly mashed yellow potatoes, flanked by octopus and crab) and Papa A La Huancaina (creamy boiled Andean potatoes, blanketed with aji amarillo cheese sauce). Addictive, with luscious layers of flavours and textures.

Crave-worthy snacks comprise Empanada de Carne (a golden pastry pocket, brimming with seasoned beef, olives and Latin spices) and Arepa Rellena (cornmeal cakes, split and stuffed with soul-warming savouriness).

Peruvian‑Japanese Nikkei cuisine (born from the generations-long migration of Japanese communities to Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries) shimmers in scrumptious rolls like the Bluefin Tuna ACV Roll with zesty acevichado sauce and Wagyu & Palta Roll, buttery with torched wagyu beef and avocado.

Share in Peru’s hearty heritage: Feliz’s Sopa Criolla is a contemporary rendition of a household favourite, pairing noodles with bold beef in milky, nourishing broth, bright with ají panca and ají amarillo, while Arroz con Mariscos is the Latin American equivalent of paella, brimming with shellfish, peppers and fragrant herbs for a sumptuous seafood rice platter.

We were nearly too full for desserts, but we couldn’t skip the Latam Brownie, embodying South American chocolate and coffee in a warm, dense Venezuelan chocolate treat topped with vanilla ice cream and silky Colombian coffee caramel.

At Feliz, the bar is as playfully creative as the kitchen.

Sip on Sangre De Tigre (complex with shiitake mushroom-infused pisco, Thai sweet basil cordial, tomato juice, yuzu kosho and umami bitters, with inspirations stretching from South America to Asia) and Feliz’s flagship Llama Glama (bittersweet, floral and earthy with dark rum, mezcal, passionfruit, lumi hibiscus tea syrup and egg white, topped with edible art of Peru’s mountainside llama).

Even the non-alcoholic beverages impress: Feliz‑Cola is a house‑crafted cola with grated citrus zest, cinnamon, coriander seeds, vanilla and nutmeg, while Chicha Morada is a twist on a traditional Peruvian quencher based on dried purple corn, simmered with fruits and spices for a purple rain of pleasure.