"Nothing better describes Mediterranean fusion than Baby Octopus in Tuscan Ragout."

Coral Gables continues to amaze. Years ago it was the bastion of the steakhouse. Then came the time when you couldn’t walk down a street without tripping over an Italian restaurant. Today you can find Vietnamese, Jamaican, French, Cuban and, now, Mediterranean/Peruvian with the opening of La Cofradia.

Just like the others, La Cofradia is a restaurant with style. It took design panache to turn what was basically a tunnel of a room into a chic display with clerestory windows, indirect lighting, very comfortable seating and a ceiling-length graphic that sets the tone for dinner.

Co-owner and Executive Chef Jean Paul Desmaison, a graduate of Cordon Bleu Peru, has combined his Mediterranean training and his Peruvian background to create a unique taste for the Gables. And it begins with a complimentary pisco sour – the national drink of Peru – for every diner legally old enough to raise a glass. Foods you think are familiar can surprise with spices and accents, peppers and vinegars. Plating is artistic and service delivers with aplomb.

La Cofradia offers more than a dozen appetizers and salads, some you won’t find elsewhere. Like the Eggplant Carpaccio and Fried Pork and Grapes. We chose the Traditional Peruvian Ceviche of the Day ($17 that evening). Served on a platter, the mix of Dover sole and tender bay scallops, marinated in lime and herbs overnight, was tender and tart. Giant Peruvian corn and a fascinating wedge of marinated sweet potato rounded out the dish. Pears and Manchego Salad ($9), featuring thin-sliced circles of pear and fresh wild greens, beautiful tomatoes and sunflower seeds in lemon vinaigrette, was tasty but too light on the manchego.

By the time the plate reached me, all the cheese was gone. Foie Gras ($29) was rather pricey, but delicious just the same. Barely seared with just a bit of salt and pepper and delivered in what appeared to be a flood of raspberry red wine port sauce, the reduction was actually perfect because of its lightness. The foie was accompanied by fresh raspberries and the mandatory crisp baguette rounds. Nothing better describes Mediterranean fusion than Baby Octopus in Tuscan Ragout ($14). The baby (about the size of my fist) was perfectly grilled, the charcoal adding extra flavor along with a light crispiness that accented its soft interior. Octopus can be chewier than a box of rubber bands, but ours was very tender. The tomato ragout, with anchovies, olives and capers, was so light that it slightly flavored the octopus, allowing the shellfish to work on its own.

The risotti and pastas were skillfully produced. Especially the Risotto del Cofrade (Market Price). This signature risotto featured a moist and tender lobster tail atop creamy-yet-al dente rice. A yellowish cast was created by the addition of ají amarillo­­— a Peruvian yellow pepper with just a bit of heat ­— and a rich lobster stock. The homemade Rabbit Ravioli ($32) was as rich as a stew and as light as the pasta it was stuffed in. The rabbit was braised with a mirepois and Peruvian spices, then stuffed in tender ravioli and dabbed with a butter and sage marsala sauce.

Entrées included an excellent Black Grouper ($32), pan-seared so it remained light and flaky but strong enough to stand up to a tangy escabeche sauce of vinegar, sour orange, red pepper and cilantro. The fish rested atop a roasted yellow chili yuca mash. Grilled Lamb Chops ($36) arrived tender and simply seasoned with salt and pepper, sharing the plate with a porcini mushroom risotto enriched by a cabernet sauvignon port wine sauce. Roasted Confit of Duck Leg ($38) was literally that. The hearty leg had been slowly cooked in its own fat for hours, crusting it on the outside and cooking it to an almost creamy texture within. It was seated upon a tower of spinach-and-creamy-corn couscous that embraced the Mediterranean taste and texture while chewy black trumpet mushrooms moistened the dish in their own sauce.

An evening’s special was the perfect test for someone whose favorite dish is Osso Bucco ($37). I have never passed up an osso opportunity. And when it’s good, I’m happy. Here I was ecstatic. The meat arrived already falling off the bone, so tender it was almost like butter. Prepared with a mirepois, red wine and veal stock and braised for hours, the Osso Bucco was perfectly paired with an airy polenta, so light it almost floated off the plate.

Desserts included a Peruvian Lucuma Mousse ($8), whose fruit is usually used to flavor ice cream but here was served over chocolate macaroons with chocolate ice cream and dark chocolate sauce. The Fig and Phyllo Tart ($9) was a warm compote in a flaky pastry with fig sauce decorating the plate. Most unique of all was the Tiramisu ($9). Tiramisu unique? The Chilled Mandarin Tiramisu had the ladyfingers placed horizontally, encircling a frozen anglaise of kiwi, vanilla and caramel, topped with a crunchy and chewy Brazil nut praline.

La Cofradia is a choice addition to Coral Gables’ new world food exhibition.

* * *

La Cofradia