Culinary Adventures in Lima and Beyond

[constanela]

I just returned from 2 weeks in Peru over the holidays. In light of some of the questions posted here about recommendations, I thought I would post this thread with my experiences.

My partner is from Peru and her family still lives there. This gave us an insider's view to the restaurant scene and the cuisine that we may have missed without their prescence. The world is beginning to catch on to the fact that Peru is one of gastronomical capitals. This trip really proved that point. We split our meals between home cooking and restaurant dinners and had not one single bad meal the entire time - with the exception of the two meals we had the misfortune to eat on the airplane coming on going.

Our trip took us from Lima then north to the coastal cities of Trujillo and Chiclayo then back to Lima again.

[constanela]

Trujillo was our first destination after spending Christmas Eve and Christmas in Lima. Trujillo is Peru's second largest city and has it's own food traditions. The ocean is a mere 15 minute drive away and the close proximity ensures that the seafood is incredibly fresh. Although larger commercial fleets exist, much of the fish is still caught by individual fisherman in small boats made of reeds called caballitos de totora (reed horses). Along the small coastal beach villages, you can see literally hundreds of caballitos both parked on the beach and out working. Here's one fisherman coming in from his most recent outing.

The areas surrounding the northern cities of Trujillo and Chiclayo blends dishes found throughout the country along with distinct dishes found only in the north. Cabrito con frijoles (goat with beans) is one such dish. Here's an example from El Cantaro, a restaurant in Lambayeque featuring authentic local cuisine. This entree is so large, it requires 2 plates - on the left is local steamed rice with the beans and on the right, the braised goat with a piece of yucca.

Another dish found only in the north is tortilla de raya (sting ray omelet). This is very similar to a spanish tortilla de papas only with sting ray meat in place of potatoes. I have to say that this is one of the best things I have ever eaten although thoughts of Steve Irwin did creep into my head as I enjoyed this appetizer.

Edited January 14, 2007 by constanela (log)

[docsconz]

Thanks for the report. I am anxiously awaiting more as Peru is my next culinary adventure.

[constanela]

You can't talk about Peruvian food without talking about cuy. Guinea pig is considered a delicacy in Peru and was a staple food for the Incas. The first time I went to Peru, I tried cuy in a high end restaurant in Cusco and was unimpressed. It had the texture of chicken, but the taste seemed somewhat amphibian and fishy. Since then, I have been told that the best cuy is to be had restaurants that cater more to locals and less to tourists. This cuy, also served in Trujillo, was much better, although I still can't say definitively that I like it. This presentation featured a very crispy crust and reminded me of fried chicken.

Although the waiter promised this cuy came sin brazos (without arms) I still found the anatomic detail on the patas (legs) to be a tad disturbing. In fact, before I took a closer look, I thought this was a tooth jutting out of a face, but on closer look it turns out to be a claw.

The side dishes here are rice and aji aco, potatoes stewed with the ubiqutitous Peruvian aji chile. Aji in it's raw state is orange and quite mild. Although it has a lot of flavor, it doesn't have much heat. It's used in just about everything.....ceviche, stews, soups and sauces.

Edited January 14, 2007 by constanela (log)

[constanela]

Dinner at Huaca Pucllana. Restaurante Huaca Pucllana in Lima probably has one of the most outstanding settings of any restaurant any where. It is directly across from Huaca Pucllana - a pre-Inca pyramid still standing in Miraflores. The huaca can be toured during the day, but the best time to eat and enjoy the view is at nighttime when the ruins are set aglow by a lighting system. The restaurant has a gigantic terrace facing the ruins which is the best place to eat. The food is neo-Peruvian. Here are a few highlights from dinner.

Bistec a lo Pobre (Poor Man's Steak).

This is a classic dish served everywhere. It consists of tacu tacu (a mound of beans or lentils with rice) with a thinly sliced steak, fried plantains and a fried egg over top. The tacu tacu isn't shown here (it's under the meat).

Piqueo Criollo (Creole Nibbles)

12:00 Chicharrones de chancho (Fried pork)

3:00 Conchitas a la parmesana (Scallops with parmesan)

6:00 Anticuchos con choclo (Beef heart kabobs with Peruvian corn)

9:00 Causa con langostinos (Mashed potato topped with shrimp).

Chupe de Camarones (Shrimp Stew)

Hearty thick shrimp chowder topped with an over medium fried egg. My favorite dish of the night!

[docsconz]

You are really whetting my appetite. I have a reservation for Huaca Pucllana and am eagerly awaiting it. It comes the night before we leave or home.

Cuy is something I will definitely have to try. I would also like to try the meat of at least one of the Andean camelids.