Food recommendations

Legend
7.8K
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15K
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about 17 years
Hey Coochie, 

Just found a Peruvian restaurant near a relatives. Any recommendations? What are your must trys?
Legend
13K
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25K
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over 9 years
There is actually quite a Japanese communuty in Peru. Even a few Japanese schools in Lima. Lima street where I spent alot of time in lockdown during Covid had a Japanese-Peruvian (guy) couple also stuck there. The Peruvian guy was a muso who had stayed in Japan after touring there, his muso mates had returned to Lima after many years in Nippon.

Peruvians claim they are the cuisine capital of Sth America. They are proably right. One of the most well known resturanats in Lima (well out of my price bracket) Maido is Nikkei cuisine, or Japanese-Peruvian cuisine
https://www.kuodatravel.com/michelin-starred-restaurants-in-lima/#:~:text=Nikkei%20cuisine%2C%20or%20Japanese%2DPeruvian,that%20bridges%20two%20distinct%20cultures.


To me Peruvian food is basic, but really well done & yummy. But then my experience, is just local cheapish restuarants or home cooked food. Not high end stuff at all. It's good, but to me Asian/Indian food has a lot more flavour

Ceviche (can be spicy, Peruvians love some chilli)
Lomo Saltado (sliced beef with tomato and fries on rice)
Papa a la huancaína (potato in a creamy spicy sauce, with egg)
Causa (a filled eg tuna, potato mash) 
Pollo a la Brasa (roasted chicken)

https://www.seriouseats.com/essential-peruvian-cuisine

Peruvians soups are also pretty good. Unless you liked soda stream when you were a kid, or want diabetes avoid Inca Cola. Very average with a bubble gum flavour, but Peru folk love it.

Edit - just before Covid (about Jan 2020) I spent a month living in upmarket Miraflores in Lima. Learning Spanish. The language school organised accommodation with a host family. Me, a Canadian Jewish guy from Toronto & another young guy from Chicago. The Chicago guy a total foodie who in his 2 weeks proceeded to visit the best 14 restaurants in Lima each night. He had an organised bucket list. 3 course meals with a bottle of wine. He would have spent more on food & booze, in those 2 weeks, than I would have in 6 months in Peru. 

Some interesting yarns between the 3 of us over that time. The host family matriach scolding us if we lapsed into Ingles. That's why I love travelling, meeting other folks, and being exposed to completely different lifestyles. Getting totally out of your narrow minded bubble 
LG
Legend
5.9K
·
24K
·
about 17 years
coochiee
There is actually quite a Japanese communuty in Peru. Even a few Japanese schools in Lima. Lima street where I spent alot of time in lockdown during Covid had a Japanese-Peruvian (guy) couple also stuck there. The Peruvian guy was a muso who had stayed in Japan after touring there, his muso mates had returned to Lima after many years in Nippon.

Peruvians claim they are the cuisine capital of Sth America. They are proably right. One of the most well known resturanats in Lima (well out of my price bracket) Maido is Nikkei cuisine, or Japanese-Peruvian cuisine
https://www.kuodatravel.com/michelin-starred-restaurants-in-lima/#:~:text=Nikkei%20cuisine%2C%20or%20Japanese%2DPeruvian,that%20bridges%20two%20distinct%20cultures.


To me Peruvian food is basic, but really well done & yummy. But then my experience, is just local cheapish restuarants or home cooked food. Not high end stuff at all. It's good, but to me Asian/Indian food has a lot more flavour

Ceviche (can be spicy, Peruvians love some chilli)
Lomo Saltado (sliced beef with tomato and fries on rice)
Papa a la huancaína (potato in a creamy spicy sauce, with egg)
Causa (a filled eg tuna, potato mash) 
Pollo a la Brasa (roasted chicken)

https://www.seriouseats.com/essential-peruvian-cuisine

Peruvians soups are also pretty good. Unless you liked soda stream when you were a kid, or want diabetes avoid Inca Cola. Very average with a bubble gum flavour, but Peru folk love it.

Edit - just before Covid (about Jan 2020) I spent a month living in upmarket Miraflores in Lima. Learning Spanish. The language school organised accommodation with a host family. Me, a Canadian Jewish guy from Toronto & another young guy from Chicago. The Chicago guy a total foodie who in his 2 weeks proceeded to visit the best 14 restaurants in Lima each night. He had an organised bucket list. 3 course meals with a bottle of wine. He would have spent more on food & booze, in those 2 weeks, than I would have in 6 months in Peru. 

Some interesting yarns between the 3 of us over that time. The host family matriach scolding us if we lapsed into Ingles. That's why I love travelling, meeting other folks, and being exposed to completely different lifestyles. Getting totally out of your narrow minded bubble 


Follows this with interest. You like the life styles, which are what we travel for, I like trying the local food when I travelled. More recently I tried South Korean food the other day and my taste buds are still thanking me. Also some Southern Indian dishes 2 days ago, including and awesome vanillary desert.

Lomo Saltado (sliced beef with tomato and fries on rice)
Papa a la huancaína (potato in a creamy spicy sauce, with egg)
This sounds yum.
Legend
7.8K
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15K
·
about 17 years
I managed to get 
  • a beef skewer or barbecue with some seasoning which was delicious.
  • some cerviche which they called Leche de Tigre! It was also delicious, full of different flavours and not too spicy.
  • and some of the roast chicken which was also tasty.
It was all good stuff! 

I think there are some cities or prefectures closer to the centre of the country where there is a substantial Latin American population, including Peruvian. But this is the first Peruvian restaurant I’ve seen anywhere, so it was nice to try some of the tastes. 
Legend
13K
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25K
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over 9 years
I love lomo saltado. Basic but the juicy tomato flavour works for me

A Peruvian will patiently wait about 5 mins before eagerly asking you what is your favourite local dish. It’s a country with a lot of problems, but their food is something that gives them strong pride
Legend
13K
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25K
·
over 9 years
Oh and if you want another Peru-Japan connection Martinb, Peru had an ex-president of Japanese descent. Alberto Fujimori. Basically a dictator. He's in jail like (or house arrest) comically tragic, about 5 of Peru's last 6 ex presidents.

Human rights abuses, murder, kidnapping, embezzlement, abuse of power, bribery and corruption - the main charges against him! He fled to Japan, which wouldn't agree to Peru's extradition orders, but then foolishly he travelled to Chile, and the Chileans sent him on to Peru for his gaol time.

The Marxist rebel group Shining Path took over the Japanese Embassy in Lima during his reign. Was a months long seige and when the army eventually stormed the place, 'none of the rebels surrendered'. Sounds like they were basically executed inside the building. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Fujimori

His daughter Keiko has almost been President a few times. She's also a hugely divisie figure. Latin American politics never a dull moment.

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