Lima, the best culinary experience
The
first destination for the travellers to Peru is Lima, its capital city and center of South America during the colonial times
when it was called the City of Kings. Here you will discover its friendly and
lively people, rich culture and superb food. Lima is a metropoli of changes,
place of contrasts and show case of all Peru. Once called the Garden City, Lima
is a city to love or hate, where you will find space and time for doing
everything. Being a neversleeping metropoli, its nightlife is full of fun and
joy, and as choices are wide, contact with nature is possible at one or two
hours of distance!
One
of Lima's main attractions is its delicious cooking; quality food is found
everywhere and it is not necessary to only go to the most expensive restaurants
to enjoy a good meal. Lima's cuisine has managed to incorporate many influences
and has made many traditions of its own. Its cuisine is exemplified by a huge
diversity: Native American, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Arab, African and a
great variety of flavours from other parts of Peru.
With
restaurants of all budgets and a wide range of cuisines -- from upscale seafood
restaurants and comida criolla (coastal Peruvian cooking), to Chinese and
plenty of Italian, French, and other international restaurants. Sometimes
entire streets and neighborhoods specialize in a single type of food. In Lima
Centro, you can visit the chifas of Chinatown, and in Miraflores, a pedestrian
street off Parque Central (Boulevard San Remo) is referred to as "Little
Italy" for its scores of look-alike pizzerias and Italian restaurants.
Don't mind the restaurant menu hawkers; it's touristy but also lively and fun.
Miraflores
is without a doubt the area with the most commercial activity and where
tourists generally head to. Filled with shopping malls, cinemas, hotels, it
boasts the highest concentration of cafes in Lima. Located along a sloping
shoreline, its surrounding promenade leads to the beaches and parks along with
the new shopping complex, Larcomar.
Originally,
San Isidro was an upper class residential area where the scenic neighbourhoods
are arranged around attractive parks of large, stately trees, such as Olivar de
San Isidro, and El Club de Golf. Today the area is best described as a shopping
and financial district, with elegant hotels and restaurants, where streets such
as Calle Miguel Dasso provide respite from the bustle in the many cafes ideal
for quiet conversation, delicatessens for a quick bite or even a Turkish bath.
The Ovalo Gutiérrez district is also alive with shops, cafes, and other
activities and is especially popular among those who enjoy savouring the finer
foods in life.
The
historic district of Barranco lies between Avenida Bolognesi and the malecón
(quayside), where mid-19th century streets, parks and gardens can be enjoyed.
Follow the seafront southward to the beaches lining the coast, to arrive at the
Bajada de los Baños (Slopes of the Baths), a romantic location to savour
typical local dishes, or enjoy a drink while gazing out over a beautiful ocean
view. The Parque Municipal is found just past this area. Retaining the
aristocratic airs of yesteryear, most of Barranco's cafes, restaurants, bars
and pubs housed in mansions are clustered around this plaza.
You
can't really go to Peru -- especially Lima -- without sitting down for an
irresistibly fresh plate of ceviche, the tantalizing plate of raw fish and
shellfish that's marinated in lime or lemon juice and chile peppers, and served
with toasted corn, sweet potato, and raw onion. The citrus juices
"cook" the fish, so it's not really raw the way sushi is. “Tiradito” The
popular inventiveness came up with an idea for a dish similar to the cebiche
but without the onion chips. Preparation is the same of that of the cebiche;
though instead of cutting the fish into small pieces, it is cut into strips.
Plenty of restaurants of all stripes -- from lowly neighborhood joints to
snooty fine-dining spots popular with government bureaucrats and visiting
businessmen -- offer ceviche, but you really have to go to an authentic
cevichería for the true experience. In addition to Segundo Muelle and Canta
Rana, others worth checking out are Alfresco, La Mar , Costanera 700, La Red , Pescados Capitales, Santo
Pez, Punta Arena, El Buzo, and much more...
Cebiches & Tiraditos
SOME APPETIZERS
Causa
rellena [ Dough of yellow potato seasoned with chilli
and stuffed with tuna. It can also be stuffed with chicken. Served with lettuce
leaves, olives, avocado, corn and
hard-boiled egg. In some first class restaurants it is presented with pulp of
crab.
Papa
a la huancaina [ Boiled yellow potatoes with a
hot pepper, and cheese sauce. (It is
important to mention that yellow potatoes grow only in Peru, they have
an unique soft texture and flavor. The most popular potato in other countries
is quite white and different texture and flavor.)
Anticuchos
[ Pieces of beef heart, macerated in vinegar and spices, threaded in cane
skewers. Grilled and served hot. Served with corn, yam or potato boiled with
hot pepper sauce. In the popular neighborhoods its frequent to see to
"anticucheras" in walking carts that prepare and sell the anticuchos
outdoors also serving the Peruvian dessert " picarones ".
Conchitas
a la parmesana [ large sweet sea scallops quickly broiled with a crispy topping of
parmesan cheese sauce.
SOME MAIN
DISHES
Lomo Saltado [ Painted hills tenderloin beef strips, wok fried with onions, tomatoes,
soy sauce, aji peppers and French-fried potatoes, served with rice.
Tacu
Tacu [ Delicious fried pancake made of mixed
white rice and mashed red beans served with tenderloin beef. In wealthier
confines, these can be served with foie gras, or stuffed with a shellfish
sauce.
Aji
de Gallina [ A tangy creamed spiced sauce
with chicken served with rice, yellow potatoes and hard-boiled eggs.
Arroz
con pato [ Traditional Peruvian cilantro moisten rice and duck. This dish is also
served with chicken instead of duck.
SOME
DESSERTS
Suspiro
de Limeña [ Typical creole dessert made with
milk, eggs, sugar and port wine, covered with a meringue.
Picarones
[ Sweet lumps of fried batter
served with molasses.
Guargueros [ They’re
made with a light sweet fried dough in tubular form, filled in at both ends
with manjarblanco and sprinkled with powdered sugar..
Pie de Lucuma [ Pie stuffed with milk, sugar and
lucuma fruit. (The Lúcuma is a fruit
native of Peru and is used in many desserts and is the favorite as ice cream.)
Mazamorra
Morada [ Purple corn pudding with dry
fruits.
DRINKS
PERU
is very famous because of its Pisco
(grape liquor) and wine; a good alternative for your trip could be a visit to
the wine cellars of Ocucaje, Tacama, La Caravedo , Vista Alegre, and the artisan ones. In these places you
will be able to learn all the process of the Pisco and the wine.
Peru’s
national drink is PISCO SOUR, witch is made with PISCO, lemon, egg white and a
dash of cinnamon is effectively Peru’s margarita: tasty, refresing, an
ubiquitous. Pisco is also taken straight or with others combinations. Other
favorite drink is “Algarrobina cocktail” which is made with Pisco, milk and the
essence of the algarrobina berry with
grows in the north of Peru.
It is impossible to leave Peru and not feel nostalgic for our tasty
temptations.
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