Peruvian Cuisine?
 

There's a restaurant near us that serves, "authentic Peruvian cuisine." We're going to try it once Mr. Kipper returns. Looking at their menu online, I'm seeing 2 things:

1. It looks an awful lot like your standard Mexican fare, with a few small twists; and
2. I'm in trouble calorie-wise there.

Is item 1 odd and just their niche? Any suggestions on item 2?

Peruvian cuisine is phenomenal, and I've never thought of it being all that close to Mexican - at least the sort which is served in the US.

Grab some fresh ceviche and some salads. Incredibly healthy, and if done right ceviche is one of the world's great dishes. And I don't even like fish.

Peruvian is no way like Mexican food, so maybe the resturant is trying to reach a larger audience.

If Peruvian you should be seeing ceviche pescado, Arroz con Marisco, Papa Rellena, Anticuchos, Papa a la Huancaína and other dishes. They may also serve a traditional Peruvian Chinese fare called Chifa. You would also expect that they have Inca cola.

Also some of the best peppers in the world so if you like spicey ask for picante on the side.

Yes I have had Peruvian food in Lima, Cuzco and Macchu Pichu. The use of lemon as a cooking ingredient is excellent. I agree with posters above - Peruvian is not like Mexican.

+1000

My SO is vegetarian for over 2 decades and eats ceviche.

I sat next to a Peruvian professor from Upper Michigan on a previous flight. He told me that when there is no Peruvian restaurant, he eats Thai food, which is the closest form to Peruvian because of similarity in spices. He also said his native food does not resembe Mexican food.

Skip the boiled potatoes with cream sauce, but if they make their own chocolate cake, splurge!!

Real Peruvian food is exceptional.. but like lots of mass audience multicultural restaurants, nothing is quite like the authentic stuff.
I've never really had any good Peruvian here in Seattle. REALLY love it in Peru and Chile even..

Agreed!

having just had a Flyertalk dinner at a place that served ceviche, there are some folks that just can't get over the fact that the seafood is not heat cooked.

+6 or whatever it is up to now that Peruvian is not Mexican & vv.

It is well to remember that iconic chef, Nobu Matsuhisa of NOBU restaurant(s) and Matsuhisa, got his training in Peru. He is brilliant in combining Japanese and Peruvian cuisine.

Aren't Peruvians the ones that eat guinea pigs?

It's possible that the restaurant is one of those "dual cuisine" establishments that features the cuisine of both nations. Sometimes it's the owners who hail from the two different country, or maybe a chef who is adept in both cuisines.

When I lived in the Bay Area, we used to go to a husband/wife owned restautant in San Francisco that featured both Mexican and Salvadorean food. The wife was from Mexico and shared the kitchen with her Salvadorean mother in law (the husband ran the front of the house). OMG, the pupusas were to die for :)

The menu might have the chifa variation called Lomo Saltado - yummy!!

There! At least somebody said it!

I've watched one too many episodes of Zimmern or Bourdain, apparently, because that was the first thought that popped into my head also.

Not a problem for me, my wife is Peruvian and there are plenty of good restaurants here in Miami if we don't cook at home. If you get a chance to come here try Ceviche105 a great place for Peruvian with a twist at the right price. If you want high end go to Coral Gables to La Cofradia or Francesco. Plenty of small places all around too.