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.

Known as "Papas a la Huancaina". Delicious when made correctly. Also don´t miss the Aji de Gallina.

Guinea pig can be tasty! I had it in Lima, and I thought it didn't taste funny or odd.. I mean if you know it's guinea pig you think twice, but once the stew came, it's dammn good!

Picca restaurant has garnered rave reviews since it opened last year: Take a look at the menu...
http://www.piccaperu.com/menu/

Further research says that it is a dual cuisine restaurant, hence the Mexican flavor. This disappoints me somewhat.

We loved the food at a Peruvian/Italian place--the menu was extensive and the Peruvian choices were very good. I don't think the food was compromised with the other options. The steak and seafood offerings were especially good. Maybe david_33 will make a few more suggestions! :)

We miss the Mexican place that featured some Venezuelan specialties. The food was not the usual Mexican (no chips and salsa), and they had special dishes for certain holidays/religious observances. Sunday brunch was a treat.

Headed to Peru in a couple of months, Any top dishes to not miss or places near Cuzco to have good food?

Just try everything and figure out what you like. My wife loves a fruit called Lucoma, I can't stand it, so you just have try things. In Cusco you can find cuy ( guinea pig) try it you might like it

Trying local dishes is the great adventure in travel

I think they eat too much meat in Peru.

That's a broad generalization and one that I don't know if I agree with. I tend to think US culture incorporates a lot of animal derived protein in the diet. To have the choice of having meat every meal is more of a staple rather than a luxury.

Tucson
 

If you are ever in Tucson, try this restaurant -

http://www.incascuisine.com/Incas_Cuisine/Welcome.html

agreed!

mentioned here in the Tucson Dining thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/west/...ggestions.html
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The best part of Peruvian cuisine is Pisco sours! And I had guinea pig in Cuzco - not too bad. Much better than the donkey.

My mainstay carwash in Vancouver has a Peruvian cafe inside. Ordered one dish (Peruvian-style lamb w/ rice) and found it subpar. On the next visit I has a Costco chocolate muffin.

Perhaps I was missing something because I was eating Peruvian food inside a carwash, but it is certainly nothing worth eating again.

If you're in Denver, you might want to try this place, Cebiche, that opened up last summer. It's actually in Wheat Ridge, at 38th Ave. just east of Wadsworth.

I drive by there several times a week and it seems to be doing pretty well most evenings.

I'd guess the car wash had something to do with it.

Agreed, I tried Peruvian and is delicious. However, the flavor is not the same as eating in Lima.. If you can afford, try La Mar in SF or NYC. This is gourmet so expect to pay a lot for small sizes meals... But you can try NYC restaurant week all this month to bring the costs down...Peru boast some superfoods: like quinoa, maca, inca peanuts.... I love natural chicha morada, purple corn, delicious. unlike the white corn starchy feel.. it is super light, great to reduce hypertension..

There is a really good Peruvian restaurant in Amsterdam. I can't at all remember the name, but I think it is on Ruysdaelkade. Also one by the Sheraton Pulitzer on Prinsengracht.