Food Fridays - Lima
Lima is making headlines as one of the great places to visit for foodies. From Michelin star restaurants to creative Asian fusion to hearty little local Peruvian eateries, taste buds that visit Lima will not be bored. There is a creative pulse to the food culture here, an understanding between palate, tradition, and experimentation. Our recommendation? Try the grilled meats. Try the seafood. Then try everything else!
Arroz Cremoso de Mariscos - one of our favorite dishes...fresh seafood, spices and rice, smothered in a rich Peruvian cream sauce.
Here’s something that’s hard to find at home. A whole delicious plate of chicken gizzards...from a fast food restaurant...in an airport.
Serrano ham, Edam cheese, tomato, and avocado on toasted bread. This is the ham sandwich done right!
We took a quick stop in Lima’s Chinatown district. The place with the longest line up? A small corner shop serving dim sum delights.
Also in the Chinatown district, we found a restaurant that had only one thing on the menu. This is Sopa rachi: congee with bean sprouts, tripe, and fried dough. When restaurants specialize in one thing, it typically means that they know how to make it very very well. This place did not disappoint!
Looking for something sweet to sip? Try the unique tasting Inca Kola (I’ve heard people describe the flavor as lemongrass or bubblegum, neither quite seemed to fit to me).
Churros and a very thick dipping chocolate. A perfect, cheap after dinner dessert.
A little gelato fix. One scoop of golden pineapple (refreshing). One scoop of menta & muna (Inca mint and dark chocolate) - amazing.
Continuing on with our grilled meats craze…chicken hearts and other assorted organs.
Conchitas a la Parmesana, aka baked scallops and Parmesan cheese. Gooey, chewy, and wonderful.
Lomo saltado is a chifa (Peruvian Chinese) influenced dish. Stir fry some meat, veggies, potatoes, add some special sauce, and serve with rice.
Quite a few of the restaurants we visited served little snacks while we waited for our food, although I could probably snack on the large toasted corn kernels all day.
A Peruvian take on sea food won tons.
We went back three times for this dish (easily our favorite the whole trip). Mushame de Pulpo - octopus with olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Take a cracker, layer on avocado, tomato, and marinated octopus. Enjoy.
A shrimp bisque (chupe) done in southern Peru style. The perfect meal on a chilly evening.
Yes, there is bubble tea in Peru. The flavor? Lucuma with milk.