In this time of quarantine, I’ve been trawling the web for funny memes (the first one may be me after a few weeks of teleworking). I include some clean ones (not sure you have enough toilet paper for the filthy ones…) here for your comic relief (I think my favorite comment so far is about the “enthusiast”). Some are thought provoking and some are just what caught my eye.
One thing I have learned from these past few days: humanity can be heartwarming at times.
And that Spock was right.
Food halls: with the advent of Mercado 28, a food court with 10 or so restaurants and bars, is all the rage. It is a food hall, a concept that started trending a few years back in Europe.
This year I see the rise of artisanal bread. Last year, I predicted the popularity of poke. I predict next year is the bubbling of kombucha and homebrews: from kombucha, beer, wine, and other concoctions.
In one year, the trend went from zero-carbohydrate to full-on gluten party. For many years, San Francisco has been famous for its sourdough bread. But sourdough or “masa madre” (mother yeast dough) is one of the most natural ancient forms of raising agent. It occurs naturally if you leave some flour out in the free air. The sourdough made in Lima is less sour than the bread in San Francisco.
There are several artisanal bakers in Lima who give lessons on making bread and sourdough starter. They even give classes in English. Amelia of Buda Bakes (uses sourdough for pizza bases, pretzels, and babka to name a few) and Francisco of Masas Salvaje (they have nine varieties including Andean grains, kiwichi — don’t know what it is either!, parmesan, chocolate, and turmeric) are two that I can think of off hand. The extremely stretchy artisanal bread at El Pan de la Chola is one of the reasons that El Pan de la Chola continues to maintain its place at the top of my list of best restaurants in Lima. 
Lima’s bread artisans make good use of Instagram and Facebook to share visuals of their bread as smello-vision and toucho-vision has not been invented yet. One of the delights of bread is that warm bready aroma and squidgy stretchy texture. 
Six months ago, I posted my top ten restaurants in Lima (that one was based mainly on the insider knowledge. Shout-out to her!), but as I’ve been going to other restaurants on my own, here is an updated list. It is still based on the following: good food, good service–every time, all the time. I’m highly allergic to places that are so famous that it’s impossible to get a reservation (or use a reservation system that puts me right off my dinner). My list is of places that serve Peruvian and “international standard” food (as in, everyone serves a green salad). So, to the list!
And yes, again, I’ve been to Central, Maido, Rafael, and Astrid y Gaston. If you want to try a up-and-comer a la Central, try Statera. It’s the newest offshoot of Noma/Central style food. Foam, baby, foam!
I eat regularly at a few other places, but as the food is not Peruvian (even if they have adapted some of their dishes to accommodate the tastes of Peruvians), I’m not including them on my list. Yet.
I’ve also finally activated an Instagram account for M’s Adventures: madventures.me #madventuresdotme
In Denmark, in the old days, some of the houses had mirrors for the busybodies.
Or perhaps it was so that the homebodies could get their fill of the outside without going outside?
Normally, I would have done lots of googling before moving to a new country but with Peru, I’m playing catchup. Here are some expat sites from a quick trawl on Google:
I’d say the most “famous” is Living in Peru started by a Dane, Carsten Koch: Living in Peru.
Live In Peru: for finding real estate in Peru. The hot spots are Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro, but I’d go for Magdalena La Mar and Lince, if I was looking.
The blog of an expat.
For concerts: http://conciertosperu.com.pe/agenda-conciertos/ (including free ones or “gratis” in Spanish)
And because food is one of the major delights of living in Peru (picarones shown below):Â Peru Delights
***Updated February 19, 2020 to update Spizza’s new address**** So it’s Sunday night and you want to go out for dinner… Here are some of the places that I found. The restaurants are listed by how early you can eat dinner so that if you feel like eating linner/dinner at 5 pm, you can. Many of these restaurants are located in hotels or in Laromar Mall but I’ve noted that if that is the case. More power to you going out to eat on a school night!
MIRAFLORES/SAN ISIDRO/LINCE/MAGDALENA
Siete Sopas, corner of Angamos and Via Expresa, as well as Av. Arequipa 2394, Lince (Open 24 hours; seven days a week): This is a soup restaurant from the chain La Lucha Sangucheria. They have three soups each day. They always have “criolla” and “diet” (chicken soup) and then the day’s soup. It’s advertised on the wall outside so you can see the soup of the day from outside (or just have it memorized like some of my friends… “today’s Tuesday, so not MY soup day.”).
La Vista Restaurant in the JW Marriott Hotel, Malecón de la Reserva 615, Miraflores (Sun: 6AM–11PM)
Franklin, Av. Alvarez Calderón 198, San Isidro (6:30 a.m. — midnight, 365 days a year): American food. Named after Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Paprika Restaurante Lima in the Costa del Sol Hotel, Av. Gral. Salaverry 3060 (Sun: 6AM—11PM)
Social Restaurant & Bar in the Hilton Hotel, Av. la Paz 1099, Miraflores (Sun: 6:30AM–1AM)
La Tiendecita Blanca (Swiss Peruvian), Av Jose Larco 111, Miraflores (Sun: 7AM–12AM)
Tanta in Larcomar Mall, Circuito de Playas 3773, Miraflores (Sun: 8AM–10PM)
Mangos Restaurante in Larcomar Mall, Malecón de la Reserva 610 (Sun: 8AM–12AM)
La Lucha SangucherÃa Criolla in Larcomar Mall (casual sándwich shop) and at various locations including Diagonal 139, Miraflores (Sun: 8AM–12AM)
Restaurante Vivaldi, Av. Camino Real 415, San Isidro (Sun: 8AM—10PM)
Sarcletti Dos De Mayo, Av. Dos de Mayo 1297, San Isidro, (Sun: 8:30AM—11PM)
La Vaca Loca in Larcomar Mall, C.C 18,, Malecón de la Reserva 610 (Sun: 11AM–12AM)
Papacho’s Miraflores (burgers), also in Larcomar Mall and this location: Av. la Paz 1045, Miraflores (Sun: 11AM-10PM)
La Rosa Náutica, Espigón Miraflores, Lima 18, Circuito de Playas (Sun: 12PM–12AM)
Delfino Mar, Jorge Chávez 509, Miraflores (Sun: 12PM-10PM)
Bao? (café with Asian sandwiches), 15074, José Domingo Choquehuanca 411 (Sun: 12PM–11PM)
Restaurante Alfresco, Av 28 de Julio 331 (Sun: 12PM–11PM)
KO Asian Kitchen in Larcomar Mall, Local 207, Malecón de la Reserva 610 (Sun: 12PM–12AM)
Bon Beef, Av. Pardo y Aliaga 596, San Isidro (Sun: 12PM—11PM)
Antica Pizza, Av. Dos de Mayo 732, San Isidro (Sun: 12PM—12AM)
Baco & Vaca, Av. Dos de Mayo 798, San Isidro (Sun: 12PM—12AM)
La Bodega de la Trattoria, Av. Dos de Mayo 715, San Isidro (Sun: 12:00PM—11PM)
Dánica, Av. Emilio Cavenecia 170, San Isidro (Sun: 12:30PM—10PM)
Restaurant Cuarto y Mitad, Av. Los Conquistadores 1266, San Isidro (Sun: 12:30PM—11PM)
SPizza, Luis Arias Schereiber 147, Miraflores (Sun: 12:30PM—10PM)
San Cerefino (Italian-Peruvian), Av Dos de Mayo 793, San Isidro (Sun:12:30PM—9:30PM)
Makoto Sushi Bar & Restaurante, Av. Dos de Mayo 585, San Isidro (Sun:12:30PM—11PM)
Fuji Japanese Food, Av. Paseo de la República 4084, Miraflores (12–3PM; 6–11PM)
La Trattoria di Mambrino in Larcomar Mall (Sun: 12PM-4PM; 6:20 PM–12AM)
Dhaasu, Comida Hindu: Avenida de la Republica de Panama 245.
Tragaluz in the Belmond Hotel, Los Carolinos 118, Miraflores (Sun: 7PM—11PM)
Restaurant Huaca Pucllana, Cdra 8, Calle General Borgoño (Sun: 12PM–4:30PM, 7PM–12AM)
Barra Lima Restaurante, Av. Los Conquistadores 904, San Isidro (Sun:12PM—5PM; 7PM—11:30PM)
La Locanda in the Swissotel Lima, Av. Santo Toribio 173 VÃa Central 150, Centro Empresarial San Isidro (Sun: 12:30PM–3:30PM, 7PM–11PM)
Gioconda Restaurante, Av. Dos de Mayo 570, San Isidro (Sun:11AM—4PM; 7PM—11PM)
BARRANCO
La 73, Av. el Sol 175, Barranco (Sun: 12PM–10PM)
Cala, Circuito de Playas, Barranco (Sun: 12PM–12AM)
CENTRAL LIMA
Cafe Museo Larco, Av. Simón Bolivar 1509, Cercado de Lima (Sun: 9AM–10PM)
SURQUILLO/SAN BORJA
La Panka, Av. Villaran 753, Lima (Sun: 12PM–11PM)
SURCO/LA MOLINA
El Hornero carnes, Av Circunvalacion del Golf 408, La Molina 00012 (Sun: 11:30AM–10:30PM)
El Charrua, Av. Javier Prado Este 5898, La Molina (Sun: 12PM–12AM)
Lima’s main attraction as a city is food tourism. Otherwise, Lima is a pit stop on the route to Machu Picchu. The main reason for Peru’s rise as a gastronomic powerhouse is Gaston Acurio. He, single-handed, has promoted the gastronomy of Peru on to the world stage.
Gaston Acurio (La Mar, Astrid y Gaston, Panchita, Tanta, Madam Tusan, etc,) is the businessman of the chef trinity. The others are Virgilio Martinez (Central and Mil) and Rafael Osterling (Rafael, El Mercado, and Felix Brasserie). Virgilio is the genius of the food scene (all photos are from Central) and Rafael is an excellent cook.
The newest addition is Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura of Maido, currently one of the top restaurants in the world.
These chefs have paved the way for the multitude of chefs working in Lima today: Moma of Jeronimo and Chinka Tu Taco, James Berckemeyer of Cosme. Pedro Miguel Schiaffino of Amaz and Malabar.
Who is next?
Andre Patsias is next…
To make it more useful, I’ve made my blog posting about 100 Must Eat Restaurants in Lima easier to find on my blog. This post is now bookmarked to the front of the page.
The Spanish is slightly different here in Peru. First of all, it’s not Spanish. It’s “castellano” which is a result, I’m guessing, from when the conquistadors came over from Castille. The Peruvians use an incredible amount of slang, but I’m not sure if it’s more than everyone else. Now that I have dreams in Spanish (many of which “no entiendo”), some Lima specific terms are becoming part of my daily language. Here are a few of them:
de frente: in Spanish class, we learned “derecha” for “right” and “de recho” for “straight on” — that won’t work here. If you say “de recho” to a taxi driver here, they will assume you said to turn right and got the vowel wrong. If you want them to go straight, say “de frente”. Not to be confused with “en frente” which is across”.
A doubler – to turn.
Playa: parking lot (yes! so you will find “parking beaches” far away from the water).
Cobrer – to cost/pay.
Palta: avocado
Maracuya: it’s passionfruit but I have to recall the English because that heady scent seems much more of a “mah-ra-coo-yay” for some reason.
Ficho: fancy
Guinasso: F&*(*ing awesome. I think that’s how it’s spelled…
Hallar: hitch a ride
Sencilla (Efectivo/Plata/dinero in other forms of Spanish): for petty cash or small change. There is a lot of fake money here so people prefer coins and small bills.
Barrio versus district: seems to be a matter of “class” — when I referred to Miraflores as my barrio, I was met by giggles of embarrassment. It’s apparently not a barrio, and certainly not in Castillian!
The area around Wilson in downtown Lima is known as the graphic and computer area, but I got a recommendation and tried out Cubo Graphic. 1,000 business cards, double sided, color, for 105 Soles ($32) delivery in Lima included. They would have designed them for me for an extra 20 soles. The cards took two days to order, print, and deliver. The quality of the printing was fine (as the sheen in the photo is because I took the photo of the open face sandwich through the glass counter).
These cards should keep me going until I go adventuring downtown. Who knows what kind of swag I can get printed down there?
Three years ago, when I first ate in Lima, I did not foresee that I’d ever be able to call Lima home. But, after the first 48 hours of constant eating, and the subsequent many visits, eating modern classics (ceviche classico) and trying less famous dishes (pejerrey roe sandwich), my cultural advisor (and friend), said to me one day, “you’ll just have to move here so we can try more dishes.” So I did.
My original posting was written in 2014 but, three years later, I still include the same places in the food tour. I include a photo from El Pan de la Chola, as I did not include that in my original posting, but it is part of my current food tour of Lima for my visitors.
Enjoy!