dishes – M's Adventures

Contact info for drivers, dentists, estheticians, mani-pedi, waiters, classes, chocolate, vets, furniture-makers, and other services you might be looking for while living in Lima. Some of these are services I have personally enjoyed and others are highly recommended. Most like Whatsapp as a form of communication. If they do not speak English and you don’t speak Spanish, use Google translate. (A note on Peruvian names: Peruvians spell their names with a creativity that has been written about in the national newspapers. So John can be Jhon, Jon, Yon, Yhon, and beyond.) To learn about some of these entrepreneurs, watch my video about them on the video page of this website or on YouTube.

CATERING/Waitstaff

Private chef and sommelier: Jasmine (speaks English): 944 534 074

Catering: Try Miski: 965 217 210

Waiters: Jhon Vasquez owns JJ Waiters (speak English): 993 163 866

Javier is a professional waiter. His daughter is also a waiter and she speaks English: 999 185 037 (about 100 soles for an event)

CLASSES (food and drink)

Chocolate and coffee classes at El Cacaotal with Amanda and Felipe. They speak English: 937 595 812, 939 447 367

Cooking classes: Sky Kitchen: 943 701 874

Buda Bakes: Amelia speaks English: 921 924 236

Masas Salvaje for sourdough breads, beer, and classes: Francisco speaks English: 933 790 881

Wine tastings: Jasmine (speaks English): 944 534 074

Wine tasting classes and certification in enology, and sensory analysis classes, try taking class with Jorge (speaks English) the Peruvian Sommelier School: eps@sommeliersperu.edu.pe

WineBox, owned by Gonzalo (speaks English) also does monthly subscriptions of wine delivery to your house.

DRIVERS

Most taxi drivers can be hired per hour or for the day (30 soles per hour is the normal rate).

Yuberlyn: 923 484 172

Orlando (speaks English): 936 034 508

Michael (speaks English): 979 349 077

GUIDES

Brenda Ortiz (speaks English): graffiti tours and other tours of Barranco: 962 373 975

Miller (speaks English) has a fleet of vehicles and guides: 977 654 348

Dyan: While not a professional guide, she can take you for a hike, or fishing, or babysit your guests around town (speaks English): 937 210 084

PERSONAL HYGIENE SERVICES

Again, there are many places to get all these things done. But these are some that I know of.

Dentistry: Dr. Angeles speaks English: 998 237 144

50 soles for a checkup and cleaning with Dr. Miriam: 991-590-656.

Hair: Many places, but try Mariela who makes house calls: 942-961-464.

Thomas Bennett is an American hair stylist, speaks English: 970-740-639.

Mani-pedi: Monica is the best: 950-070-925. She makes house calls. About 60 soles for a mani-pedi.

Massage: Whatsapp Dora and she will send someone for massages and facials: 999-353-381

Facials: Brian Douglas speaks English: 987-727-133

PETS
Vets: For international transportation, I’ve heard good things about Petwings.

For house calls, Dr. Cols speaks English and can get your pet’s papers in order as well: 959-189-949.

SHOPPING

Like in many places, if you like to customize, personalize, design, then you can do that here, at reasonable prices. Let the inner designer out!

Ceramics: want those plates from Central? Jallpa Niña is the most famous store that sells ceramics but you can also find it at Dedalo and other locations. Almost all of these vendors only speak Spanish which is a good mix with Google translate.

Fashion (clothes/shoes/jewelry/handbags/leather): there are so many places that can make you hand made clothes, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and leather products. Here are some:

— seamstress: there are many shops, or try Miriam: 957-383-230

— jewelry: many places on Petit Thouars avenue. Try Petit Thouars Avenue 5321, interior shop 103. 100 soles for custom made earrings and 200 soles for a custom made necklace.

— handbags, shoes, furniture, and leather repair. Try Luis: 981-025-192

— shoes: Kaleydo shoes has ready to wear but you can also design your own. Carla also speaks some English: 988-027-111

Furniture: can be bought ready made at places like Don Bosco. They can also make customized furniture. Some of highly recommended furniture makers are Casa Rustico (Juan Carlos at 977-188-057), and Tharina Kaspi. Customized furniture is not cheap but you can get what you like and it will be cheaper than in many other countries (U.S., Germany, Australia). You can also get your furniture repaired and refurbished here. I even had a “vintage” plastic poof re-sewn, re-stuffed, and re-polished, by a shoe repairman. He also re-upholstered a footstool and added a leather seat.

Frames: get your photos, awards, diplomas, etc. framed here. There are many, many, shops that frame. A diploma sized goldish frame is about 50 soles ($17).

Metal: it seems like every street has a metal working shop. Every building has a handmade door so, you could get one too. Or get a headboard or staircase made. The only limits are your Spanish skills and patience.

Fabric and yarn: alpaca, llama, and vicuna products are the main shopping item in Peru, but you can find fabric and yarn by the yard in Gamarra, La Victoria. This district is infamous but after the mayor cleaned it up, it is on its way to gentrification. The fabric can still be bought for great prices. A yard/meter of fleece for 6 soles (under $2).

Souvenirs: at Dedalo, Las Pallas, and at the Inka Market/Indian Market/Inka Plaza etc. on Petit Thouars. These stores also sell high end items and ceramics.

Other things: black salt, mangosteen, anyone? I wrote about it somewhere…

A classic potato dish in Lima is “causa” which translates as the “cause” or fight. But, it can also mean “buddy.” I took some photos while a buddy of mine and her mom made “artisanal” causa… as in homemade (which is one of the points that mega-phone of Peruvian cuisine, Gaston Acurio champions, although you can follow his recipe here). It took them more than three hours. Here is the recipe (sort of) as the grandma making the dish doesn’t use measurements (hence the artsy part of this) and it took so long that I went off to take a nap.

4 large chicken breasts

24 large Peruvian Yellow potatoes

a cup of celery

a large carrot

2 white onions

yellow Peruvian chili paste

salt & pepper

2 avocado

4 tomatoes

red pepper

parsley

pitted black olives

Cook the chicken in water with chopped onion, celery, and carrot, and a pinch of salt (large pieces are fine). Boil until chicken breasts are cooked (40 minutes). Pull out chicken breasts and let cool.
Boil yellow potatoes. When boiled, drain and peel as soon as you can as the peel is easier to remove when the potato is hot.
Remove the strings off the celery and chop very fine.
Chop half a white onion very fine.
Chop/pull the cooked chicken breast.
Mix the chicken meat with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, onions, and celery.
Crush by hand the cooked and peeled potatoes. Crush until they are smooth and have a creamy texture. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice, and chili paste. Keep tasting it until it tastes right.
In a large lasagna pan (or use a glass, whatever), build your causa. Bottom layer is potato, then the chicken salad, then avocado, then tomato, and then another layer of potato. Use a fork to make a design on the top and decorate with parsley, red pepper slivers, and black olives. Eat straight away or keep in fridge until it “settles” and gets even tastier.

There are other types of causa with crab, shrimp, egg, but chicken salad is typical in Lima. The Lima thing to do is to eat this as an appetizer and then follow with “aji de gallina” which is rice with stewed chicken, another classic dish from Peru.

Tag: dishes

Recipe for How to Make Chicken Causa