Lima is home to significant world reknown chefs including Gaston Acurio and Virgilio Martinez. While we attempted to get a reservation for CENTRALE, we found many other places to enjoy great food!
First stop POPULAR in Popular in Larcomar "mall" overlooking the beach - Waikiki Beach, as it were. Depth of flavor in the seafood rice, wonderfully seasoned. The Quinoa Bean soup with yucca and other vegetables was heavenly!
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| Mixed seafood rice |
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| Quinoa soup |
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| Fried Octopus, fish and vegetables |
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| That soup bowl was HUGE! |
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| chicken, gizzards, sausage and steak skewers |
That night still a bit weary from our travels we popped into a “fast food” type of chain CHICKEN GRILL or something like that to find flavorful potatoes and well seasoned meats.
MADAM TUSAN is a "chife" which is a fusion of Chinese-Peruvian cuisines which is often Chinese in appearance and presentation though layered with Peruvian flavor profiles. We learned about Gaston’s quest to bring great fusion foods to affordable levels. Through Alfonso we learned about Madam Tusan.
GUINEA PIG. I can’t get past thinking about my childhood pet Mr. Magoo when our guide Alex took us to a highly reputable roadside attraction – if you will, to pick up a “pig on a stick.” The tiny bites I had, meat pulled from the chunk of meat (didn’t want to gnaw on it like Michael) was flavorful, tender but you know…still a pet in my mind. Peruvian’s would
have this delicacy for Christmas feast!
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| Proudly holding his pig on a stick! |
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| "Get your fresh guinea pig, here!" |
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| Andean mint stuffed, then grilled |
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| harmless in a box |
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| They say the Guinea pig is happy to be eaten! |
Our stay at LA CASONA DE YUCAY near Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley was incredibly surprising. Dishes were delicate, light and incredibly seasoned. Beautifully plated.
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Andean cheese foccacia
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| Localized chicken soup with vegetables |
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| Quinoa soup with vegetables |
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| Chili pepper chicken |
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| Sea bass ceviche |
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| Bacon wrapped pork |
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| Peruvian dessert with milk candy, fruit pavlova in background |
BELMOND SANCTUARY LODGE, as with any Belmond property you expect the best. They delivered.
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| Amuse bouche of Andean cheese fritter |
Creamy potato leek soup and salad of mixed greens with Oxapampa panko fried brie, palm hearts, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, pecans, tossed with strawberry balsamic.
"Causas" are mashed potatoes flavored with lime juice formed into bases for chicken with aioli, trout gravlax, rocoto chili with sliced scallops in wasabi mayonnaise, with spinach, octopus, olive tapenade.
Grilled white Paiche with butter and aromatic herbs served with chestnut puree and cajun puree. This whitefish from the Amazon called araipama or pirarucu one of the largest fresh water fish that can reach 9 feet in length and weigh up to 440 pounds.
Grilled alpaca loin, spinach ravioli of Urubamba corn, elderberry sauce and tomato brunoise scented with balsamic acetone.
TONY WILLIAMS, a Mechanical Engineer who loved to “sell” products. It sounded like he owned an engineering company and retired from a healthy and lucrative career in hydraulics.
They were traveling with DEREK JONES who was a retired banker and his new bride of three months, NORMA TEAKLE, a retired medical professional of sorts. They were newlyweds who met, as they say “on the internet” several years earlier. Derek is the straight guy to Tony’s humour whose own sense of humor leaves nothing to desire. Equally quick and finger pointing to Tony dragging him to South Africa to meet a lion, face to face. Literally. Norma always looked crisp and lively at all social portions but hearty in the hikes, walks, and even at our invitation to dance with the tribal women. 
Mr. and Mrs. Lyn as we begun to call them were an interesting couple from Wales, both recently retired dentists, who ski, swim, cycle, photograph and are well traveled, ANDY and LYN HAWKES. Andy is initially more sociable though Lyn holds her own if it’s after 11am, a self-proclaimed non-morning person. She swims twice weekly and admittedly stays clear of alcohol consumption on those days! Andy performed a root canal on a cat, allowing only Lyn to assist.
The 8 of us dined, explored and listened intently to our Naturalist Guide, LUIS ESPIN who is one of the more experienced guides with Napo. I felt fortunate to have him as he never missed an opportunity to educate, share or answer questions or engage in conversation. Even at 20+ years in the tourism industry, he was still reading up on astronomy and constellations. He was expert in guiding us through this tiny tributary our first night as we arrived at Napo only by moonlight (an occasional flashlight) 
