Peru

Awicha – Contempory Peruvian Cuisine at its Finest!

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On our last night in Lima we decided to leave the boys at home with the grandparents and enjoy a much needed adults only evening. We met up with C’s close friend Lucho who is the BEST person to go eating with. His knowledge of food is excellent, his enthusiasm is infectious and his appetite – endless.  

He suggested that we go to Awicha which currently is one of his favourite spots in town. Located in an old colonial house in Barranco, Awicha has a homely yet sophisticated vibe to it. It is a small and intimate restaurant specialising in contemporary Peruvian cuisine. Apart from the warm and welcoming décor, the most striking feature of the restaurant is its central kitchen which dominates the dining room – jutting out, a bit like a Captain’s wheelhouse – and allows the chefs to be part of your dining experience.

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My Top 5 Things to do in Lima with Young Kids! (Tried & Tested!)

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We recently came back from a 2 week trip to Peru visiting ‘C’s family – it has been over 6 years since we were last in Peru and a lot has happened to our family since then! We moved to Vietnam, we had our second child Thomas, we have lived through a pandemic and we moved to Belgium! It was also 6 years ago I wrote my last blog entry – so I am sure this post is coming as a bit of surprise to my subscribers who probably thought that The Travelling Chopsticks had disappeared! Almost…but not quite!

Our trip to Peru was also the first time we have been back with our two small children (7 and 3), and it was a VERY different trip than our previous ones. Gone are the care free days of wandering around the bohemian neighbourhood of Barranco on a whim, late night dinners at one of the amazing restaurants that Lima has to offer, and even later night drinks with friends. We now have two little people we need to take into consideration when planning our days, and unfortunately for C and myself sitting for hours on end at restaurants is not something that they particularly enjoy!

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Learning to Cook in Lima!

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As you all know by now – ever since I met C, and he introduced me to the wonder that is Peruvian cuisine, I have been completely and utterly hooked. What came as a surprise to me when I first visited Peru in 2011 (read about my adventures HERE!) was not only how diverse the country is in terms of its population but also how this diversity is represented in their food, especially in and around Lima! Peruvian cuisine has fully embraced, adopted and modified the flavours from the Andes, the Spaniards, the Chinese, the Japanese, as well as Africa and the Middle East.

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How to make Pachamanca – A Photo Essay!

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One of the most memorable trips that I have ever made with C, was when we went up to this tiny Andean village where C’s nanny comes from. It was an unforgettable trip and definitely one that made a huge impression on me.

C’s nanny, Magna took C up to her village a few times throughout his childhood to visit her family. When C grew up, he continued making the journey visiting her family, and usually bringing with him donations and toys, and in return they lavish him with food and love.

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We were shown this old photo of Conrad circa 1982 on one of his visits – isn’t he a cutie?
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Taypa, A Peruvian Restaurant in Brasilia

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Last Saturday, on October 6th it was two years ago since C and I got engaged, the date is especially meaningful to me as it would have been my Grandfather’s 96th birthday as well. For these reasons, and the fact we hadn’t ventured out of our neighbourhood yet, I decided that C and I needed to get dolled up, go to a nice restaurant, eat some good food and enjoy some strong cocktails!

I made reservations at Taypá, a Peruvian Restaurant that I had heard good things about and has won a number of local Restaurant awards over the years. Located in the south of the city, it was about a 20 minute taxi ride from where we live (which in Brasilia is quite a far distance!) Keep Reading

Lomo Saltado – Come Back

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I have received far too many complaints that its been awfully quite  here on the Travelling Chopsticks for a number of months, and I apologise. Although I’m not going to go into any details (as that would just be far too boring and tedious) but it was a combination of travelling, wedding planning, lack of inspiration and general funk that I did not managed to bring fingertips to key board for several months.

However that is all about to change and what better comeback recipe than Lomo Saltado. Lomo Saltado is a classic Peruvian dish, which for me is the perfect example of Peruvian cuisine and its diversity.  An absolute testament  to Peru’s Asian influence which so surprised me when I first got to know C. Essentially it’s a stir fry with strips of beef, onion, tomato, soy, vinegar and potatoes giving this dish a wonderful aromatic flavour yet a punchy kick with the aji (Peruvian chili) and vinegar. Keen on reading

A Peruvian Adventure

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I have been wanting to write about Peru since I touched down in Mexico City a few months ago, but every time I sat down and placed fingertips to keypad, my mind would start to whirl into a mad frenzy. All the sights, sounds, smells and experiences would spin in front of me just out of arms reach – and I found it impossible to pin down my thoughts and form them into anything meaningful.

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