Peru: Hiking and Food Paradise

After departing Mexico City we were on our way to Peru! Our travels would take us to Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Urubamba in the Sacred Valley, and then back to Cusco, before heading home. Peru was an incredibly beautiful and diverse country in terms of geography, culture, and cuisine. We encountered beautiful scenery, welcoming people and a host of cuisines that left us more than satisfied.

Lima

Lima is reputably know for being an ugly city. Despite the harsh reputation, I have to agree that it was not the most aesthetically beautiful city I have visited. However, Lima is also known for being one of the best food cities in the world with notable cuisine such as ceviche, pisco, and nikkei. In addition to hosting famous restaurants such as Astrid y Gaston, Central, and La Mar (which has an outpost in San Francisco, coincidentally). We stayed in Barranco, a neighborhood in south-west Lima. Jon and I both liked the area. It was smaller and more manageable with lots of bars, restaurants, and coastline.

Our first food destination, was of course, ceviche. Upon recommendation from the New York Times travel guide, we headed to a hole in the wall cevicheria in Miraflores called Hijo de Olaya.

This was everything we were hoping for, and more. The plate above consists of fried calamari, chaufa (Peruvian fried rice with seafood), and a spicy ceviche (served with corn and sweet potato). The ceviche itself was outstanding. The fish was extremely fresh and tender. Leche de tigre is the citrus based marinade that cures the fish, and this one was just perfect. It was tangy, spicy, but not overwhelming. And the chaufa was a very pleasant surprise. This was the best ceviche both of us had ever tried, and made most ceviche dishes in the U.S. look like the "take-out" version.

Below is a pisco sour from our dinner at Isolina Taberna Peruana in Barranco. This restaurant was modern yet charming and had the best pisco sours of the trip, albeit very strong (this may be a plus, depending on your preference).

For dinner we shared a version of Lomo Saltado, but made with tripe. As scary as this may sound, I can tell you that it was amazing! The service at the start of our meal was a little rocky, but the staff recovered and the quality of the food and drinks more than made up for it. Afterwards we bar hopped and went to La Posada del Angel and Ayahuasca, two bars on the same block, in order to test out their pisco sours. Barranco provide a plethora of options to choose from and we had a great night exploring.

For the next night, we had made reservations at Astrid y Gaston a month in advance. But unfortunately, due to some poor timing and illness, we had to cancel our plans. We instead took it easy that day and went to an early dinner at a local restaurant called La 73 Paradero Gourmet. It turned out to be quite good and a lively spot filled with locals.

On the left is anticuchos with creamed corn and potato croquettes. Anticuchos is beef heart roasted on a skewer (don't be intimidated, it is really tasty). On the right is a grilled octopus served over olive oil mashed potatoes. Both dishes were delicious. It was comfort food at its finest, Peruvian style.

Cusco

We spent the most time in Cusco. This was ideal given that it was our favorite city of the trip. It is distinct from anywhere I had been with cobblestone streets, Andean culture, and alpacas walking the streets. Not to forget the delicious food, of course. I will highlight a few.

The main square in Cusco, Plaza de Armas, at dusk.  The winters in Cusco are dry and warm during the day, but very cold at night. Be prepared!

Our favorite lunch stop was a sandwich shop in the San Blas neighborhood, called Juanitos. This was a cheap and delicious lunch option. We went twice.

Above is the San Pedro market. It was bustling with locals and tourists alike, selling everything from alpaca blankets, to roasted guinea pig and fresh produce. Definitely get some fresh squeezed juice while you're there!

We went to lunch near our hotel at Pachapapa, which serves traditional Peruvian cuisine. You can even order a whole roasted guinea pig! Instead, we ordered rocoto relleno, the Pervuian version of a stuffed pepper, shown on the left. On the right is a causa, which is a layered potato dish. Here it is served with tuna and avocado. This is a unique dish, which I enjoyed while Jon wasn't a huge fan. This is a good restaurant to try out some local cuisine and sit outside in a sunny courtyard while doing so.

This is Plaza San Blas which frequently held artisanal markets. There are many restaurants on the square, including Pachapapa.

Here is a great view of Cusco on the hike up to Saqsaywaman. Just across the street from the entrance is a small shop with a patio overlooking Cusco. We stopped for a Cusqueña, a popular Peruvian beer. We actually ended up skipping Saqsaywaman due to the exorbitant entrance fee and hiking up to the Cristo Blanco instead, which also had a great view.

For our last night in Cusco we went to a Peruvian steak house, Marcelo Batata, that served alpaca rather than beef. When cooked properly it is fairly tender and tastes similar to lamb. On the plate is a mashed potato, alpaca, a very spicy pepper (as Jon can testify after biting off a large piece) and a quinoa risotto. This was the perfect last meal of the trip and pretty affordable as well.

General Tips:

• The weather varies widely, pack accordingly!

• Altitude sickness is real. Trust that it will take you a few days to acclimate. Drink lots of water and coca tea.

• The hike to Cristo Blanco although not far, is steep and can be difficult if you are still acclimating to the altitude. But the view is great, and free!

Restaurants:

• La Bodega 138: An Italian restaurant that had good beer and decent pizzas; appropriate if you need a respite from traditional Peruvian food.

• Pachapa: Good lunch spot with a courtyard in San Blas; serves traditional Peruvian cuisine.

• Juanitos: Cheap lunch option; really delicious sandwiches and lots of options; highly recommended!

• Marcelo Batata: Peruvian steak house; a nice but affordable restaurant where you can try alpaca that is well prepared.

• Cicciolina: We had a really nice meal here. I wanted to put up pictures but it was dimly lit and thus was poor quality. This is a great option for a nice meal. Tip: we didn't have reservations but were able to get a table in the bar area. Also try the Peruvian scallops!

Cafes and Bars:

• Norton's Rat Tavern: An English style pub; recommended not so much for the bar itself but the great balcony overlooking the Plaza de Armas; try a Peruvian craft beer!

• Limbus Bar: This bar is in a hostel, way up the hill in San Blas; it has an amazing view of Cusco with large glass walls; we watched the sunset while playing cards.

• Qucharitas: Cute ice cream shop and cafe; I made Jon come here twice so that I could satisfy my sweet tooth.

Machu Picchu

We took the train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes and stayed in the base camp for one night. Below is a picture of the town and river from where we were playing cards. My one recommendation for food in Aguas Calientes would be an Italian restaurant called Incontri del Pueblo Viejo. As random as this may seem, they make their pasta homemade and it was actually pretty tasty. It was also the perfect "carb load" for the night before the hike.

Here we are at the top of Huayna Picchu, looking down on Machu Picchu. If you like to hike, this was one of our favorite activities of the trip. It was a steep ascent but incredibly beautiful and worth the sweat.

The classic view of Machu Picchu. This was one of the most incredible places I have been, and pictures do not do it justice. I would advise going as early as possible, especially in the dry season, as it does get very crowded.

Urubamba

Upon leaving Aguas Calientes we took the train to the Sacred Valley for a few nights in Urubamba. As a birthday gift (it was my birthday on the trip), my parents booked a room at Tambo del Inka for a relaxing few days at the end of our trip. The hotel was amazing, as you can see below. We spent lots of time by the pool rejuvenating.

For dinner one night, we headed into the town to el Huacatay. This was a small and very inconspicuous restaurant. We entered off the side of a dark street and were greeted by a warm courtyard strung with lights and friendly staff. The food and atmosphere went beyond our expectations, and it was one of our favorite meals of the trip.

On the left is a mushroom and alpaca lasagna. On the right is grilled river trout with caramelized leeks and quinoa. This was truly a hidden gem in this small town in the middle of the Sacred Valley.

Overall, our trip to Peru was incredible. Every city provided its own unique charm. The food we ate was consistently good. Aside from the food, the country was beautiful, the people were nice, and logistically we had no issues. Machu Picchu blew me away, and I feel so lucky to have been able to experienced such a place.

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