Peru – Day 2 – Oct. 17
Because our flight was delayed yesterday out of Atlanta, when we landed in Lima I went straight to the hotel and fell asleep at around 1 a.m. I did not eat breakfast in the morning because I had booked a 4-hour food tour that started at 9:30 a.m. So, this morning I met our guide, who has indigenous, Spanish and Japanese ancestry. He would focus on the Barranco area of Lima. And this was the review I left.
“First of all, David, our guide was not only knowledgeable, but was also warm and sincere. And I not only learned a great deal about the Lima and Peru culinary scene, but also a great deal about Peruvian history and culture, with David adding his and his family’s Peruvian history into the mix. This made the stories very real and personal. And then there was the food itself, which was a delight to eat. We made six stops and every one of them was memorable – from the exotic fruits and chocolates in the morning to the beef and ceviche in the middle of the tour to trying a pisco sour towards the end – all were unique. The four hours flew by. I have done food tours all over the world, and this one was one of the best. Watching one of the chefs cook beef hearts and enjoying them with various sauces was a highlight of the tour!”
I was very lucky. There was only one other person on the tour. That other person happened to be an ROTC student who just graduated from USC in California. She was taking this time to travel before starting her stint with the military as a cyber security analyst. Her goal was to spend one month in each of the following countries – Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Mexico – all on her own. I was impressed.
With new places I always try to book a food tour. The guides not only provide a great introduction to the culinary scene, but also give great insight into the history and culture. For example, during a food tour in Cape Town, South Africa, I was graciously told by our guide which words NOT to use when speaking to locals. These tips are priceless. Our guide provided unique insights I had not gleaned from my pre-trip readings.
During the tour, I had some of the classic Peruvian dishes. My goal is to try all of them before the end of this trip.
I ate so much food during the tour. However, this was going to be the food day of all food days! After doing all of my research on the Lima food scene, I was determined to dine at Central or one of the other top rated restaurants in Lima.
There are five restaurants in Lima that have made the top 50 in the world. They include the current #1 restaurant in the world – Maido. The #1 restaurant in 2016 – Central. Once a restaurant reaches #1, it gets taken off of the list. And currently ranked Mayra at #39, Merito at #26 and Kjolle at #9. I was able to snag a reservation at Kjolle, a sister restaurant to Central.
Pronounced Koi-yay, the name is of Quechua origin, from the word for a high-altitude flowering tree. Kjolle was founded by Chef Pía León, who was the head chef at Central for a number of years. Like Central, Kjolle is more than a restaurant—it’s a culinary exploration of Peru’s biodiversity and identity.
Chef Pía León, who started Kjolle, was recently voted #1 female chef in the world.
I cannot begin to describe the flavors of each of the nine dishes I tried. So, I will not even begin to try. It was indeed a good food day…more food in a day than I have eaten in a long time. It is a good thing I walked 10 miles today!
