Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Parque del Periodista, 2nd fl; mains S20-29; closed Sun; )
Belgian chef Kristof is
a straightshooter who isn't prone to merely letting his Peruvian-European fusion cuisine
do the talking. Why eat here? 'In general, it's better than the others,' he says with a grin.
He's right. Dishes like rich stewed beef in black beer on a bed of Belgian fries excel, as
does the chicken with ratatouille and all his fresh pasta. And Kristof isn't afraid to send
out a pisco-laced maracuyá aperitif before plopping down at your table and talking your
ear off. Start to finish, it's a culinary carpet ride on the back of a great chef with a larger-
than-life personality.
Café Andino $
(
www.cafeandino.com
;
Lúcar y Torre 530, 3rd fl; breakfast S8.50-20, mains S7-25;
)
This modern top-floor cafe has space and light in spades, comfy lounges, art, photos,
crackling fireplace, books and groovy tunes - it's the ultimate South American traveler
hangout and meeting spot. You can get breakfast anytime (Belgian waffles,
huevos ranch-
eros
), snacks you miss (nachos!) and the whole scene is the town's best for information
about trekking in the area.
American owner Chris is the go-to java junkie in the Cordilleras and roasts his own or-
ganic beans here. He was the man responsible for first bringing excellent brew to town in
1997, after he showed up a year earlier and had to resort to smashing organic beans
brought from Alaska with a rock in the courtyard of Edwards Inn and straining it through
a bandanna for his morning jolt. Seriously.
CAFE
Chili Heaven $$
(Parque Ginebra; mains S18-35)
Whether you send your appetite to India or Thailand, the
fiery curries at this English-run hotspot will seize your taste buds upon arrival, mercilessly
shake them up and then spit them back out the other side as if you've died and gone to
chili heaven (hence the name). They also bottle their own hot sauces here and bring in
loads of English beers you don't often see. Critical
comida peruana
antidote.
INDIAN, THAI
PERUVIAN
Taita $
(Larrea y Laredo 633, 2nd fl; mains S4.50-15; 10am-3pm)
This atmospheric local's
haunt is an excellent spot to try
chocho,
the alpine answer to
ceviche,
with the fish re-
placed with
lupine
(an Andean legume). It also does
ceviche, leche de tigre
(
ceviche
