Exotic Dining - Foamed Parmesan in Lima

 After reviewing the menu, my eye was drawn to the ribeye steak. Normally, I don't expect a ribeye to be the most expensive item on the menu. It tends to be a bit tougher than other cuts of beef. I wondered if there was something special in the way a Peruvian prepared the ribeye to justify the extra cost. But this dish had a side with foamed parmesan, and that intrigued me. What would foamed parmesan look like and taste like?
Sadly, this dish was my only disappointment at the Marriott's in Lima. The ribeye was tough and the sauce could not overcome this basic flaw. The foamed parmesan did add a different look to the dish, but overall was not aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and the taste on the palette was practically non-existent. The side salad had delicate and tasty cherry tomatoes, but were served with sprouts that tasted like weeds.
This meal rates as nourishing, but over-priced and not satisfying.

The Most Important Spanish Sentence

When preparing to travel to Lima, I didn't have much time to brush up on my Spanish. I'd taken 3 years of high school Spanish, I live in California and read bilingual signs all the time, so I thought I'd be OK. I practiced a few phrases with my daughter like Yo quiero Taco Bell, Donde estan los banos, Mi espanol is muy mal and Hablo espanol un poco solamente, which she promptly transformed into Hablo espanol un puerco solamente, to the amusement of all.

However, hard reality struck when I tried to dial the taxi from the airport. I found that hearing people speak a foreign language is very different from reading it. And outside of the hotel staff, very few people spoke English in Lima. I quickly memorized another phrase: Despacio, por favor, or Slowly, please.

The most important phrase (other than Donde esta mi taxi?) that I wish I had learned is Como se deletrea? or Can you spell that please?

Breakfast Buffet at the Marriotts - Lima

 I travel quite a bit and many hotels offer a breakfast buffet. But the breakfast buffet at the Marriott's is unrivaled in my experience.
Imagine, for breakfast, dishes like Pollo a la Caciatore (Chicken Cacciatore), Trucha con Mantequilla negra y Alcaparres (Trout, black butter and capers sauce), Champignoses Galopera (sauteed Galopera mushrooms), Aleman de Nueces y Pasas (a German bread with nuts and raisins), Chirimoya (apple custard). There were at least five different kinds of cheeses and two types of olives plus a wide variety of breads and cakes. It included fruits both common and exotic like pineapple, melons that looked like cantaloupe but taste very different, and a green fruit with seeds called tuna.
The sausages were almost too much for me. I've heard of blood sausage, but I'd never seen it before. The dish was full of purple crumbles and I just could not bring myself to try it. It just looked wrong! But on the other end of the buffet were some colorful sausage links that I did try. They were quite tasty, each a little different in spicing.
The buffet was so satisfying and generous, I found myself skipping lunch a few days.

Sandwiches and Coffee - Late Night in Peru

Some things seem to be universal and universally understood  - girlfriends, shopping, and coffee shops with tasty food. 

My two new girlfriends took me shopping to the Inca Market, a local market where artisans sell their creations. Afterwards, we walked over to a coffee shop owned by a long time friend. They laughed when I counted out all the money I had left after shopping, and offered to tide me over till I could make it to the ATM in the morning. I decided to try the Butifarra, with jamon del pais (country ham), lechuga (lettuce), salsa oriolla and onions. The bread was crispy and light, almost like a croissant. The onions were wonderful, the sauce was delightful and the ham was was perfect. 

They each ordered an apetizer. I didn't write down the names, but they were really tasty. The round ones were a type of potato puff.

Ordering Meals, A Challenge in Lima

Ordering meals in Lima was often a challenge. Sometimes the menu was spanish, sometimes in english, but not always very good english. For example, I'd never heard of Lomo Silvestre,  but I knew Lomo Saltado was very tasty. But what does Lomo mean? Checking the trusty phrase book I find it means back, so that's no help at all.

The menu described the dish as sliced beef sirloin with grilled portobellos and port reduction, served with potatoes, pears and Cambozola Cheese. I know I like beef and mushrooms, but what does "port reduction" mean? And though I'm a long-time cheese lover, I have never heard of Cambozola Cheese. 

The pears were what sold me. I've never had beef and pears before.  As with all the fine restaurants, the presentation was beautiful. The restaurant is at LarcoMar, and what can beat sitting at an outdoor table, overlooking the ocean, on a beautiful clear night? The beef is arranged over a layer of greens and pears sautéed in a delightful sauce. As you enjoy the dish, a new layer of taste treat awaits until you reach the plate below. 

The potatoes were beautiful, of a firm consistency, and melt-in-your-mouth flavor. It was another wonderful dinner in Lima.

Agua sin Gas?

For some people, sin is their favorite four-letter-word. But what does sin have to do with water in Peru?

When traveling abroad, you are always warned to avoid drinking the local water because of risk of gastric distress (also known as Montezuma's Revenge, or less politely "the runs".) When I was preparing for my trip to Latin America, the stats I saw were that up to 40% of travelers suffered from some distress and around 30% had to limit their activities because of it. So I resolved to follow the recommendations and always drink bottled water.
But wait, every Spanish class I've ever taken teaches you the phrases like Necesito un vaso de agua, or
I need a glass of water.  Never in my life have I heard someone explain how to ask for bottled water in Spanish.
Even reading the bottle doesn't help. I know what agua is. And sin, in Spanish, simply means without. But what does gas mean? I pulled out my Spanish-English dictionary, looked it up, and found that gas, in Spanish, means... gas.  A lot of help that was.  Water without gas.
It wasn't until I was shopping a few days later that I figured it out. While reaching for my agua sin gas, I noticed beside it a nearly identical bottle of agua con gas. Then it hit me - gas is carbonation! So if I want a bottle of carbonated water, I ask for Agua con gas, por favor. And if I want just bottled water, I ask for Agua sin gas, por favor.

The Ghost in the Window

Such an intriguing image. The beautiful geometric floor patterns. The elegant flower arrangement in the center. The gift shop beyond. But wait, something is wrong. Is that the ghost of the Larcomar in the corner of the window?

Hotel Art in Lima

As I wandered about the lobby the first few days at my hotel in Lima, I kept heading for the drinking fountain, only to realize it was an alcove displaying a piece of artwork. As there was no placard, the way good art SHOULD be displayed ;-) , I had to go on instincts alone in viewing the piece.

Was it a historical recreation of a piece from pre-Inca days?
Was it a modern interpretation of traditional culture?
Or did the sculptor slip with his chisel, only to rescue the piece with an astute use of rock saw and polisher? 

Lomito Fino al Portobello

The Novotel hotel in Lima has a lovely restaurant that is beautifully arrayed in simple but strong shades of orange and brown, decorated by pottery inspired by ancient Peruvian civilizations.

For tonight's dinner I chose the Beef Tenderloin with Portobello Mushrooms. It was a delight to both eye and tongue. Rather than your usual shapeless blob, the mashed potatoes were a visual treat with portobello mushrooms nestled between layers of tasty, creamy yellow potatoes. The beef was perfectly cooked and dressed with luscious portobello mushrooms and gravy. And the vegetables added both a bright, colorful contrast for the eye, and a crisp, tasty treat for the palate. A perfect blend of flavors for a very satisfying dinner.

Lima Cheese Cake

I am a big cheesecake fan. The Cheesecake Factory is a frequent destination for both pleasure and business dining. In my younger days, a friend tried to bride me to audition for Bard of Cynaugua by promising me cheesecakes at every performance.

So naturally when saw this desert at the Inversiones la Rioja, I had to try it.

Lima Cheese Cake
Warm, with forest fruits lacquered in a purple corn sauce. Served with traditional cinnamon ice cream.

My only hesitation was the ice cream. I love cinnamon in baked goods like Cinnabons, but I don't care for it at all in candies like Red Hots.

I was not disappointed. The cheesecake was lightly fried for a crunchy exterior. The ice cream was rich, creamy and very smooth. The cinnamon permeated the ice cream perfectly and was very satisfying. And the forest fruits had an undefinable exotic flavor that complemented the cheesecake. An extremely satisfying variation on my favorite desert theme.

Alpaca and Andean Potatoes in Peru

What to do for my first dinner in a foreign country, where I do not speak the native language well?

Naturally, I decided to try the hotel restaurant, Inversiones lo Rioja. In the mood for something like but exotic, I tried the Alpaca and Andean Potatoes. The roasted alpaca was served rare. It was tender enough to cut with a fork, with a bit more flavor than beef. The crunchy layers of andean potatoes were thin slices of potatoe fried to a crispy crunch. The arugula salad rounded this light apetizer into a tasty light meal.

Overall, it satisfied the "exotic but satisfying" need.

Portobello Campero in Lima

Portobello mushrooms have become very popular in California over the last 10 years, and for good reason.

As I perused the menu at Portofinos in Lima, the Portobello Campero with Ricotta and Parmesan cheese sounded like promising vegetarian dinner. Beautifully presented, it was sinfully rich. The spinach salad was drenched in a tangy vinagrette-style dressing with a dressing of sauteed mushrooms. And while the portobello mushrooms were smaller than the California variety, the flavor was every bit as powerful.

A very satisfying meal in a beautiful location - overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Peru.

My Scariest Moment in Lima - The Temple

Lima is a beautiful city in many ways, but a frightening city in some ways as well. In California we have "good" neighborhoods and "bad" neighborhoods. In "good" neighborhoods homes and yards are open and airy. In the "bad" neighborhoods you often see bars on the windows of the shops and homes to protect the people living there.

In Lima, the entire city looked like a "bad" neighborhood to my eyes. There are private security guards at the churches, at the hotels, at the grocery stores and at the businesses. Most homes have 8-10 foot high stone or wrought iron fences with barbs, and occasionally electric wire, adorning the top. Even the parking garages have armed guards. And the British travel advisories warn you to be wary of unscrupulous taxi cab drivers due to some unfortunate recent mishaps.

So it was with some trepidation I decided to take a solo trip to the LDS Temple Saturday morning. I was warned it would be a busy day, so my best bet would be to arrive at 7:00 AM, when the Temple opened, for the early morning session. I planned accordingly, allowing for a 30-40 minute taxi ride, and possible delays with the taxi company. The taxi cab picked me up promptly at 6:00 AM and at 6:15 AM pulled over next to a 10 foot tall, black wrought iron fence with  barbs at the top and announced we were here. Granted, I've never been to the temple, but I have seen pictures and those pictures did not look like an abandoned street with a large, scary fence and some garbage scattered about. I found myself in the frightening position of being a woman, alone, at 6:15 in the morning, in  a strange neighborhood, in a strange country where I do not speak the language very well. In a panic, I tried to communicate my concerns to the taxi cab driver. What came out was "Mi seguridad!" as I frantically flipped through my phrase book trying to find the right words to say.  The driver began to understand, and offered to take a look around for me. After about a minute, he hopped back in the driver's seat, said something encouraging, then proceeded to drive around the corner. There, to my relief, was the entrance to the temple. I paid the driver, happily hopped out, and walked onto the Temple grounds. All fear and worry was gone. I knew I was home.

Human Sacrifice is Next to Godliness?

If sacrifice is a godly trait, then would human sacrifice be the most godlike type of sacrifice?

That would seem to be the theme in many ancient Peruvian cultures.

I toured the Museo de Larco in Lima. It is the most comprehensive collection available for public viewing. The metals, textiles and pottery are incredible.

But as my tour guide walked me through the Chimú, Moche, Cajamarca, Huari , Pukará, Paracas and Inca cultures, the theme of human sacrifice arose again and again. In earlier cultures, sacrifice was simple. They just threw the victims off the top of the mountain and left the broken bodies lying below.

In later cultures, most notably the Incas, the practice evolved into a formal ritual. There were ceremonial weapons used for draining the blood of the victim. There was a special plant used to prevent coagulation of the blood. And the culmination of the ritual, after the cup of blood had passed through many hands, was the drinking of the blood by the priest.

Lima Traffic - Three Eyecatchers

Being from the United States, I, like my fellow Americans, tend to take our way of life for granted. Living near Silicon Valley and the state capital, "Bay Area driver" is one of my frequent curse words.

But Lima is a very different story. I arrived early Monday morning, and my only "tourist time" was a photo travelogue-by-taxi-cab as I was driven from the airport to my office.

The first contrast with SF or SMF airports is the traffic. The Lima airport is a very small international airport. Taxis are not allowed to actually drive in front of the airport. They stand out front of the exit with a little sign that has your name on it. Once they find you, you have to walk across a large parking lot to where the taxi cab was parked.

Unlike Bay Area and Sacramento traffic, surface traffic in Lima is always thick, morning and night. But not to worry, every time you stop at a traffic light, a friendly vendor walks up and down the streets offering to sell you newspapers, chocolate, or pastries .

The third thing that caught my eye was the minivan . Not only was it battered and dented, but in a van the size of a 2001 Honda Odyssey I counted 5 rows of seats behind the driver, with 3-4 people in each row. Do the math: there were 23 Limans in the amount of space 7 Americans expect to sit in California.

Riding a taxi cab in Lima is a very different experience from driving California.

If You Like Piña Coladas

There is a very popular song by Jimmy Buffet that goes like this.

If you like piña coladas
And getting caught in the rain...

Sadly, I'm not fond of Jimmy Buffet and I DO NOT like coladas (coconuts.) However, I LOVE
piñas (pineapples.) In California that means I usually drink orange juice.

Imagine my delight to find that in Lima freshly made pineapple juice has been available at every restaurant I've eaten at. When the server asks what I would like to drink (¿Qué te gustaría beber?) the melodic sound of jugo de piña rolls off my tongue.

The Call of the Ocean

After a long day at the office, I was ready to relax. Tired an hungry, I dodged buses and taxis to cross the street. As lovely as the JW Marriot is, after a week it begins to feel like homeand I wantedto escape.

As I walked into the mall, I began to relax. As hungry as I was, I found the Tony Romas beconing. But it wasn't quite right. I can have Baby Back ribs in California any time.

I tried another restaurant, but don't speak enough Spanish yet to ask for an outdoor table.

It was then I realized the sea was callling me. I wanted to sit in the fresh air and listen to the sound of the waves rushing in.

I found a new restaurant, sat down, and relaxed. What a beautiful, majestic thing is the sea.

Lima - City of Three Surprises

Three things surprised me about Lima.

1. As I sit typing this block entry, a short fireworks show began across the street, for no apparent reason.

2. When you order pineapple juice (jugo de pina), the waiter asks if you want it chilled or fresh.

3. Tuna is a green fruit, not a big fish.

The World's Favorite Chicken - in Lima

Day 3 in Lima. My Spanish is improving un poco. I've learned to say things like "I don't see my taxi" (No veo mi taxi.)

After the wonderful meals I've had so far, I find I'm not very hungry tonight. I'd rather dive into the hotel's pool and get some exercise, so I decided to try some fast food, Lima style.

Kitty corner across the street from the JW Marriott Hotel is America's favorite chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken. It has the familiar red & white logo and the Colonel's picture out front. I walked in dreaming of buttermilk biscuits, one of my favorite treats. Unfortunately for me, that love is not shared by the Peruvians in Miraflores. I tried to order the corn poppers, but got chicken nuggets instead. And when I tried to pay, it seemed the world had come to an end and it was my fault. You see, when I took a cash advance at the ATM this morning, the smallest bill the machine dispensed was a S/.50 or 50 Sol note. With today's conversion rate, that is worth about $17.85, not a lot of money.

Judging by the reaction at KFC, $17.85 is, in fact, quite a lot of money in Miraflores. The cashier's eyes got large. The entire restaurant staff came over and just stood and stared at the bill in her hand. They finally found someone who speaks just a little English. He asked me if I had anything smaller. I dug out a S/.10 note and sighs of relief were heard all around. My husband emailed me later with "Good job, Twoflower. Show everyone the golden Rhinus. :)"

I wonder what would have happened if I'd handed over the S/.100 note?!

The Best French Onion Soup - In Peru?

While I've never been to France, I fell in love with French Onion Soup on my honeymoon. I'd been a vegetarian for twelve years, and the love of my life was racking his brains to find a way to treat his new bride to a luxury dinner in San Francisco. He settled on the Equinox in the Hyatt. This fabulous rotating restaurant provided a stunning view of the San Francisco Bay along with a French Onion Soup that can almost be described as a religious experience: rich, full of flavor, drowning in mozzarella toasted to a delicious crunch, with a few slices of gourmet French Bread waiting to surprise and delight at the bottom of the bowl. Though many times I've tried, I've never found another restaurant that can compare to the combination of young love and wonderful food.

This week I find myself in Peru, with my beloved husband on the other side of the globe from me. Exhausted from a long day at my office, I decided to take a walk in the seaside mall in Miraflores. None of the restaurants looked quite right, so I wandered until I came to the restaurant at the edge of the mall. I thought I was in the mood for a steak and sauteed mushrooms, but instead the Sopa de Cebolla Francés (French Onion Soup) caught my eye. While dinner for one is not very romantic, I soon found myself relaxing to the roar of the ocean as I watched the waves from my table. When the server placed the bowl in front of me , it was beautiful, though a much lighter brown than French Onion Soup in California. But when I plunged my spoon in, it came back laden with slivered onions and drizzly melted mozzarella. A moment to cool, then the first taste as the spoon slipped between my lips. Heavenly! A perfect blend of sweet onions and broth, with the creamy richness of lightly toasted cheese - and a texture rarely found in French Onion Soup. By the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, I believe I enjoyed an entire onion, one bite at a time.

While young love can never be recaptured, it does mellow with age to become richer and deeper, like a fine wine. And while truly outstanding French Onion soup is rare, I'm delighted that at least twice in my life, I've enjoyed this special experience.