I’m on the bus to Lima, the last stop on my tour of Peru. This fun lasts 21 hours. After all, in ultra-comfortable seats, just as comfortable as business class seats on an airplane. Shortly before Lima we pass a dusty, sandy desert-like landscape on the coast. In addition, thick clouds and no sunshine. Right in the middle are countless completely empty new buildings – a holiday resort was probably supposed to be built here, but the plan has obviously failed.
The feeling of sadness continues in Lima, because although it is located directly on the Pacific coast, Peru’s capital is one of the cloudiest metropolises of all. On average over the year, the sun even comes out a little less often than in the bad weather capital of London.
But I’m not in Lima because of the weather, but because of the cuisine. After all, the people here claim to have the best cuisine in all of South America. And of course they are proud of the national dish, ceviche. This culinary delight consists of marinated raw fish, so don’t treat yourself to just any corner, but rather to a trustworthy establishment.
Corvina or sea bass is often used for this, which is traditionally served only in a lime juice marinade with fresh onions, chili peppers, a little parsley, salt and pepper. Typical side dishes: a piece of boiled potato and roasted and boiled corn kernels. Very simple and yet incredibly delicious.
Culinary delights can be taken to the extreme by ordering ceviche for lunch as part of a combinado menu. Namely in the best fast food place in town: “Al Toke Pez”. At least that’s what the Netflix documentary series “Streetfood” claims. It portrays people around the world who have made a name for themselves with good street food.
The owner of this small shop has ancestors from Japan. His father ran a fancy restaurant in Lima. However, the son preferred to do his own thing and offer good food at affordable prices. At the latest since Netflix broadcast this story worldwide, the restaurant with less than ten seats has been buzzing. It’s always full at lunchtime – if you want to get in, you get a small waiting card.
Because “Al Toke Pez” is less than a ten-minute walk from my accommodation, I allow myself the fun of seeing the quality of the food for myself. Of course, I line up like all the other tourists who found out about this nondescript shop via Netflix. If you don’t feel like waiting, the food will be delivered to you within a few minutes, perfectly packaged to take away.
The menu is straightforward, with most ordering the three-piece combinado, which includes ceviche, seafood fried rice, and fried squid chips, plus two homemade dips. The huge portion costs 25 Peruvian soles, just 6.30 euros.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Al Toke Pez serves one of the highest quality dishes in the world with probably the best value for money. So it seems almost outrageous that they charge just as much for a run-of-the-mill meal from an American fast-food chain a few blocks away.
Lima met my high culinary expectations, even on the other days when I tried other specialties such as rocoto relleno (a hot, not to say extremely hot, pepper) in more expensive restaurants. However, I did not dare to try another Peruvian national dish: Cuy chactado – guinea pig, the meat of which is grilled on a skewer and plastered on almost every corner in Lima.
The weather surprised me. Unexpectedly, on the last day of my visit, the sun made an appearance while I was exploring the Miraflores coast. From the small café “Beso Francés” head north along the cliffs. One park follows the next, with an old lighthouse in the middle.
If you are courageous, and there are many, you can go on one of the popular paragliding flights here. Not my thing: I prefer to enjoy the sunset with solid ground under my feet.
This is where my trip around the world ends for the time being. A bit unexpected in Lima, because I actually wanted to travel further through Latin America. But love is calling me back to Berlin. I’m looking forward to this after two and a half years of continuous travel. Will I continue my trip around the world at some point? More on that in my final world trip summary in two weeks.
Read here what the author has experienced so far on his trip around the world.
Ceviche is a fish dish from Peru that is also becoming increasingly popular in this country. The marinade in which the fish cubes are placed is particularly worth a culinary visit.
Source: WORLD / Photo: Annabell Sievert
