“When in Lima, stay in Miraflores,” we were told. So we did.
And when in Miraflores, stay in and around Kennedy Park. It’s central and convenient, lots of options in terms of shops, restaurants and grocery stores. Basically, the ideal location for tourists. Having spent a leisure 5-days total in Miraflores, here are our top 5 favorite eats:
Sabor a Sabor
Restaurants like Sabor a Sabor are local joints offering great value lunch specials that typically include one salad or side and one entrée. We frequent these types of restaurants where menus are displayed prominently on the wall and there’s nothing complicated about it. At 10-15 Peruvian Soles ($3-5 USD) a meal, it’s just good eats at great prices.
Sabor a Sabor does a lomo saltado right. The meat isn’t chewy, tomatoes are fresh, not too many onions and deliciously crisp potato wedges. Another favorite is causa. Texture-wise it’s not that great, potato-y and mushy, but a refreshing starter nonetheless. Another great starter if you find a restaurant that serves it is ceviche.
Gerard also got to try the famous pee-yellow Inca Kola. The Peruvians love it so we had to see what the fuss was all about. I didn’t like because it’s extra sweet.
Tarboush
Having spent over a month on a strict Peruvian/Bolivian diet, Tarboush was a breath of fresh air – a much needed change in food for the both of us. But even if that wasn’t the case, it’s just damn good food, period. Juicy tandoori chicken on a bed of hummus served with a side of fresh greens and hot pita bread is so addicting and good, it was practically our dinner of choice 3-days in a row.
La Lucha Sanguecheria
I mean, who doesn’t love juicy, fatty and savory chicharron sandwiches?! La Lucha’s is the best and they’ve got the lines to prove it. It’s a must have meal when in Miraflores. You really can’t go wrong here because these guys know their meat and they do it well. Don’t forget the papa fritas on the side.
Churros stand across the street from Metro supermarket
We’ve seen it everywhere, churros con dulce so on our last day in Peru, we ventured across the street from the supermarket to sample some caramel stuffed churros for less than 50 cents a pop. Make sure to have them fresh out of the oven when they’re warm and crunchy!
Cebicheria La Mar
One of our first meals in Peru happened to be our most expensive, but we knew this all along. You’d call this extreme especially since you can get ceviche for far less just down the street but we just had to try it – the ceviche sampler (Degustación de ceviche) at La Mar.
And I love every bite of it down to the plantain chips! Each one had a different taste but same underlying sour ceviche note.. all except the one on the far left (nikei) which was done with an Asian twist. I didn’t care for that one as much as the rest, my favorite was the milky one with tiny fish (leches de tigre).
I’d say, if you’ve got the budget to have one splurge meal, La Mar would be it.. if not for the dining experience alone.
What are some of your favorite eats in Lima?
