LIMA DAY 2: Chancho Al Palo

Saturday, March 7

For Pre-Breakfast, I had the other half of Friday's Tamale as a Sandwich. If you nuke them, they taste just as good the next day.

Then, for Breakfast, I walked over to the Bioferia and bought some Olives to bring home for Loretta, and to Mercado #1 in Surquillo to get a Rocoto Relleno and a Causa con Pulpa de Cangrejo.

Rocoto Rellno is a Stuffed Pepper. It is served with a Pastel de Papa -- kind of a Potato Lasagna. The Causa is mashed Yellow Potatoes filled with (in this case) Crab Meat and Shrimp. And all that was a hot $5.50.

A few months ago, I discovered something called 'Chancho al Palo' on the Internet. I asked Fernando about it, and he told me that is something that they make outside of Lima, and we could go get some when I was in town. Chancho is Pork, so I was all in. Well, today was the day.

He picked me up and told me that we had over an hour-long drive to get to Puente Piedra. It was hot, so on the way we bought Bon Bons and a Marciano from guys on the street.

Anyway, we were going to Carlos Ramirez' Chancho al Palo. Most of the places to buy this were even further, but Carlos was close, and he finished third this year at Mistura (the annual Pervian Food Festival/Competition), so we figured we would be OK.

We get there, and the place is an outside restaurant. It turns out that it's just plain old Roast Pig, but the cut the Pig up, and kind-of Rotisserie it.

Yes, that's me wearing shorts in Peru. Don't tell Ed Murphy. It's Summer, and the Weekend, and we were going to an outdoor restaurant in the daytime. Hate the game, not the player.

We started by sharing some Choclo con Queso.

It's kernels or the Giant Mutant Corn and that Spanish Cheese that Doesn't Melt. And Hot Sauce.

Then Kelly showed up with the Chancho. It is served with a side dish of Carapulcra.

The Chanco was Roast Pig. Delicious Roast Pig, but Roast Pig nonetheless. Maybe it is my unsophisticated palette, but it tasted no different than the delicious Roast Pig that I can get in many places right in town. Peruvians like to drive far away to buy the same food that they can get around the corner -- maybe they just like taking road trips. They do it for Chicharron Sandwiches, and they drive past 809609573 different Cebicherias to get to another wonderful one on the other side of the city. They're all delicious, but maybe it's just me.

That Carapulcra was new to me. It is made up of chopped, dried Potatoes, some pieces of Pork in a -not spicy Pepper Sauce. It was really good, and Fernando said it was an excellent example of Carapulcra. I would buy it again.

After the long drive back, I stopped around the corner and got a Mandarin Cremolada.

It's like a Slurpee, but it has real Fruit and is real delicious.

I was good for a while, but I was walking around at 9:30 and decided that I was hungry. I went into Panchita, expecting them to make me sit at the bar, but there were some empty tables -- everyone was Down the Shore for the weekend, according to the host.

I accepted the Bread Plate -- I like their Bread.

I started with some Anticucho de Pulpo - Octopus on A Stick.

Fabulous. Tasty, and not rubbery.

I then followed that up with Sopa Criolla.

It's kind of a Beef Noodle Soup, but more fabulous. On top, I ordered a Pastel de Papa. This one was both fancier and better than the one I had for Breakfast. I ate half the Pastel and all of the Broth, and some of the Noodles.

Panchita has my favorite Dessert - Queso Helado.

Despite the translation being 'Frozen Cheese', this is kind of sort of Coconut Ice Cream/Ices/Sherbert with a hint of Cinnamon. My favorite.

Panchita is uber-upscale, and all of this opulence came to just under $40. A steal.

After that, I made some donations at the local casinos, and was home by midnight,. Here's my steps -- there were a lot of them!