LIMA DAY 1: Hello, Duck. I'm Back. You, too... Ceviche

This pretty much sums the whole thing up

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

After getting in late and crashing, I woke up and headed downstairs to get some fluids for the house. While I was at the bodega, there was a thriving business going on in the Empanada Department.

Bread Department, too. Who am I to stand in the way of business? I had an Empanada for Breakfast.

For Lunch, I headed over to El Veridico de Fidel. It's a Cevicheria just three minutes from my apartment. It's not the best in town, but it is far from the worst. And it is three minutes from my apartment.

Since I was the first one there today, I had my pick of the place.

I read the menu. Loretta used to say that I had 'big eyes' - meaning that I would order more than I could eat. Those days were long over, but now they appear to be back... I no longer seem capable of ordering seven things from a menu.

Despite wanting everything listed, I just chose their elite Ceviche sampler, the eponymous "Ceviche El Veridico." You've seen it on top of this post, but here it is again.

This baby has (from the top): Mixed Seafood Ceviche, Ceviche de Conchas Negras (Black Clams), the classic Fish Ceviche, and Ceviche de Erizo (Sea Urchin) all wrapped around a bowl of Leche de Tigre (Ceviche Juice).

They also were happy to sell me a pitcher of Frozen Chicha Morada.

It was a fine How do you do? Welcome back! from the Land of Wonderful Food.

An even finer 'welcome back' happened later, when Lucia and I went to Astrid y Gaston, one of the world's top restaurants, and more importantly, a place where they come running out to hug me and shake my hand when I come up the steps. Lucia had never been here, so she got to also bask in the royal treatment lol.

We started with drinks and the fine Bread Assortment.

 

 

The four Breads are all totally different, as are the three spreads. They all have their own unique backstory - one day I will pay attention and be happy to share them with you.

For our Appetizer, I did what I pretty much always do and ordered us a Main Course of Cochinillo (Baby Suckling Pig) to split.

 

That's some good Baby Pig right there.

We shared the Arroz con Pato para Dos - the Rice with Duck for Two - as our actual Main Course.

Aside from the Duck (and the Rice), this dish has some baby Plantanos, Avocado, and is topped with a Duck Egg. We demolished the dish (it was just a little undercooked for Lucia's taste, but she muddled through) and we marveled at our accomplishment.

We passed on Coffee and Dessert, but they would have none of it, and forced some small treats on us to go.

 

We did a small tour of some of the restaurant - Lucia only got to see three of the five kitchens - and took a couple of photos, and that was it for the day.