Food | Blog Magical Cuzco Tours

Peruvian recipes: Lomo Saltado

Ingredients:

– 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper
– 4 tablespoons soy sauce
– 1 shot Pisco
– 4 tablespoon dry sherry or white wine
– 1 cup broth
– 1/2 cup olive oil
– 1 cup Vegetable oil
– 1.7 lb large sized yellow potatoes
– 1.8 lb tenderloin
– 1 medium sized red onion
– 2 Fresh “yellow aji chilies”
– 4 small tomatoes
– 1 oz peeled garlic
– 4 green onions (green part)
– 4 tablespoons cilantro
– 4 tablespoons minced parsley

Preparation:

Cut the tenderloin in 4 medallions and each one in pieces of 1” inch cubes. Season with salt, half of pepper and soy sauce. Halved the onions and cut in slices. Peel and cut tomatoes in the same way, peel aji chilies and take their seeds out. Slice the green onions. Peel the yellow potatoes and cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1 each strips. Put the potatoes in a bowl with cold water to cover and swish to remove the surface starch. Drain and refill again, drain well, and pat dry in a clean kitchen towel. In a large frying pan, fry the potatoes. When they are ready, put them in paper towel. Using a large frying pan or wok over high heat, cook the meat. Add the pisco and the high temperatures will evaporate the alcohol. Transfer to another plate. In the same frying pan, add the onions and aji chilies until the skin is nicely brown. Reser- ve. Then, stir fry the tomatoes with green onions. Reserve. In the same sauce- pan, fry the garlic and add sherry and wait until it evaporates. Combine everything and add the cilantro and parsley.
Stir-fry. Serve with rice.

Notes:
Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking time: 30 min

On 29 agosto, 2025 • By magicalblog

Food• Travel Tips

Peru’s National Pride: Their Cuisine

Food plays an undeniable role in Peru’s culture; they take pride in their dishes and rejoice in sharing it with others. It is no doubt that Peru offers a plethora of thrill-seeking experiences, but its culinary prowess should never be overlooked. Except that it is more than just a meal, it is encountering a taste of Peru and what it means to be Peruvian. They are connecting with any traveler who passes through Peru, because every dish, every ingredient, tells a story. Food connects each and every one of us. Peruvian-born restaurateur Humberto Leon once said that “If you met another Peruvian, you would hug them and immediately start talking about food.” To Peruvian’s, their cuisine means pride; it means taking what was made by their homeland and using it to create something delicious that can be shared with anyone.

PICTURE

While it may have started only among Peruvians, there’s no doubt their cuisine has reached global audiences. They have rightfully earned their place as one of the most diverse culinary destinations through fusion. Dishes reflect the centuries long connections Peru has been able to forge by welcoming influences from various parts of the world and combining it with their own ingredients and techniques. Peruvian dishes are not just food; they are a reflection of the country’s diverse cultural history. Many of Peru’s most popular restaurants draw from this idea of merging cuisines, a notable one being Maido.

In June of 2025, The World’s 50 Best released their best restaurants list. And who was crowned number one? That would be Maido, a fusion restaurant in Lima, Peru. Maido’s head chef is Mitsuharu Tsumura “Micha” , many generations ago, in 1889, Tsumura’s ancestors came from Japan to Peru, where he was born. After having gone through a culinary arts program in the US and then specializing in Japanese cuisine in Osaka, Tsumura opened Maido in 2009, in Lima. From his childhood growing up in Peru and practice of Japanese culinary skills, he was able to seamlessly marry Japanese technique and Peruvian ingredients. Tsumura has used his expertise to create a welcoming environment, starting at the door. The name of the restaurant ‘Maido’, means welcome or thanks for coming in a dialect found in Osaka. This phrase is used as a greeting for customers in many shops or restaurants, one of those being Maido. Winning the title of best restaurant in the world is a very monumental moment not just for Tsumura, but for all of Peru as well.

In recent years, Peru based restaurants have landed on the 50 Best Restaurants and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants. The latter list featured eight Peruvian restaurants. It would be an understatement to say that Peruvian food has captured global attention in recent years. This rise can be credited to multiple chefs and their restaurants, like Maido. These awards have helped many travelers start to see Peru as a destination for everyone looking to expand their culinary palette. But that is not to say that you need to visit Michelin-starred or high-end restaurants, no matter which restaurant you visit will provide you with a life changing culinary experience. Some of the country’s most authentic and delicious food can be found in street stalls, local markets, and small family-run restaurants. These places often serve traditional dishes passed down through generations, using fresh, local ingredients that capture the heart of Peruvian cuisine.

For a long time, people may have thought that the only thing Peru had going for it was Machu Picchu, but did you know that there are so many other reasons to travel there, because in truth, you can visit Machu Picchu and experience Peru’s bold flavours.

Peru is home to a unique and life changing experience when it comes to cuisine. Having taken inspiration from many other cuisines while still staying true to its indigenous ingredients and traditions, allows for a once in a lifetime opportunity of tastebud exploding flavours. Peru has birthed many awards winning restaurants each with a unique and inspirational story that only enhances each meal. Whether you’re dinning at the finest restaurants in Peru or a simple cafe serving tradition, a cooking class or a tasting tour, Peru is your one stop destination for everything culinary. See our Taste of Peru tour

https://magicalcuzcotours.com/taste-of-peru/

On 15 agosto, 2025 • By magicalblog

Arequipa• Food• Peru• Peru Destinations• Travel• What to do

TOP 5 Things to o in Arequipa

Arequipa is also known as the “white city”, in the Spanish language “Ciudad Blanca”, due to its colonial elegant buildings made of white porous volcanic stone called “sillar”. It is the second largest city in Peru after Lima. It’s a great stop while visiting Peru and you can consider staying there for 2 or 3 days during your Peru trip.

Here is a list of things you can consider doing and places to visit in Arequipa:

Plaza de Armas: the social heart of the city, where you can find the popular white cathedral, the beautiful fountains, and the characteristic palm trees. Here you can relax and get in touch with local people who usually gather in the main square. The square is surrounded by arches where you can find bars and rooftop cafes to chill and enjoy the view of the square. After sunset the lighting is amazing and you can enjoy the square at its best.

St. Catalina Monastery: One of the most ancient spots in the city, the monastery is a large complex in the heart of the city center. It’s located only a 5 to 10-minute walking distance from Plaza de Armas and is easily recognizable due to the colors of the walls, which go from red to deep blue. You can visit the area on your own or through a guided tour.

Yanahuara: This is a middle-class residential district of Arequipa, famous for its Mirador and the Yanahuara’s Church. The area is not located in the city center, but it is worth visiting. El Mirador (lookout point) offers an amazing view of El Misti Volcano. The district is full of colonial buildings and churches.

El Misti Volcano: If you are into treks, and are an experienced climber, you should pay a visit to the charming Misti Volcano, located at more than 5,500 mt above sea level, which last erupted in 1985. Remember to bring with you coca leaves which will help you with the altitude if you want to do the 2-day trek to reach the top.

Sachaca District: This is another district of Arequipa famous for its mirador where you can enjoy a charming view of the city’s historic center and El Misti volcano. The plus of this district is definitely food since there you can find several “picanterias”, traditional restaurants serving local dishes such as “rocoto relleno”.

We did not include the Colca Canyon on purpose since we believe you need an additional 2 days to include it in your itinerary.

For more information, you can send us an email at info@magicalcuzcotours.com or call us +1 7038225311.

On 12 mayo, 2023 • By magicalblog

Food• Peru• Travel Tips

5 Staple Dishes you cannot miss while in Peru

All right, now everything is set for your Peru trip, you got your flights, your accommodation, all the transportation you will need is booked and you can just relax before you leave. Meanwhile we suggest to start getting into Peruvian culture learning some Spanish words essential to survive during your trip, learn about Peruvian culture and start checking on restaurants to book for lunch or dinner, dishes you wanna try, market you do not want to miss. As you already know Peruvian cuisine is one of the most popular and well-known in the world and I am pretty sure that one of the things you do not want to miss is tasting a good ceviche and get to know the wonder and gems of our food culture. Here a list of dishes you must tr before leaving Peru.

Ceviche: This is the most popular Peruvian dish in the world. Many times, when we talk about Peru with a foreigner, then we end up talking about ceviche and its amazing and delicious taste. If you want to try the traditional ceviche we suggest to do it in Lima, since the dish is from the coastal region of Peru. Also remember that the fish used for making ceviche has to be extremely fresh. Since fishmen boats goes out very early in the morning and go back before lunch, restaurants in Lima serve ceviche only for lunch. Even tough you could find ceviche at night in some restaurants, it is not very common.

Lomo saltado: This dish comes from the union of Peruvian tradition and Chinese cuisine. The dish is made of marinated strips of sirloin, or other beef steak, red onion, tomatoes, Peruvian yellow aji chilies, French fries, served with rice, cooked at Peruvian style. The combination of ingredients create a unique flavors, you will love it! This dish is pretty easy to find in any restaurant and Peruvian very often eat it for lunch during the week.

Causa: This is considered an appetizer but it is a very reach dish, made of Peruvian yellow potatoes, avocado (we call it palta), mayonnaise and an ingredient of your choice. That means that it could be chicken, vegetables, prawns, tuna. The combination of flavors is delicious.

Aji de gallina: this is a chicken-based dish and usually Peruvians eat during the week at least once. Also expats and visitors love it for its amazing taste. It’s a spicy and creamy chicken stews served with Peruvian style steam rice and a boiled egg. In some restaurants you can also find black olives on top.

Papas a la Huancayna: this is also considered a starter, very common in restaurants and street stalls. Sliced of boiled Peruvian potatoes topped with a velvety sauce made of yellow aji pepper, evaporated milk, oil, fresh cheese and crackers. The name comes from the fact that traditionally the potatoes used to prepare the dish came from Huancayo area in the region called Junin.

What are you waiting for? Come to Peru and taste our traditional cuisine.

On 11 enero, 2022 • By magicalblog

Food• Peru• Travel Tips

5 Peruvian Traditional Desserts

Peruvian cuisine is famous for its variety of salty dishes and tastes, but it is also popular for its traditional desserts. You can find them from the fanciest gourmet restaurant to the most rustic street stall, everyone has its own version but the aim is not to compromise the traditional flavors.

ALFAJORES

Alfajores are extremely popular in Latin America’s countries, but Peru has its own and unique version indeed. They are two-layer shortbread cookies filled with “dulce de leche”, which we call in Peru “manjar”. They are usually eaten as a snack, after lunch or for tea time, the traditional Peruvian “lonche”. They are sprinkled with powdered sugar and if you want a special exotic flavor roll it into shredded coconut.

SUSPIRO A LA LIMEÑA

This is a smooth caramel–based cream lucuma-flavored, covered by a fluffy immaculate meringue and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon. It’s a real sweetness experience! The traditional version is made with lucuma, a Peruvian creamy fruit, but there are other delicious versions with passion fruit, peach, chirimoya, coconut or mango.

ARROZ CON LECHE

This is a traditional dessert which bring us back to the very first traditions of Peruvian cuisine, brought to Latin America by the Spanish conquerors who took it from the Arab traditions. It’s a fabulous combination of rice, cinnamon, cloves, condensed milk and sugar. Sometimes is served with mazamorra, another traditional dessert. When you mix arroz con leche and mazamorra the result is the “combinado”, a mix of both desserts whose tastes are perfect together.

MAZAMORRA

This s a pudding-like dessert of a brilliant purple color, usually served cold. This dessert is made with purple corn, from which comes its color, pineapple, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, cornstarch, which is used to thicken it.

PICARONES

It is very common to find food stalls in the man streets and parks that cook and sell picarones, a traditional dessert to go for Peruvians. They are the Peruvian version of doughnuts, drenched in syrup called “chancaca”.

On 22 noviembre, 2021 • By magicalblog

Food• Peru• Travel• What to do

Best Outdoor Dining Experiences in Lima

COVID-19 has changed several aspects of our lives, and it has also changed our dining habits. We now prefer outdoor restaurants and dining places to the fancy indoor restaurants, since we definitely feel safer there. That is why we want to give you some of the best outdoor dining options in Lima, so that you can enjoy our delicious food without any risk and being able to fully enjoy the dining experience. Yes, that is what it’s about, having a meal in one of these restaurants is a true life-changing “experience”.

Huaca Pucllana Restaurant (https://www.facebook.com/restauranthuacapucllana): this restaurant is merged into an ancient pre-Incan Huaca, located in the middle of Miraflores district. You will dine outdoor with a stunning view of the Huaca enjoying delicious traditional food with a modern twist. The site is charmingly illuminated at night, so we suggest to have a romantic dinner there.

Osaka (https://www.facebook.com/OsakaOficial): when in Lima do not lose the opportunity to try Nikkei cuisine, a fusion between Peruvian and Japanese food. The result is an amazing mixture of tastes, savors and textures. You will definitely love it. This restaurant is one of the best places to have a real Nikkei experience and get to know it. The restaurant is located in San Isidro district.

Astrid & Gastón (https://www.facebook.com/AstridyGastonLima): You cannot live Lima without dining at this restaurant if you are a foodie. Here you can catch the real essence of Peruvian food. Do not forget to try their delicious drinks as well.

La Plazita (https://www.facebook.com/laplazitalima): this is a more casual option, where ou can find gourmet Peruvian traditional food in the heart of Miraflores district. This is a real win-win option for lunch if you want to try Peruvian cuisine in a casual atmosphere.

La Lucha Sanguchería (https://www.facebook.com/laluchasangucheriacriolla): Are you more in fast food style dining experience? You do not want something too fancy and you’re looking for comfort food and fast meal? This is the perfect option for you. The chain has several points in the main Lima’s districts. This is a sort of Peruvian fast-food, where you can taste delicious sandwiches, native fried potatoes or sweet potatoes, that we call camote, and delicious juices and shakes with local fruits. We definitely recommend his option if you are looking for a real Peruvian experience. Many locals dine there as well during the week.

Cebichería La Mar (https://www.facebook.com/LaMarCebicheriaPeruanaLima): this is not a suggestion, but take it more as an order: do not live Lima without tasting a real ceviche. Ceviche is the traditional dish from Peruvian coast, made of marinated fish, Peruvian boiled corn and sweet potatoes. At this historical restaurant you can taste the real essence of Peruvian ceviche, as well as other delicious seafood dishes. The restaurant is located in Miraflores district.