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Eating in Huancayo If you walk around town, you’ll find many family-owned restaurants that sell set lunch menús in Huancayo that range in quality. With a little bit more money to spend, you can hit up Huancayo’s one-and-only mall that just opened in 2009, Real Plaza (Av. Ferrocarril 1035) or one of the following restaurants. Don’t leave without trying papa a la Huancaina and pachamanca, traditional dishes of the area. La Cabaña – Owned by a local Huancaino who has linked up with foreign backpackers for years, Lucho Hurtado provides the ultimate dinner location for both locals and tourists alike. This restaurant is famous for its calientitos and its live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Av. Giraldez 652; www.incasdelperu.org/la-cabana-3). Hotel Olímpico – Right by the main plaza, Hotel Olímpico has been a mainstay in Huancayo for years. This is one of the best places to try papa a la Huancaina (Jr. Ancash 408). Chifa Centro – You’ll find chifa (Peruvian-Chinese food) all over Peru and the best chifa in Huancayo is at Chifa Centro. The main location is just half a block up from the main plaza (Av. Giraldez 245; chifacentro.com.pe). Drinking and Dancing in Huancayo There are nightclubs right in the middle of downtown Huancayo, but these are often not of the best quality or closed down half the time because of licensing issues. Get to the best nightclubs by taxi; just remember that you should take a taxi with a group of people whenever possible at nighttime. The Taj Mahal is the most elegant and expensive nightclub in Huancayo (Av. Huancavelica 1052). Another trendy venue is La Noche (Jr. San Antonio 241) where you’ll find all types of music from the chart toppers to Peruvian cumbia and salsa. Maxx’oh (Jr. Alfonso Ugarte 510) is a newly renovated nightclub in Huancayo where most dance contests are hosted because of its massive dance floor. Eat It is a pity that this region is unknown to tourists, everything is great and especially its local food. By not visiting the region of Junin, people miss a lot of Peru's culture and tradition. If

you are a culinary addict, you have to jump on the Ferrocarril Central (it would give you a good first glance of the good local food)and run to a restaurant in Conception or Jauja! Everyone who visits the region of Junin has to go and eat a trout in the village of Ingenio, home to farms where these fish are raised. Every restaurant has its own recipes and ways of preparing this local product. You have to try the cebiche de trucha or trucha a la huancaina! For the bravest (some would say cold-hearted if one saw the live animals cowering in the Sunday market) the most noteworthy dish that could end your starvation is the picante de cuy or cuy chactado (guinea pig). It is found in every restaurant and every tourist simply has to try it before they leave the region, it is an experience! Another typical local dish would be the papa a la Huancaina (potatoes in a delicious and a touch spicy yellow sauce) with a plate of Pachamanca (a way of cooking the food over heated stones, similar to roasting, served with different meats and vegetables); they are delicious. For vegetarians, there are several restaurants in the 7th and 8th blocks of Jr. Arequipa, most of which have very cheap 'menus' (from 3.50 to 5 soles, which includes a soup, a main, usually a drink - most often tea - and sometimes even a small desert). Particularly good is "El Pobre", which also has a breakfast menu and very friendly owners. It is also popular with locals: always a good sign. "La Cabaña" has VERY slow and disorganized service and overly loud Peruvian folkloric music. There are tasty foods in a variety of vegetables and meat. The most popular food is typical Pachamanca (see Pachamanca) .The main traditional dance in this place is the Huaylarsh, which represents a celebration of joy and thanks to the land and nature. Another celebration is in Santiago, which is held as a blessing to the fertility of the land and animals. Huancayo is famous for its Sunday Market, where you can see typical foods, arts and crafts, and where people often wear the traditional dress. The climate is cool at night but warms up during the day. During the summer, it is rainy season but in the winter, it is very dry.

8 ‘Must-Try’ Traditional Dishes of Peru Similar to other cultures, Peruvian dishes are a rich combination of several influences, including Spanish and Chinese cuisine combined with traditional ingredients originating from Peru. Many tourists who visit the nation have the opportunity to try new versions of some old favorites and may just be surprised by their discoveries. Traditionally, Peruvian dishes include rice or potatoes (after all, Peru grows 4000 types of potatoes ) combined with different types of proteins like lamb, chicken, fish or pork. Depending on the region, dishes may include locally grown peppers, including the yellow aji or red rocoto variety. Here’s our list of Peru’s 8 must try: Ceviche Ceviche is a simple dish typically made from fresh raw local fish or any form of seafood which are marinated with the use of citrus juices like lime or lemon. You can opt to add chili peppers and seasonings like onion and salt. The dish is not cooked with heat rather with the citrus marinade. It’s served with avocado, sweet potatoes, lettuce or corn. You can try this dish at any region of the country however they are quite popular in the northern coast of Peru. Chupe de Camarones (Shrimp Cioppino) On a recent visit to the coast of Peru I tried chupe de camarones – or shrimp chowder. This traditional dish is stock soup of crayfish mixed with potatoes, chili pepper and milk. It reminded me a Thai soup and I was certain there was some Asian influence. This is a classic Peruvian shrimp chowder is indeed a meal in itself.. Papas a la huanciana (huancayo-style Potatoes) Dont be mis-led by its name, the origins of this popular dish lie in a region called Chosica in Lima and not Huancayo. We were served this almost every meal, when Miro and I stayed with our host Peruvian family when we first arrived in Lima. And we were hooked. The dish is named after a Huancaina (a person who hails from Huancayo) who first made this dish available to the people. (Thank you!!) It’s a simple dish made of potatoes boiled, sliced and served on a lettuce leaf. It is then topped with a hearty serving of spicy cheese. Pollo a la Brasa (Grilled chicken or roaster chicken)

Pollo a la Brasa is a classic Peruvian rotisserie-style chicken that’s quite flavorful. It is one of the most eaten dish in Peru finds its origins in the capital city, here in Lima. Pollo a la brasa has been declared by Peru’s National Institute of Culture “a culinary specialty” and is used by Peru’s census agency, the INEI to calculate the country’s monthly inflation.

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Peru, there’s even a “Day of Pollo a la Brasa” which is the third Sunday in July. It’s that important. Pollo a la brasa is chicken that’s been marinated with many Peruvian ingredients (plus a little soy sauce), then roasted in a special brick lined rotisserie that is fired up with mesquite charcoal. Simple and oh, so delicious. Anticuchos This is Miro’s contribution as I have never tasted this. Anticuchos is food very popular in the streets of Peru, which is where Miro has tasted it. In essence, it’s marinated grilled beef hearts served on a stick. He liked it, that should say a lot, since he’s not a big meat-eater. Meat on a stick, meat on a stick, meat on a stick… say it with me, MEAT ON A STICK! Lomo Saltado LomoSaltado can be found in every region throughout the country. It is a platter with sautéed onions, tomatoes and beef served with either french fries or rice, or sometimes both.LomoSaltado a fusion of Chinese and Peruvian flavors, which in Peru is referred to as “Chifa” cuisine. What makes the meal so special is the wine used for sauté which provides a rich unique flavor. Cuy Chactado Cuy is another traditional dish recommend to try while in Peru. (Full disclosure: We haven’t tried it. Somehow, Miro and I can’t get over eating a former pet, but it’s a national favorite, so I thought I’d list it here. ) Cuy was believed that this cuisine originated from the Antiplano region. This dish is a guinea pig which I suspect tastes EXACTLY like chicken or rabbit. It’s usually offered barbecued or baked and served with hot sauce. It’s traditionally served on special occasions here in Peru, so let’s party!!! Causa And for my absolute favorite (besides ceviche of course): Causa is one of the most popular dishes all along Peru’s coast, including Lima. Besides being delicious, the traditional causa is fairly economic and easy to prepare. It includes potatoes with local spices, (remember all

the potatoes here in Peru?), tuna from the ample Pacific Coast, and Peru’s plentiful supply of avocados. There are many variations both in the purée and in the fillings.