CUZCO LIMA - Restaurant Astrid y Gaston - DAY 15

Continuation and end of the visit to Cusco

Opposite Arnaud's (where we stayed in Cusco) a REAL market is held every Saturday. It is only frequented by local cuscenos and traders. It is authentic and far from any cliché. We went there at 9am and didn't meet any tourists.

CUSCO - A market without tourists

As I have neither the name of the market, nor its exact address, I am simply giving you Arnaud's address which is nearby: Residential Huancaro - Calle 10 rosales - Distrito de Santiago.

What is surprising is the variety of foods sold on the stalls: pineapples, strawberries, mangoes, cabbage, leeks, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes of all shapes and colors.

I will never be able to name everything but this market shows all the resources and cultures of Peru. And they are extremely varied since they come from all regions of Peru: desert, ocean coast, Amazon rainforest and Andes mountains!

I highly recommend you go check it out as the faces and costumes are all very different (depending on the region of Peru the merchants are from) and the stalls are amazing.

Stall in the market of Cusco in Peru

Women merchants in the market of Cusco in Peru

After this great experience, we take our backpacks and head to the Airport for the flight to LIMA.

We were warned that domestic flights are often delayed. And it was the case.

LIMA - Restaurant ASTRID Y GASTON

For our last dinner in Peru, I wanted to end in style: I had booked for 20:00 p.m. at Astrid and Gaston.

http://www.astridygaston.com/

However, we land at 18:30 p.m. and we have to collect our luggage, and we have to find a taxi. Hurry quickly because I know there is a lot of traffic in Lima and the airport is 1 hour from the city center! However, our reservation is only guaranteed until 20:15 p.m.: after that we will be on the waiting list… And yes, that’s how it is when restaurants are “too” successful!

I knew that Peru was a country recognized worldwide for its gastronomy!

I had read on the Internet that there were 2 chefs who stood out from the crowd: Virgilio MARTINEZ, a young 36-year-old chef at the Central restaurant and Gaston Acurio Well-known and publicized chef of the restaurant Astrid and Gaston. I first tried to book at Central which was ranked the 4th best restaurant in the world at the time. It was August and it was already sold out for the end of October.

So I contacted Astrid and Gaston which was ranked 14th best restaurant in the world by the famous "WORLD 50 BEST" on the Internet (it is now down to 30th place).

Dishes tasted at ASTRID Y GASTON

I had prepared myself to taste first and foremost the specialties of PERU: the PISCO - the CEVICHE and CUY (guinea pig).

Here are the dishes that we ate and shared:

  • Un PISCO as an aperitif (good but not exceptional). I will give you the recipe for the real PISCO that my Peruvian family communicated to me (see article DAY 16).
  • Appetizer to accompany the aperitif (classic and unsurprising).
  • The famous CEVICHE they call on the map "la history of Ceviche". We present you 3 bowls of ceviche corresponding to 3 different periods: the ceviche of yesterday, that of today and that of tomorrow… The three are radically different and the three are incredibly delicious!
  • El CUY Beijing : It's guinea pig prepared Beijing style. In fact, they are small black pancakes made with seaweed in which there is guinea pig meat prepared with mango and various herbs. To eat them, you just have to roll them in spring rolls and enjoy! It is original, surprising and excellent. The only downside is that we have in the mouth a clever mixture of sweet and savory in which the taste of guinea pig does not predominate.
  • EL PEZ DE PROFUNDIDAD : Fish from the depths of the ocean coasts of Peru. It is accompanied by a knife and some seashells bathed in a coconut milk and ginger sauce.

One word: SUBLIME!

  • CANDIED PIG : This is candied suckling pig.

Nothing to say because it was just PERFECT!

  • EL ALFAJOR : This is the only negative touch of the meal. This dessert was just a blend of 3 cookies (which didn't look "homemade") with a tasteless cream that should have looked like milk jam, ice cream and crumbled meringue. I do the same at home for less than 5 Euros!

Amuses bouches at the restaurant ASTRID Y GASTONCeviche at ASTRID Y GASTON restaurantCUY at the ASTRID Y GASTON restaurantASTRID Y GASTON his fishASTRID Y GASTON FLATDESSERT at the ASTRID Y GASTON restaurant

What I liked about Restaurant ASTRID Y GASTON

  • The setting was magnificent: The restaurant is housed in Casa Moreyra (former XVII residencee century of the hacienda San Isidro)
  • The fact that we are allowed to choose the table and the room where we want to settle in but I think it's a privilege reserved for first arrivals!
  • The atmosphere relaxed but classy, ​​the waiters are young and smiling. The impression that we are the most important guests in the restaurant!
  • Originality and flavor of all dishes except dessert.
  • To leave, the restaurant provides you with a taxi on site: no need to order and wait.

 View from our table at the ASTRID Y GASTON restaurant in Lima, PERU

What I didn't like about Restaurant ASTRID Y GASTON

  • Table : there was not even a tablecloth! For a restaurant of this level, the art of the table should not be neglected, right?
  • The service : the waiters are behind you always spying on you and as soon as you are done they arrive with the next dish. It's 100 per hour service! We have the impression that they want us to consume quickly quickly to let others settle in quickly so that they in turn consume quickly etc ... While such rare moments of pleasure must last to make the most of them. . So, despite these "requests", we took all our time!
  • Dessert as I explained further.
  • The bill: 126 Euros but I must admit that we would have paid 3 times more in a French restaurant of equivalent quality.

Cheap hotel in Lima

It was not mission impossible but it was difficult to find a hotel in the MIRAFLORES district which was correct and within our prices. I booked the "Hospedaje Dimar Inn" for 31 Euros with breakfasts.

The hotel is in a great location, clean and with WIFI. Breakfast is taken in the entrance hall which is a bit surprising but it is plentiful and tasty.

Address: Gonzales Prada, Lima and telephone: +51 1 4453170

 https://www.booking.com/hotel/pe/hospedaje-dimar-inn.fr.html

 See our last day? So click on the link: PERU D16 Lima and typical dishes of Peru

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