Mi Peru
Av. Lima 861 (c/ Plaza Butters)
Barranco - 247-7682
NOTE: The '1972' on the wall is NOT the address; it was the year the restaurant opened.
RT here. I think I've finally got this figured out.
You're hungry. Here's what you do:
1. Put on a blindfold.
2. Get in a taxi, and ask the driver to take you 6-10 Soles away, wherever he wants.
3. Pay the driver; get out of the cab.
4. Remove the blindfold.
5. Throw a rock in any direction.
6. Walk into whatever building the rock hits and ask them to feed you -- it will be absolutely delicious.
That's about the only way I would have found Mi Peru, if a friend hadn't recommended it to me.
And even then, I might not have trusted the above process and passed on the place. To say it is not fancy is a gross understatement. It's a beat-up little joint in a beat-up little corner of Barranco, far away for the downtown parks & clubs. My driver did not recognize the restaurant name or address, but he did know where Plaza Butters was, so I had him take me there.
This seven-table corner restaurant apparently only sells 14 different items, at least according to the menu on the wall:
The prices seemed a tad high for the location and condition of the restaurant, but my amigo assured me that I wasn't going to find a higher quality on their items anywhere else. He strongly recommended the Concentrado de Congreo, and who am I not to take a suggestion?
The Concentrado is basically Crab Soup. It was in a tomato base, and somehow held an entire crab (with the guts taken out) and then some in the small bowl (there were three claws in my soup). The broth was wonderful and the crab was fresh and was cracked enough that I could dismantle it with my hands. Messy, but easy to eat. It was fabulous and plenty enough for a meal for a mere mortal.
Since I had my 'no more' filter removed, I went ahead and ordered the Tortilla de Conchas (Scallop Omelet) as a second course. I admire the Peruvian style of using the omelet as a food delivery system -- I have enjoyed duck, shrimps, and now scallops this way.
The waiter tried to talk me into the 'combo' tortilla, but I really like scallops and held firm. The tortilla was about 7 inches round and was teeming with scallops. It didn't seem like I would be able to polish it all off after the soup, but somehow I managed to do it. It was served with a small green salad. I paid the salad the attention that it deserved, and did not touch it.
The total check, including a bottle of soda, was 52 Soles. I bought way too much food; I saw a family of four sharing three dishes happily.
Mi Peru is clearly not a date-type place, and they're probably closed at night anyway. But if it is lunchtime and you're not sure where to go, invest the 6 or 7 Soles for a taxi to Mi Peru. And you won't even have to throw a rock to find it!