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Pacha Papa

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Liam Hetherington
Liam Hetherington
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
3
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Guinea Pig Anyone?

  • April 6, 2009
  • Rated 3 of 5 by britgirl7 from Dallas, Texas
Guinea Pig Anyone?

Whenever we take a trip we try and make it the case that we never eat at the same place twice but we made the exception here because we stopped by for lunch and was told the Coy (guinea pig) had to be ordered fresh and we couldn’t get it until the following day…so we ate Lunch and returned the next day for dinner

This restaurant was recommended by the Lonely Planet which is always my bible.
I did happen to have one dish (Aji Gallini) which I had also eaten else where so I was able to say whilst the taste was equal between the two restaurants the Aji gallina at the previous place (Yaku mama) had been significantly cheaper (15 soles at first place…24 soles here)

However the ambiance at PachaPapa was wonderful.
Staff were friendly and there was a bustling courtyard with heat lamps for evening and a roaring fire/pizza oven. Live music was being played and it was busy (which so far had been unusual in this off season)
And…Most Importantly Karl got to sample the Coy.
Guinea pigs in Peru are rodents and not pets and often served up whole (laying on its back…feet in the air)
I have to say it was cooked and presented well but it wasn’t enjoyed. I think just the fact that Guinea pigs are pets here threw him off from the beginning as the food at PachaPapa was certainly good.
On the previous trip he had sampled (and enjoyed I should add) the Lamb stew (23 soles)

If you want to try the Coy be sure to stop by and order in advance.

I can’t say I really recommend it; but at the same time it is an experience to say you have tried the Coy and isn’t that what travel is all about

From journal South of the Equator to Peru

Pacha Papa

  • December 3, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ShannonBrooke from Somerville, Massachusetts
We had the most wonderful lunch at Pacha Papa. It was very filling and fueled us for our afternoon hike. We had our first Coca Sours, and realized soon that we'd be drinking at every meal of this trip. The food at Pacha Papa is delicious and a great introduction to Peruvian highland cuisine. We had some potato dishes, sourced from the local potatoes (or "papas") that we could see all over this outdoor restaurant. We were seated near the outdoor oven, where we could see our entrees being cooked. It was a pleasant and relaxing place to spend the afternoon and I highly recommend it.

From journal Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

Editor Pick

Pachapapa

Pachapapa

"You must go to Pachapapa" Jonathan said when I mentioned I was visiting Cusco. "It's up in San Blas; it's great".

Three weeks later I was in Peru. Determined to check out his recommendation I gathered four friends and boldly led them across the Plaza de Armas. San Blas is a lovely little square to the north-east of the centre, reached up sloping streets lined with Incan stonework. Thankfully, when we reached the Plazoleta San Blas, huffing and puffing, the restaurant was easy to find—an archway directly across from the modest little church led into a sunny courtyard.

Finding a table in the shade we turned to watch the activity. In the centre of the yard a pit had been dug. Lined with red-hot stones, food was being lowered into the pit—sweet potatoes, vegetables, hunks of meat. The pit was then covered over, the food left to cook underground. I knew of this method of cooking food as a 'Mongolian barbecue'. Here is Cusco it's pachamanca. This wasn't for us sadly. For this treat you need to reserve in advance with a party of at least six.

We didn't miss out though, as the food we ordered was lovely. Pachapapa serves traditional highland Peruvian cuisine. The green quinoa soup was scalding hot. To wash it down I ordered chicha—the local fermented maize beer. It came served in a stout earthenware mug, dirty suds spilling over the brim. It looked like dishwater. Nonetheless I steeled myself and tried it.

'Beer' is a very poor name for chicha. The brew is malty, curiously sweet, and fairly warm. And it's nice. I polished it off and asked for another.

We had seen cuy on the menu. Cuy is something most non-vegetarian tourists try once in Peru. It is roast guinea pig. We ordered half a pig between the five of us. Sadly it came chopped up (we had enviously seen entire blackened guinea pigs, complete with teeth and claws, served up in other restaurants). There wasn't an awful lot of meat on the carcass. To me it tasted like rather greasy chicken. It was an experience not to be missed though.

Also not to be missed was the music. To one side a tall man in red poncho and striped hat who bore a distinct resemblance to a young Christopher Lee was playing the Andean harp. Less polished than its celtic cousin, the sound produced was more...'twangy'. We clapped as he finished a tune and he came over. In halting English he introduced himself as Felix Blanco Monterroso. Would we like to buy a CD? Three of us took him up. Twenty sols, and he signed it too—'Para Liam, Desdecusco Unamigo Felix'. Right now I am listening to the CD. The tune takes me back to that sun-dappled courtyard, the sweet taste of chicha on my tongue, and the scent of roasting meat in my nostrils. You must go to Pachapapa; it's great.

From journal Cusco - The Navel of the World

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