TRAVEL: Chow Down Seattle Visits Peru!

Machu Picchu, Peru

A little over a month ago I traveled to South America with two of my good friends. The first country we visited was Peru. We had a short flight from Seattle to LAX. Then we had a long flight to Lima, Peru. After getting our luggage, we checked in to our next flight to Cusco, Peru. We weren't done yet. We then had a private car take us to Urubamba, where we spent two nights. Urubamba is located an hour from Cusco and is the largest town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is about an hour and a half from Machu Picchu.

We stayed at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa. It's a beautiful resort with a great restaurant. The rooms and the amenities were amazing! The night before our trip to Machu Picchu we had a great dinner at Hawa, the resort's restaurant. They use organic ingredients from neighboring farmers. The chefs prepare traditional Incan fare with a contemporary spin. I started my dinner with a glass of Peruvian wine from Tabernero Winery, Gran Tinto Fina Reserva. We were given a complimentary amuse bouche of sushi. It was delicious!

Sushi Amuse Bouche

For my dinner, I ordered chicken cooked vacuum packed, smoked with Muna and fine herbs, served with butternut squash puree, caramelized baby vegetables and Muna sauce. Everything about this meal was delicious!

Chicken with vegetables and Muna sauce

For dessert, I order a dish with chocolate cake, ice cream and caramel sauce. It tasted amazing!

Caramel sauce, ice cream and chocolate cake

We were also treated to some complimentary Peruvian cookies.

Peruvian Cookies

Below is a picture of the beautiful Hawa Restaurant at Tambo del Inka. The huge fireplace is the centerpiece of the restaurant, along with the amazing wood beams that mimic the shape of a tree. The service at Hawa was outstanding.

Hawa Restaurant at Tambo del Inka

Beef Tenderloin with Rice and Fries

For dinner the second night, I had the Beef Tenderloin with Rice and Fries. This was my favorite of the two dinners. The beef was tender and delicious, and the sauce was perfect to dip the fries into.

Peruvian Chocolates

We were treated to some complimentary Peruvian Chocolates that resembles the Andes Mountains. They too were delicious!

After two great nights in Urubamba, we traveled to Cusco for one night. Cusco is located in southeastern Peru and it is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. It was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire. One thing you do have to watch out for when visiting Cusco is altitude sickness. The city's elevation is at 11,200 feet. I definitely felt the elevation as it was hard to breath at times. One thing Cusco does have is great food! We stayed at the Palacio del Inka, another Luxury Collection Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel. We had dinner at the Inti Raymi Restaurant. They are well known for using local Andean ingredients that include Quinoa to a vast array of potatoes and vegetables from the Sacred Valley.

Dining Room at Inti Raymi Restaurant

We were seated in a small dining room in part of the restaurant that only contained four tables. The hotel is built on old Inca ruins over 500 years old.

Alpaca Tartar

We were treated to a complimentary Alpaca Tartar with mushrooms and vegetables. I was hesitant to try raw Alpaca meat, especially since Alpaca are cure furry animals, but it honestly was delicious.

Tagliatelle with Beef Sauteed, Creole Style

My main entree was Tagliatelle with Beef Sauteed, Creole Style. It was served with cooked tomatoes and onions. This was truly a delicious dish! The beef was seasoned perfectly.

Needless to say, I loved my meal.

Assortment of Peruvian Chocolates

We again were treated to some complimentary Peruvian Chocolates. They just love giving away their chocolates!

Various vegetables from Peru.

Various vegetables from Peru.

Peruvians are very proud of their food. Next to our dining room was another larger dining area that had two large tables displaying native Peruvian foods. On display were various types of potatoes, Quinoa, Lima beans, Caigua (a vegetable with a cucumber taste), corn and rice. One thing that I didn't know is that the potato is native to Peru. I have to also mention that the service at the Inti Raymi Restaurant was amazing! I could eat here every night!

Cusco

The flags of Peru and Cusco.

Peruvian Bakery in Cusco.

Ricuras Bakery

I highly recommend visiting Peru to take in Machu Picchu and all of the natural beauty of the Andes Mountains. The food is amazing and the people are very friendly and welcoming.

Next week I will write about our stay in Santiago, Chile and the food we experienced there. Stay tuned!

TRAVEL: New Orleans

Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's

A little while ago I went to New Orleans with some friends for the weekend. I love New Orleans. It's one of my favorite cities. I love the history, the architecture, the food, and their drinks! I can do without the humidity, but that just makes the drinks taste that much more refreshing. It was my best friend's birthday, so we started the celebration by having some drinks at one of our favorite spots, Pat O'Brien's. My favorite drink at Pat O'Brien's is their Hurricane. It tastes just like fruit punch and they go down easy. Almost too easy.

Pat O'Brien's Rainbow and Planters Punch

Some other drinks we had at Pat O'Brien's were the Rainbow and Planters Punch. The Rainbow is a colorful drink of Grenadine, Vodka, Blue Curaçao and Pat O’Brien’s® Sweet & Sour Mix. Pat O'Brien's has a large selection of other great drinks that will quench any thirst on a hot summer evening.

Creole Trio at Desire Bistro and Oyster Bar

For dinner we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Desire Bistro and Oyster Bar at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I couldn't decide on just one dish, so I ordered the Creole Trio. It's a combination platter of gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice with smoked sausage. It all tasted great!

Andouille Hash at Vacherie

 After a good night of great food and drinks, we had breakfast at Vacherie on Toulouse Street at the corner of Dauphine. I ordered the Andouille Hash. It comes with local Andouille sausage, diced potatoes, diced onions, red peppers, green onions, topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise. I ordered a fresh biscuit on the side. I love Andouille sausage, and this hash tasted like authentic New Orleans.

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

You can't visit New Orleans without stopping by the famous Cafe Du Monde. You have to try their Beignets. They are square French-style doughnuts. They can be ordered plain, or as most do, covered with heaps of powdered sugar. Be prepared to have your face and most of your clothes covered in powdered sugar! The original Cafe Du Monde coffee stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pimm's Cup at Cafe Amelie

Another one of our favorite places in New Orleans is Cafe Amelie. It is located in the historic 150-year-old Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House on Royal Street. It has a beautiful courtyard for dining, and a great bar that serves a delicious Pimm's Cup. Like the Hurricane, a Pimm's Cup is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Bloody Mary at Touche Bar

After breakfast, we strolled around the French Quarter and popped into the Touche Bar for a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary was tasty with just the right amount of spice. It was the perfect drink before heading back to the airport to catch our flight back to Seattle. If you haven't been to New Orleans, I highly recommend it. The city is rich in history and has a long history of great food. I hope to visit back again to try even more great food!

TRAVEL: La Velvet Margarita Cantina - Hollywood, CA

Over the weekend I went down to California with my best friend to visit our friend Jill. She took us to this excellent restaurant called La Velvet Margarita Cantina. The decor alone is awesome in this place. They have cool skull painting on the wall, sombreros on the ceiling, and cool metallic wallpaper throughout. I started my meal with the VMC House Salad. It was a nice mixed greens salad with mama Carmelita's special vinaigrette orange dressing. This was a very tasty and refreshing salad. For my entree, I had the Chicken Asada Taco Platter. This consisted of grilled chicken served open faced on corn tortillas topped with salsa, guacamole, onions and sour cream. The tacos were served with rice and beans. All of the food was delicious.

One of the drinks I had with dinner was their Pina Colada which was served in a shaved coconut. This was honestly one of the best Pina Coladas I have ever tasted. It was so smooth and creamy.

The second drink I had was their Velvet Margarita. This was served in a fresh pineapple. This too was one of the best margaritas I have tasted. I highly recommend it!