Sunday, April 20, 2008
Food
A Peruvian peak
Taste the multinational cuisine of Peru at Machu Picchu
Photos/Spark St. Jude
Katie Kelly Bell
Most of us know Machu Picchu as the legendary and stunning mountaintop Incan village located in Peru. Meaning Old Peak in Quechua language, this ancient village is now on the list of Seven New Wonders of the World. Many of us may not get the opportunity to pay homage to this New Wonder, or even sample a taste of the cuisine that defines the Peruvian people. Of course it’s no surprise, given Atlanta’s diverse range of global cuisine, that one can actually get the Peruvian experience right here at Machu Picchu on Buford Highway.
Tucked into a triangle of space smack dab in the middle of the Northeast Plaza strip mall, this tidy spot is an unassuming presence juxtaposed with Nicaraguan restaurants, bowling lanes and other various and sundry ethnic experiences. Inside you’ll be greeted by a large stuffed llama and mannequin attired in traditional Peruvian garb. Walls are covered with golden Incan artifacts and colorful paintings and pottery. The rest of your experience is all about the food.
A storied and lengthy history of culinary influences comprises the cuisine of Peru today. When you dine at Machu Picchu do not be surprised at the seemingly strange appearance of Asian and European ingredients. Spaghetti with pesto and chicken fried rice are indeed on the menu … and they represent Peru in an oblique fashion. The culinary history of this beautiful nation has its roots with Incan and pre-Columbian Incan peoples, but it matured with other ethnic influences.
Originally, the staple ingredients included maize and potatoes. After the arrival and conquest of the Spanish, the Peruvian menu grew to include more European items. Oddly enough, Peru also boasts the most Chinese restaurants of any South American nation. After the influx of more than 100,000 Chinese immigrants (from 1849 to 1874) Asian ingredients also gained a foothold on Peruvian cuisine. One ingredient remains constant: Aji (also known as uchu, “pepper from the Indies”), a spicy Peruvian hot pepper similar to a habañero in shape and size.
All of this history explains the presence of everything from fried rice to spaghetti on the lengthy and involved menu at Machu Picchu. Seafood is a specialty of Peruvians, so be sure to order something marine when you dine here. A best bet is the arroz con mariscos, a Peruvian seafood and rice dish that calls to mind paella. Packed with mussels, squid, octopus and shrimp, the added spicy kick here comes from the ubiquitous aji pepper. Shredded chicken in a cream sauce is made from secret recipe (the owner won’t fess up), but it’s rich and lovely regardless. You may want to add a dose of the spicy dipping sauce (a mixture of aji, mustard, cilantro among other things), that is served with the crusty bread, to give even more heat to your meal.
Most visitors here agree that the two things this destination does best are ceviche and empanadas. Plump with meat and cheese the empanadas area addictive and the ceviche sings with a limey tang.
Calamari comes fried or steamed, chicken fried, breaded or baked and yes, spaghetti is served with pesto or tomato sauce. They’ll even trot out chicken fingers and french fries for the kiddos. But if you go that route you’ll miss out on a chance to enjoy the fried yucca. Yucca has the consistency of a potato, and Machu Picchu specializes in making its delicious.
Dessert is offered in the form of flan or rice pudding. Adult beverages are kept to a simple beer or wine option and an enormous oversized flat screen television sits to one side of the room for those all-important soccer matches. Servers are more fluent in Spanish than English, which makes the experience even more authentic. Indeed, put away your passport, and visit Machu Picchu for your next globe trotting tour of cuisine. SP
DINING ESSENTIALS
Machu Picchu
3375 Buford Hwy NE # 1130
404-320-3226
Hours: Mon.-Thu., Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Reservations: Yes
Dress code: Casual
Cuisine: Peruvian
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Cost: $3.75 to $14.95, appetizers; $3.75 sides; $7.75-$32, entrees; $2-$5, dessert
Credit cards: All major
Outdoor Seating: No
Parking: Lot