Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
Monday 7 May 2018

Asi Es Mi Peru restaurant:

“It feels like having dinner at home in Peru”

EAGLE BEACH - Peruvian-born Roxanna Salinas is the proud owner of a restaurant
that without doubt serves the purest Peruvian specialties in Aruba: Asi Es Mi Peru at
Paradise Beach Villas. She herself welcomes you in ‘her home’ as that is how the
restaurant is described by Peruvian foodies: Food like home, for sure the best compli-
ment a restaurant can get. “Everything here is 100 % Peruvian, we are authentic and
ethnic.” Peru by the way is considered to be the single most important cuisine in Latin
America with a repertoire of dishes that might even beat France. Many big-name
chefs travel to the country to get inspired.
How It All Started able for the diversity of its vegetarian and vegan
“Many years ago during a ingredients. It might be choices too and of course
Christmas gathering with best known for its ceviche, they have great ceviche
family my mom told me the marinated seafood on the menu. “We serve
why I did not open a Pe- dish, but bestsellers are Fish Ceviche, Shrimp cevi-
ruvian restaurant in Aruba. also Lomo Saltado (stir fry che and Mixed Seafood
She said: who does not strips sirloin), seafood rice Ceviche, but we custom
love Peruvian food?” That and Pescado a lo Ma- made vary. The vegetar-
was the trigger for the start cho (fish of the day). “For ian is made with mush-
because Roxanne loves tourists I would highly rec- rooms, but actually any
cooking, it is in her genes. ommend the Hot & Cold variation our Chef can
Her mom and grandmoth- Tapas. It gives you a deli- prepare.”
er were great cooks. “My cious variety of dishes of Roxanne explains that
base principle was to do Peru, you can really taste the Peruvian food is influ-
everything original and the different flavors. A enced by different cul-
authentic. When guests journey through Peru in- tures. “A lot of people
come to this restaurant I deed.” Roxanne explains came from China to work
want to serve them the that there is much more in the sugar plantations,
food as if you were din- to come as the Chef is Japanese came to work
ing the best dishes in a working on a 3-course and in the rice fields and Afri-
house in Peru. The taste is 5-course surprise menu. can immigrants brought
equal, nothing is fused or “Now that we have stan- their influences as well...
changed. Many Peruvians dardized our typical Peru- that’s why you see a fu-
that come here say: I feel vian cuisine, we are ready sion in the dishes. The typi-
like I am having dinner at to take it to the next level. cal food and plates from
home. It is very difficult to Our Chef is very knowl- Peru mixed with these in-
please Peruvians as natu- edgeable and we bring fluences make up for an
rally they know best what higher cuisine to the ta- excellent cuisine. Our sushi
is authentic.” To find her ble.” She is visibly proud for example is totally differ-
Chef and Sous Chef she of her kitchen staff, all ent than the standard su-
went to Peru where she in- Peruvians, and the ambi- shi and we have so many
terviewed 190 applicants. tious drive of ‘the woman pastas that are outside of
“We had more than 400 behind the wheel’ shows Italian pastas. The variety
people that applied, after its success. “We have in- of corn, more than 500 va-
a screening that my broth- creased our menu choic- riety of potatoes... I can go
er and I did, we were left es as we get many repeat- on and on.” I guess you will
with 190 and out of them ers. Luckily Peru has many need to try it for yourself as
10 cooked for me. I gave plates with each their own Roxanne’s place is unique.
them a basket with ingre- texture and taste. For our Asi Es Mi Peru is open every
dients and a certain plate guests we included a lot of day from 12 noon - 10:30
they had to cook. Based photos in the menu so they pm. They are closed on
on that I chose the Chef understand what the food Monday evening. Have
and Sous Chef.” is about and our waiters a peak on their website
will obviously explain too.” https://www.asiesmiperu-
Journey through Peru Important to mention is enaruba.com/ or Face-
Peruvian food is remark- that Asi Es Mi Peru offers book así es mi perú.