For our travel issue of JBF Notes, we asked top toques about their favorite international locales for culinary inspiration. Below, chef Mike Isabella of Kapnos, Graffiato, and G Sandwich in Washington, D.C., shares his picks for Lima, Peru:
Some of the vegetables and seafood in Peru are unlike anything you can get anywhere else in the world. It's so fresh and unique.
Chef Gaston Acurio's La Mar is a really special place. Gaston is one of the most talented chefs in the world, and La Mar was so successful in Lima he opened locations in New York and San Francisco. Memorable dishes include the sea urchin ceviche and the black clam ceviche.
Ayacucho for the coy (guinea pig). Trying it is a really unique experience. It's marinated, then deep-fried for twenty minutes. It's flavorful and falls off the bone.
Make sure you try the many, many different types and textures of potatoes.
And check out the seaside markets in Lima. Go for the fresh fish and the ceviche. It was one of the best things I tried on the whole trip.
