A Mi Manera

Posted by Edmund in Peru, Peruvian, Restaurants | 0 comments

A Mi Manera
Traditional Peruvian
Entrées run from 20 to 40 soles ($7 to $14).

Triunfo 393
Cusco, Peru

When I returned to Cusco from Machu Pichu, I was famished. I had left at around 5:30 a.m. in pitch darkness and had barely eaten some bread on the way there. I had hiked up the actual mountain itself and had then, quite foolishly, refused to eat much of a lunch, knowing full well that I was going to return to a big dinner that day. Unfortunately, my return train had been delayed about an hour and a half, so by the time I got back to Cusco it was around 8 p.m., and I hadn’t had a real meal since the night before. So I was somewhat of a ravenous beast at that point, and I just wanted some real meat and potatoes to dig in to. I got my wish at A Mi Manera, the one place in town that really serves up a mean cuy, or guinea pig, one of the distinctive national dishes of Peru. And when I say guinea pig, I mean a whole roasted pig—yeah, I was that hungry. And I really have to say, A Mi Manera, although not quite as popular as some of the restaurants in town, probably gave me a better meal than I’d gotten anywhere in Cusco other than at MAP Café, which cost over 2x as much.

A Mi Manera is a quaint little restaurant. Located right next to the much more popular Cicciolina, it typically doesn’t have too many guests, so you can find some pretty good seating here. In fact, I was one of the only people in the restaurant at all when I went. And, unlike most restaurants in Peru, it actually doesn’t look half-bad for a very simple joint—it has nice, bright lighting, a full classy bar out in front with racks of glasses hanging from the top and twisting iron designs, and a very clean open kitchen area in the back. Plus, there are some nice decorations on the walls in places, like full-size indigenous masked dolls and bright paintings. The one complaint I really have is that you might feel a bit cramped, just because the restaurant is so small that a full-sized bar in the front really makes its small size noticeable, at least in the front. And it’s not an intimate type of small—it’s more just a bad use of space. Still, it’s nicer than what you typically get.

As for the service, it’s fantastic, not necessarily in professionalism but just in the quality of the staff, which is very friendly and will greatly help you with any questions you may have about Peru. In fact, my waiter just conversed with me for a while about my experiences in the ruins and Machu Picchu, also giving me some recommendation about sightseeing throughout the country. He was much, much more helpful than most of the people I’d talked to before.

And finally, and most importantly, the food actually delivers! This is just a traditional, down-home place, specializing in the traditional Peruvian dishes. That doesn’t sacrifice any of the uniqueness of the dishes, though, as the restaurant also combines Peruvian flavors in distinct ways that you might not find in other places—for example, quinoa pure might be served with the meat, or the dessert might utilize indigenous Peruvian fruits even though it is purely a house creation. Not only do you get authenticity but you get some all-around solid flavor.  Not one dish I had was bad at all, and the portions were large and filling enough that I really came out stuffed. In fact, for about $20, I got an appetizer, a whole roasted guinea pig on a gigantic plate of starches, and a nice dessert to boot. And, again, what I ate is not typical—the guinea pig alone probably was too much for one person alone.

This was thus a fantastic way to end off my trip to Machu Pichu with a feast fit for a king. I went away stuffed, but I didn’t have to sacrifice quality or pay an arm and a leg. Really, if you’re in Cusco and are looking for real Peruvian food, you can’t do any better than A Mi Manera.

What I had:

1. Rostizza (Gratinated potatoes with Andean cheese and bell peppers): Fantastic. Imagine a hash brown pancake covered in cheese and bell peppers. Potatoes are perfectly golden and crispy. They are molded into a cake in thin strips. The cheese and peppers add flavor and variety. Not healthy but worth it. 4.0/5.0
2. Cuy w/ stuffed roasted pepper and golden potatoes: The cuy, or guinea pig, is a Peruvian specialty and is great. Its flavor is rather interesting—not like a pig at all. Very greasy but with a bit of a gamier taste. Still like a roast suckling pig in theory, complete with great crackling. The skin is limp and loose—just falling off. The peanut sauce that is provided blends extremely well with the cuy, though the sauce makes it too salty. Honestly, though, the stuffed pepper steals  the show (filled with raisin, almond, some veggies, and ground beef). Amazing, with a brioche-like base that is the perfect complement. Also, the giant boiled potatoes are perfectly cooked and very flavorful. They are Andean potatoes, which have a completely different taste than what Americans are used to, and they are so rich and flavorful that I could eat them alone with no problem (unlike the American variety). Dish has tons of food, such that you probably won’t even finish. Great variety, great food, and great value—definitely a memorable dish that really gives you a true Peruvian experience and simultaneously tastes great.  4.0/5.0. 4.3/5.0 for people who like cuy meat or who want a taste of Peru.
3. Dessert—Trilogía/Trilogy (Crepe with sauco (elderberry) syrup, served with vanilla and peach. Sauco is an indigenous fruit): Sauco flavor is very interesting—heavy, like maple syrup or a fruity caramel—sweet in a fruity way, and kind of like caramelized berries. Very good with vanilla ice cream, and the ice cream itself is rather good. I loved it. Simple, but great for an ice cream treat. 4.0/5.0

Ambience: 3.0/5.0
Service: 4.0/5.0
Food: 4.0/5.0
Value: 4.0/5.0
Overall Score: 3.8/5.0