Peruvian cuisine is a mixture of influences from the indigenous people including the Inca and cuisines brought in from Europe (mainly Spain, Italy, Germany), Asian (Chinese and Japanese), and West Africa.
Meats commonly are chicken, beef, and fish. Staples consist of corn, potato, rice. Vegetables used are tomatoes, peppers, particularly aji amarillo, a yellow pepper.
El Tesoro Del Inca is an authentic, down-to-earth Peruvian restaurant found in a strip mall at 733 N. Beltline Rd., Irving, TX 75061, located just 5 minutes from DFW Airport.
As soon as you enter, you will be welcomed by a friendly waitstaff. Traditional music plays in the background, and the walls are decorated with Incan paintings. Six large screen TVs line the walls, showing sports.
There is a raised platform for live music where musicians play traditional mountain music on Saturdays and salsa on Sundays. The interior is modest, with glass cases filled with Peruvian souvenirs and sweets. It’s a mini-market for Peruvian and Columbian foods and clothes.
Inca Paintings
A Market of Peruvian and Columbian Products
Appetizer: We received a small bowl Cancha, toasted corn. The large-kernelled corn called maiz chulpe or maiz cancha chulpe are tossed with oil and toasted in a hot skillet until they are browned and puffed, and then sprinkled with salt. It was addicting! The American snack “corn nuts” is a close equivalent, but the American version is much harder to chew.
Cancha Corn Nut Appetizer
Purple Corn
Drinks: Chicha Morada is a beautiful purple corn drink. High in antioxidants, it tastes like bubble gum. The purple corn is boiled in water for about 40 minutes. The corn is tossed out, and fruits such as pears, pineapples, apples, lime are added to the liquid. Some traditionally add cinnamon and cloves, but they don’t do it with theirs. The mixture is boiled and strained. This drink is best served cold, with ice.
The strained remnants from the chicha morado make a pudding substance used in a dessert called Mazamorra Morada.
The most popular drink of Peru is Inca Kola. Some people might describe this bright yellow soda as tasting like bubblegum or cream soda. The secret ingredient is lemon verbena. To Americans, it’s an acquired taste. You can order it by the glass or 2-liter bottle.
My husband had the Tallarines Verdes con Bistec, seasoned beef steak with pesto spaghetti and a slice of boiled potato. The steak was thin, the pesto sauce was flavorful, and the potato was cold and unseasoned.
I had the Aji de Gallina, which consists of shredded chicken served with a creamy yellow and spicy sauce, made with aji amarillo (a Peruvian yellow chili paste), cheese, milk, bread, garlic, and pecans, served with white rice.
Tallarines Verdes con Bistec
Aji de Gallino
Our friend had the Lomo Saltado, sliced beef (tenderloin or in Spanish “lomo”) is stir-fried with peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, coriander, cumin powder, and soy sauce, served with fried potatoes, parsley, and white rice.
His wife had the Tallarin Saltado Mixto, a Peruvian and Chinese fusion stir fry with spaghetti noodles, beef, chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and onions.
Lomo Saltado
Tallarin Saltado Mixto
As we ate our meal, I was impressed with the friendliness of the owner. He opened the glass cases of cookies and candies to give them to the children of the patrons. I witnessed a sweet interchange between a little boy and his mother, as he took her to the glass case, pointed to a beaded bracelet, and ask her for it.
El Tesoro Del Inca is an excellent introduction to Peruvian cuisine. This place is down home, and most customers are families. Be prepared to linger at your meal and enjoy a taste of Peru’s food and atmosphere.