The Peru Experience
LIMA LONDON was born in 2012 with the idea of presenting the Peruvian capital s flourishing food scene to London. Peru is truly a melting pot of cultures and cuisines having attracted migration from many countries over the last centuries. It originally has some of the world s oldest civilizations dating back to around 6,000BC. It was invaded by the Spanish in 1532 and with this came the first wave of culinary influences. Later in the late 1800 s came a significant immigration wave from both China and Japan. Further European immigration followed the wars with a notable wave from Italy but also Portugal, Germany and several other countries. This has resulted in a familiar and yet novel cuisine full of interesting ingredients and flavours. Lima, the Peruvian capital, is now a city full of innovation and the country s chefs together with the food industry are discovering new ingredients and recovering old techniques. We aim to bring a taste of what is happening in this gastronomic capital here to London, the new capital of the world s restaurant scene.
Pre-Incan Civilizations Estimated between 6,000BC and 1438AD Bread & Seaweed Butter and Andean Crisps Peru has recorded civilizations dating back many thousands of years. These civilizations accomplished huge social and technological advances that are still evident today. Quinoa is among the most important Andean staple food. It originates in this region and has formed part of the local diet for thousands of years, gaining popularity relatively recently in the rest of the world. We serve home-made quinoa bread with our seaweed butter. We have selected vegetables from the Amazon and tubers from the high-lands to make our Crisps. Classic Ceviche The different cultures of the Pacific have always traditionally eaten raw fish. Japan has Sushi, Hawaii has Poké, and Peru has Ceviche. Ceviche is typically prepared with cubes of raw fish (similar to Poke), but it can also be made with vegetables and other protein. These are then marinated with the traditional Tiger s Milk which is just a mix of mainly lime juice and chillies.
Spanish Conquest The Spanish Conquistadors arrived to the Americas in 1531 during the period of the Inca Empire. Duck Escabeche When the Spanish landed in 1531, Peru s territory was the centre of the highly evolved Inca civilization. Their empire stretched from what is today Ecuador and all the way down to Chile. Francisco Pizarro and his brothers were attracted by the news of a rich and fabulous kingdom. In 1532, they arrived in the country, which they called Peru. With the conquistadors also came animals, vegetables, fruits, spices and many other products which now form part of Peru s culinary scene and of its traditions. Escabeche is originally from Spain and involves cooking meat in an acidic mixture. This recipe has become popular around the Mediterranean region and in other Spanish-speaking regions around the world. This plate is hugely popular in Peru and has become ingrained in their traditional cuisine.
Asian immigration Immigrant workers from China and Japan arrive. Vegetable Chifa Over 100,000 Chinese men were sent from 1849 to 1874. They provided labour for the coastal guano mines and especially for the coastal plantations where they became a major labour force. Chinese Peruvians, also known as tusán, have created their own mix of Chinese and Peruvian cuisine which is now called Chifa. Our dish takes traditional Peruvian vegetables and tubers and cooks them in an Cantonese way so this plate is packed with flavour! Miso Black Cod & Prawn At the end of the nineteenth century in Japan, the rumour spread that a country called Peru somewhere on the opposite side of the earth was full of gold. This country, moreover, was a paradise with a mild climate and rich soil for farming, according to advertisements of Japanese emigration companies The Sakura Maru carried Japanese families from Yokohama to Peru and arrived on April 3, 1899 at the Peruvian port city of Callao. The Peruvian-Japanese community is known as Nisei and food is also known as Nikkei cuisine. The Japanese influence over Peruvian cuisine is huge, their techniques and knowledge are now part of the country s culinary heritage and we have created this Japanese inspired dish in their honour.
Post-WW2 European Immigration 1945-1955 Suckling Pig Post-war immigration in the late 1940 s brought a new wave of Europeans to South America. This dish takes influences from Spanish and Italian cuisines and make this a LIMA favourite. Modern day LIMA 1990 s - Present Peruvian food is truly a fusion of many important pillars of world cuisine combining European, Asian and American influences, products and techniques. It has created a new array of flavours that have been recognised as among the best in the world. The city of LIMA is known as the Gastronomic capital of the Americas and has been climbing up the international ranks over the last few years. We aim to bring you all the innovation that continues to take place in this South American city and serve it in a plate here in London. Chirimoya & Strawberries Coffee & Alfajores 65 per person, 100 including wine pairing 45 per person on saturdays and sundays lunchtime 65 with bottomless prosecco or beer All the table needs to order the tasting experience Available all days of the week