Peruvian cuisine is one of the earliest example of fusion food, evolving over decades as migrants arrived at the port of Callao and assimilated into an increasingly mixed society. Rather than remain culturally segregated, the flavors and techniques from Europe, Africa, and East Asia have blended seamlessly with ancient Peruvian cuisine into something utterly unique.
In 2022’s listing of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Peru is a strong contender from South America with 2 restaurants in the top 15 (#2 Central, #11 Maido).
Food Explorers’ Lunch Expedition “Essential Peruvian”
Having heard so much about Peruvian cuisine on the international culinary stage, we were excited to discover authentic “comida Peruana” in our very own Rhine-Neckar region!
Alexandra Zahn and Abrahan Gabriel Cabanillas are the power duo behind Mima Peru. Located in the Jungbusch neighbourhood of Mannheim, they bring modern interpretations of traditional dishes inspired by Peru’s diverse flavors and exotic ingredients. Check out this 14-minute short film (in German) about Mima Peru and Peruvian cuisine, produced by Saarländischer Rundfunk, one of Germany’s radio and TV broadcaster.
Our Menus
Alexandra and Chef Abrahan compiled two special menus just for us, featuring iconic, must-eat Peruvian dishes. Key ingredients and produce are sourced directly from Peru in order to ensure authenticity of flavors. Each menu consisted of 2 appetizers, one main dish and one dessert.
While waiting for Chef Abrahan to ready our dishes, we quenched our thirst with Chicha Morada, Peruvian corn beer, and Peru’s signature drink Pisco Sour.
We opened the show with Peru’s national dish Ceviche clásico made with “Viktoriabarsch” (Nile perch). The vegetarian Ceviche vegetariano was beautifully crafted with mushrooms.
The second appetizer of the non-vegetarian menu is Anticuchos de Corazón, a very popular street food throughout Peru.
Our main course introduced us to the Peruvian superfood quinoa in the form of “Quinotto”, a twist on the classic risotto. With the vegetarian Quinotto de Hongos, Chef Abrahan made it to the final round of “Koch des Jahres 2018” (a major cooking competition for professional chefs in the D-A-CH region). For the non-vegetarian menu, the same Quinotto preparation was topped instead with Pulpo cooked to tender perfection.
Our culinary journey ended on a sweet and luscious note with some Suspiro con Lucuma. Also known as ‘Gold of the Incas’, lucuma is a fruit native to the valley of the Andes. With its sweet taste and health benefits, lucuma has become a popular natural substitute for refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Mima Peru introduces new dishes every season, so be sure to drop by regularly to discover new flavour combinations prepared using the freshest ingredients!
Mima Peru, Dalbergstraße 35, 68159 Mannheim
Looking for more ideas on where to dine in the Rhein-Neckar region?
Check out other reviews of places where Food Explorers have eaten.