food | Tiara in Transit

Discovering ceviche – I’ve died and gone to Mangoes!

About a 15 minute stroll from Roy and Sue’s apartment is Larcomar, a still in developement coastal area that the Lima council has put a lot of effort transitioning into a picturesque touristy hub. Though incomplete, you can see where its going – long stretches of beautiful beach lined by low cliffs covered in luscious green grass with parks, scenic points, and recreational areas for the kids.

In the shopping and eating arena, Roy and Sue introduce me to Mangoes for lunch.

Sue, excitedly, – ‘We take everyone to Mangoes, it’s the only time we go’

Mangoes is a beachside restaurant with an outside deck that overlooks the ocean. Aesthetically pleasing to put you into a relaxed holiday mood, it was very pretty… But what was even more beautiful was the buffet.

With 8 different varieties of sensationally marinated white fish, raw or lightly cooked in all sorts of Peruvian, if not slightly fused styles. Side dishes of sauces, salads, different types of corns, many species of potato, also including hot and cold scrumptious ‘pollo’ (chicken) and beef options – It was like a dream come true! *DROOL*.

To start with, ceviche – I love quality raw fish, I love lime, I love salad, and I absolutely love how the chef would create this delightful ‘ceviche’ (all ingredients mixed with additional seasoning) as you stand their watching and waiting with the predatory eyes of a hungry hovering vulture.

But it was not all about the ceviche – Rows of full green avocado with prawns topped with a seafood sauce, herbed blue cheese wrapped in chicken fillet, rare roast beef gently folded around a crispy asparagus, stuffed cheese tomato things, layered corn and vegie things, baked banana in a savory gravy, grilled fish in soy and butter! *GASPS*

By the time I shamelessly ate my way through 3 hours and four plates, I had embraced the blissful pace of a hippo in water and ‘floated’ back to our table with my final plate of assorted deserts.

Roy, considering the sheer quantity in disbelief, simply said – ‘ That’s disgusting!’ laughing.

I too found this hilarious – I thought I had been eating politely.

CRAB NIGHT

This might seem like an unusual mission to have, but something I’ve wanted to do before leaving KL is to eat as much crab as possible, in one seating.

Assisting me in completing this mission is my Aunty Lily and her daughter, my cousin Liyana. Other family members were present for support but opted for the more civilised dishes that involved cutlery.

We rolled up our sleeves and ordered 6 crabs – salted egg crab, chilli pepper crab and butter crab, to which I turned to Lily and asked – ‘Are you sure this will be enough?’

Lili – ‘Yes’ followed by the more acceptable ‘we can always order more’.

Now I’m an expert crab eater – I’m fast, thorough, and choose the best parts first. But sitting next to my Aunty Lily is a whole new crab eating experience – It’s competition.

Not only is Lily fast and thorough like me, but she seems to have what I can only describe as a psychic ability to grab at the same pieces of crab that I want BEFORE I have had a chance to put my thoughts into action. Lily knows intuitively when the lazy susan has brought the crab platters in arm’s length of where she is seated and can instinctively reach for crab claws without even needing to look at what she is aiming for! Lily is able to multi-task better than anyone I’ve ever seen – holding humorous conversation, while still being able to eat politely, and simultaneously keeping her work area meticulously clean of anything edible, while sweeping all inedible waste to one tidy area.

Liyana to Lily while we were still eating –‘Ma, I need to go to the toilet, move your chair so I can get past’

Without skipping a chew or using any extremities, Aunty Lily propels her body and her chair, closer to the dining table in one swift movement, then looks at me while still working away on a crab leg, and threatens in a light tone ‘This is how I roll’

Needless to say, the pressure to perform was intense.

I put my all into being a worthy opponent and managed to tuck away more than 1 whole crab, but my Aunty Lily was the clear crab eating champion.

T, being a good sport – ‘You can have the rest of my coke if you want?’ lifted what I expected to be half a can of coke, only to find that it had already been emptied.

My Aunty Lily looked at me and smiled, cheekily. I should have known..