I’ve never been to Peru, and I can’t really say I have much experience with Peruvian food either. So when there was a Yelp event at Peruvian restaurant in Berlin, I was all about it. As is the case with a lot of these events, I am always curious/guarded about what will actually happen, as many of the events feature a lot of meat and dairy. I lucked out with Serrano, because although they don’t really have any exclusively vegan items on the menu, they were ultra accommodating for me and made special versions of the food that I could try too.
The event took place on a Saturday in the early afternoon, and we had a long table in the back where we could all sit together. There was a table near the kitchen with bowls full of different ingredients that are typical for Peruvian cuisine, and we actually got to watch them prepare a lot of the meal, such as the ceviche. While ceviche is made with fish, my version was made with palm hearts, and I imagine it tasted just as good (if not better). I also really enjoyed the course with purple potatoes, and of course, the quinoa was delicious. All in all I think we were served 7 or 8 mini courses, in order to give us a variety of exposure to the different kinds of food. We also watched video clips that talked about Peruvian culture and the various parts of the country, which made it more than just a culinary experience.
To be honest, I don’t know if I would go back to the restaurant on my own, as I’ve heard mixed reviews, and we tend to stick to our side of town anyway, but I did enjoy the taste of Peru we were provided with that day. And who knows? Maybe someday I’ll get to experience Peru in person.
