We were both pleasantly surprised by the food here. Our previous South American food experience in Venezuela left us with memories of bland rice and beans.

In the cool Andes we enjoyed lots of excellent freshly made soups, my favourite being cream of pumpkin. Chicken is the most common main dish but we also tried guinea pig and alpaca. Both were good but the guinea pig required a lot more work than it was worth and disturbingly arrives on your plate spread eagle and with tufts of fur still intact. Food is not generally spicy unless ahi (hot pepper sauce) is added.

Pizza is also common and is generally thin crusted and delicious. Markets offer a plethora of fruits, vegetables and amazing fresh cheese. We had the best olives we have ever tasted in the area around Lake Titicaca. We also tried some good lake trout. Corn on the cob served with some fresh cheese is a common road-side snack.

On the coast I indulged as often as possible in my favourite dish: cerviche, which is seafood cooked without heat in a lime juice marinade. Cerviche varies by country and region. Sometimes it is served with crackers, warm plantain chips, or popcorn. We had a lot of fish on the coast, usually grilled with garlic and other spices.

Most local restaurants serve a set menu for lunch and dinner consisting of a huge bowl of soup, chicken or fish with rice and salad and a glass of fresh fruit juice generally for no more than $2.00. Bread was fresh and good. Bakeries were plentiful. Stuffed pockets of chicken or cheese called empanadas were a great inexpensive snack.

Photos:
Alpaca
Corn on the Cob with Cheese
Guinea Pig
Chicken Foot Soup
Soup in Tent on Mt. Chachani
Typical Meal on the New Flamingo, Galapagos
Special Treat from Chef on the New Flamingo