Authentic Peruvian cuisine: ceviche that whets your appetite
▲ Seafood Medley Ceviche has a sweet and tangy flavor. (Price: NT$450)
Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei
Taiwanese people generally have a high tolerance for foreign cuisines, with French, American, Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes commonly seen on the streets. But Peruvian food is relatively less familiar to many. The most authentic Peruvian dish is “Ceviche,” where seafood is "cooked" with lemon juice. It’s a traditional Peruvian appetizer—tangy and sweet—that makes you want to eat more.
Speaking of Peruvian cuisine, the most authentic starter is “Ceviche.” Chef Black Sugar says this dish is widely available in Peru, and its main feature is using lemon juice to “cook” the seafood. Take PICO PICO’s “Seafood Medley Ceviche” for example—it uses blanched shrimp, squid, octopus tentacles, raw white fish, along with Peruvians’ favorite red onions, sweet potatoes, and corn for seasoning. As for “Tiger’s Milk,” besides lemon juice, it also includes vegetables, seafood broth, and Pisco, Peru’s national drink. So besides acidity, there’s also a subtle alcoholic note and the sweet umami of seafood. After mixing all the ingredients with Tiger’s Milk, it’s left to rest in the fridge for 3–5 minutes so the lemon juice can “cook” the seafood, enhancing the texture.
% After trying it, we’re confident it’ll win your heart.
▲ Crispy Pork & Quinoa Salad. (Price: NT$360)
For Peruvians, influenced by Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese cultures, their cuisine blends elements from various regions. For example, fried rice might come with fries. Black Sugar says the characteristic of local food is its base of aji amarillo (yellow chili pepper), always paired with plenty of red onions and sweet potatoes. Another iconic Peruvian ingredient is quinoa, known as the “gold of the Incas.” It’s a Peruvian specialty widely used in local dishes, and PICO PICO features it in a Crispy Pork & Quinoa Salad.
The main ingredients of the Crispy Pork & Quinoa Salad include pork belly, lettuce leaves, corn, roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, pickled red onions, and it’s drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. The pork belly is cured in fat and then pan-fried right before serving, making it less greasy.
▲ Beef Heart Skewers. (Price: NT$250)
In Peru, skewered street food is common, and PICO PICO brings this to the table too. For instance, “Beef Heart Skewers” use imported beef heart marinated for three days in a homemade Peruvian spice mix, primarily consisting of aji amarillo, garlic powder, and other imported Peruvian spices. The aji amarillo flavor is quite strong, and it comes with three types of chili sauces in red, yellow, and green—made respectively from red, yellow, and green peppers—for a varied taste experience.
Although it’s Peruvian cuisine, PICO PICO was mindful that Taiwanese people might not be used to strong flavors, so they made slight adjustments. Black Sugar says that one day, a Peruvian customer came and commented the dish wasn’t spicy, sour, or pungent enough (not enough red onions).
PICO PICO
Address: No. 28, Lane 102, Section 1, Anhe Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-27551161
Business hours: 11:30 to 23:00
% Exterior view of PICO PICO.
% Interior dining atmosphere.
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