Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Does not matter where I am or if I am trying, I end up eating food off of someone else’s plate
Arequipa is known for Picanterias which are these eateries that serve up traditional eats. It is a typical place that families hit up on the weekends, specifically on Sundays and eat and lounge out. There are not really located in the Historic District where I was staying and require a short taxi ride or a walk to get to some of these places. I read about Picanteria La Capitana as one of the best ones to eat at before arriving in Arequipa. I later confirmed that this was the place to eat when I asked my new found friends at the market.
From the Cathedral, it was a 4 Sole taxi ride. I walked back to the Cathedral center after my meal and it was about a 20 minute walk, at least for me. La Capitana is located in the suburbs part of Arequipa but the street it is located on is quite empty and nothing around it screams out food. It is the literal definition of a hole in the wall in which there is just a doorway and the words, “La Capitana” engraved above it. Even when you walk through the doorway, the only indication that there is a restaurant here is the posted menu and after going through a 10 foot alley way, you are transported to a busy restaurant.
You seat yourself here however, Chinatown seating rules are in effect here in which if there are open chairs where you are sitting, when it gets busy a family or people will sit with you. The menu is not that big, but the portions are hefty and the food is heavy so I was unable to eat that many things from the menu. Most can get the set meal which is the dobIe but given I had fried pork in my future, I decided against it. I started off with the Rocoto Relleno and pastel de papa. The Rocoto Relleno is a stuffed pepper that is popular here and the pastel de papa is a version of potato gratin. The Rocoto Relleno is stuffed with meat (beef), cheese, potato and onion and topped off with more cheese. I read that it is spicy but I only got a hint of heat. The Rocoto Relleno was good and had some earthy spices in it. The pastel de papa was good as well, but it will fill you up and sits in you like a Ford F-150…driven by Paula Deen pre-diabetes announcement. The pastel de papa is covered with not just cheese but egg yolks as well, if the potatoes soaked in cream was not enough for you. It was really good and I had to control myself from finishing it off. Food After the Jump!
