CAMINA EL AUTOR: Juancho's travels in Peru

Well, work is done! And, vacation has started, so the countdown really is on.  It's only a matter of days now, before we're heading to Peru.

So, what's on the agenda?

Restaurants, obviously.   We have a reservation already made at Astrid y Gaston, one of Lima's premier restaurants, listed at no. 14 on the San Pellegrino List of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, and the highest-ranked Latin American restaurant on the list.

Another one I want to hit is Amaz, the new restaurant by Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, the originator and chef of Malabar.

One that my cousin has told me about is Nanka.  It specializes in cuisine based on organic and sustainably-sourced ingredients.  They even grow their own herbs on site.

Yet another interesting one that has shown up on the horizon is Central, which also has made the San Pellegrino list, entering it at no. 50.  It's a bit pricey, so ... we'll see. Maybe next year?

And who knows which others?  Lima certainly does serve up surprises.  Last year, for example, one surprise for me was Placeres Clandestinos, a business run by Vivian Queirolo, of the famed wine and pisco-producing family.  She organizes private dinners, paired with her family's wines, which take place at various locations throughout the city, in a manner reminiscent of the "Gypsy dinner" phenomenon in the U.S.

Another surprise was Cafe Risso, a walk-up, standing-room, take-out only coffee shop on Lince's Risso street, a half block from Ave. Arequipa.   The coffee is dark, rich, and strong. The perfect antidote to the Lima winter cold and to after-lunch somnambulance.

We've also got a trip planned to the north coast.  To Piura, specifically, to hang out on the beach for a couple of days and hopefully get some of that tropical sun we always miss out on by going to Lima during its wintertime.