Mashua - Peruvian fusion on the Prinsengracht

Let me start by saying that I do not have an overwhelming knowledge of Peruvian food, but from the little experience I have with it, I established that the Peruvian cuisine is a very exciting one.

When consuming a good Peruvian dish you feel like your tastebuds have been taken on a joyride. The flavors are strong, but not heavy. Your dish can be creamy, but is fresh at the same time. A sudden twist of lime, or a flake of chili gives the food a surprise element, and its distinct wow-effect.

For quite a while I have been thinking of enriching my Amsterdam culinary experience by heading to a Peruvian restaurant. Casa Peru was the one I had in mind. As far as my knowledge goes, I believe that is the oldest Peruvian restaurant in Amsterdam. It is on the Leidsegracht, which gives it a great location while being just out of the sight of the tourist flocks.

Though this restaurant with traditional Peruvian food is on my restaurant to-do-list, it is not a place you an head to every day. Since I was going out for a casual dinner with a friend, I suggested to go to Mashua. I knew it was a Peruvian restaurant as well, and a friend of mine told me that her experience there was great. So why not?

Mashua - Peruvian fusion restaurant on Prinsengracht (crossing with Leidsestraat)

We went to the restaurant on a quiet Wednesday evening, so we did not have to wait or fight for a table :)
The waiter was very happy and welcoming, promptly got us a menu card and a wine card.
After looking at all the delicious choices, we picked.

The meal was delicious. I am rarely out of words...But "Oh my, God, this is delicious" was pretty much the only thing that my friend and I could say for about 15 minutes.
After finishing our dishes, we called the waiter and sent our compliments to the chef. I don't remember doing that in a very long time.

Delicious, delicious, delicious!

Next pleasant surprise - the bill. For a total of 70 euro (including a good tip) we had 2 mains and a bottle of Verdejo.

Main courses:
1) Lobster (whole) with cheese filled tortelloni (excuse me if I did not get the type right) with a delicious sauce, and a quinoa salad with beans, ruccola and chili on the side

2) Duck breast with rice, with lemon and vegetable sauce (this is a very simplistic description, which does not even come close to the deliciousness I had on my plate)

Would I come to eat here again? Absolutely!


And a interesting side note: Mashua and Casa Peru share the same owner. Casa Peru is traditional, while Mashua serves a slightly more affordable Peruvian fusion.


Xx

(p.s.: sorry for the pictures that do not do the food justice)