Vegan and Creole? The restaurant that offers a Peruvian and plant-based menu

Vegan cuisine in Peru is becoming bigger and more powerful. Currently, there is a great diversity of restaurants that offer dishes made only with plant-based foods. All of them have a style that differentiates them and that manages to attract the public. One of them is “Vegan Gastronomy”, a restaurant that began as a ‘dark kitchen’ in the midst of a pandemic and that, thanks to the efforts of its founder, is now one of the favorite places for vegans and non-vegans.

Alexandra Pasache is a young dreamer, she does not take to say it. At her short 27 years, she has achieved by herself one of her biggest dreams: to have a vegan restaurant. The hotel and restaurant manager began this long journey in 2017, when she decided to open a Facebook account with the name “Vegan Gastronomy” and start sharing data about plant-based restaurants.

Two years passed before she decided to do a vegan and seafood event. In February 2019, together with a vegan chef named Ranul Rayme, she sold marine dishes in a ‘plant based’ version. This event was a success, but she was not yet ready to undertake such a challenging project.

“My dad liked what I did and told me that I was good at this and that I should dedicate myself to it. But in my mind, I had another plan. My dream was a coffee shop and toy store. Something smaller, because I wanted to be hired for my career in a large and renowned restaurant”Alexandra remembers.

But life doesn’t always turn out the way you want and sometimes, without wanting to, it gives you something better. Ale, as her friends call her, was working in restaurants and restobars creating menus and related tasks, while her new dream was being woven. “Projects appeared to open a totally vegan cafeteria with some partners, but in the end it did not materialize. I was very shocked to see that for many it was more of a business to have something vegan and not a vocation.”, he adds.

“He wanted to do it (open a restaurant) but he didn’t have the money to run it. Meanwhile I start working at Abdiel Vegan, I’m in charge of the menu, the costing of the dishes, the diffusion. Actually, I saw a lot of potential in the place; and being there was key for me, because I developed the letter and realized that I wanted to do something on a new level”, he comments.

During 2019, he did a few more events. This time in Barranco. Thanks to a friend of hers, she found a space and offered Creole and marine vegan food for a few weekends. Ale managed to fill her events without paying for advertising; the presentation of her dishes, their seasoning and her charisma were enough for the vegans of Lima to be filled with curiosity and go to this new proposal. I remember attending one of them and witnessing all her efforts with which she worked and how her father helped her. “’This is your thing, you should keep doing it,’ my dad told me”, remember.

The following year, the pandemic caught her in Mexico. She had traveled to visit her relatives in taco country. “Arriving in Mexico City to get a humanitarian flight to Peru, I was alone in a hotel room for 100 days. I managed to get a bellman to buy me a notebook and a pen, and during these days he was planning what he was going to do when he got to Lima. She is determined: she would make a ‘dark kitchen’ “, Add.

Upon arriving in Lima and finishing his quarantine, he tells his family that he will make a ‘dark kitchen’. They were not convinced that it was a good idea, opening something in the midst of a pandemic and with everything against it was not the best, according to them. However, Ale was determined and together with her father they went to buy basic things to start.

The first event, this time only for delivery, was on July 28, 2020. “It had only two work tables and an old kitchen. But I felt that this date was important and I had to launch my proposal”, she adds.

Little by little, Ale bought what she needed, until she had a ‘dark kitchen’ like the one she wanted. “My brother convinced my mother, an architect helped us and I was able to do it”, he comments.

The hidden kitchen worked very well until August 2021, when it found a space on the terrace of the Black Llama Hotel, where it could once again serve the public. Since August 27, it has been attending by delivery and in person, in an open and comfortable space.

Dishes

Currently, “Vegan Gastronomy” has more than 15 dishes made from vegetable ingredients, and each one has its audience and a story. Ale mentions that his mother has always been a great cook and who has helped him bring out the traditional flavors of Peruvian cuisine.

Within the menu, there are some options to share such as tequeños (S/14) and chalaquitas (S/18). In addition, they have entrees such as the green tamalito (S/ 7), tiger milk (S/ 26) and the cause cart (S/ 28).

“In total there are about 40 mini-recipes or processes that we have so that everything goes well. For example, the cause alone has 15 preparations to make it look as we know it.”Add.

The favorites are undoubtedly the seafood dishes, especially now that we are in summer. “Vegan gastronomy” has a mushroom and oyster ceviche (S/ 30) that is so delicious that you will not feel the difference with the traditional one. The other popular seafood dish is the Risotto (S/ 34) and if you go with children or you like jelly you can order the Chicharrón de setas (S/ 34).

There is also a public that goes especially to eat Creole dishes and dishes of Andean origin. Ale says that dry seitan was not present on the menu, because for her eating beans was something she did every day and that she did not think it would be very successful. However, there was always someone who would come and ask for this dish, so she decided to put it on the menu. The Seitan Seco (S/ 34) is accompanied by beans, white rice, sweet potato and green tamales.

Another favorite dish is the Huatia (S/ 34). This dish also called “waja” is typical of the Andean region. In this restaurant it is made of seitan and thanks to the hours of preparation, they have achieved that this vegetable protein had a texture very similar to meat. It is accompanied with white rice and yucca. It is really delicious.

Other requested dishes are lomo saltado (S/ 34), chaufa con lomo (S/ 38) and chaufa Wo (S/ 34). In addition, they have pastas such as Fettuccini a la huancaína with lomo saltado (S/ 34), Fettuccini a lo Alfredo with mushroom sauce (S/ 36), Fettuccini al pesto with loin medallions (S/ 38) and a Trilogy of Pastas (S / 72). The latter is to share between two people.

To complement Peruvian food, you can order GV’s traditional mango juice or a vegan pisco sour. And as there is always room for dessert, they recently launched a vegan chocolate cake (S/ 15) that comes with chocolate fugde with avocado, berries and caramelized pecans.

For Ale, his dream is not yet complete, he hopes in the medium term to have his own place, but in the meantime, his food is delightful and you can enjoy it at lunchtime from Friday to Sunday. Bon Appetite.

Retail

Direction: 259 Berlin Street, Miraflores.

Telephone: 951 329 342

Schedules: Friday to Sunday from 12:30 to 3:45 pm

Booking: Yes.

Delivery: Yes.

Average price: 75 soles