Ukaw: what are the news about the Amazonian cocoa palace that arrived in Barranco?

Few places are capable of wowing the public like Ukaw does. Whether because of their eternal love for cocoa, the closeness with which they welcome diners or the generous portions they offer, this chocolate brand of Ucayalino origin has been gaining recognition. One more achievement is their new location in Barranco, in which they knew how to combine their Amazonian style, fresh and cozy with a large house with high ceilings and quite classic in the district. Advantage visited the space and here we tell you what you can enjoy on your next visit.

Gianina Flores is the young creator of this brand, which started in 2010. “It all starts as a small venture, in the kitchen of my mother’s house. A few years later, we decided to buy machines and have a place where I prepared the chocolates and when the bell rang, I changed to go out to receive clients,” says the Ukaw staff.

Once the brand was established, Gianina’s creativity and love for cocoa led her to continue exploring proposals. “The idea arose of creating a complete gastronomic experience where you will not only find chocolate in bars or bonbons, but also in other dishes. This is how we created cocoa fettuccine and created dishes like lomo saltado, wings or hamburgers, all with cocoa in some way,” says Flores.

“Our mission is to make known how valuable cocoa is, it is a nutritious input, a superfood that should be included in the family basket of all Peruvians,” Gianina assures with conviction. They start with a cafeteria in Pucallpa, which they then decide to bring to Lima. In the capital, they are positioned in Miraflores, where diners enjoy their varied, very complete and tasty offering.

In January of this year they embark on the new adventure of opening a store in Barranco. “Our time in Miraflores ended and we were looking in several districts but we couldn’t find the right place, it was difficult for us to find this place but once we visited it we loved it. We saw all the potential it had for us to create here,” Gianina mentions.

Cocoa for everyone

Without a doubt, chocolates and truffles are a little treat that cannot be missed. There are passion fruit and aguaymanto, but they also play with curious flavors such as Rompe Calzón (Amazonian liquor) or ají charapita.

For a good breakfast, nothing better than the combination of scrambled egg, avocado, regional chorizo ​​and delicious toasted cocoa bread. They also offer sweet delights, such as a good fruit bowl, a sandwich with bacon, egg and avocado or perhaps a classic hot chocolate. The latter is a delight that, regardless of whether it is hot or cold, we recommend trying, since it is prepared with Ukaw cocoa paste.

Another novelty that Gianina shares are the lunches that Ukaw presents. They have some menu options, which include an appetizer, a main dish and a drink. On this occasion we enjoyed a grilled paiche with avocado and tomato salad with a cocoa vinaigrette. The accompaniment was a generous portion of rice with fresh turmeric and cocoa nibs. The plantain patacones with their ajicito con cocona cannot be missed. A perfect soft drink is Magia Ucayali, which combines cocoa mucilage, lemon, gum syrup, ginger ale and ice.

To finish the experience we tried a cocoa fettuccine with a delicious bolognese sauce with mushrooms. The pasta was cooked to perfection, the sauce was generous and light and the cheese as a finishing touch was perfect.

After our visit, we can assure you that it is worth returning to try other of the curiosities it offers. Ukawa creative, charming and flavorful little piece of Pucallpa.