Lima | La picanteria: wall of ice

Picar. Grab a bite. Grignoter.

Whatever language you pick, it does not usually imply you are starving, but it is mostly willingness to snack something...

When the place is good, that feeling of ticklish tummy usually grows into an unknown hunger... and that’s where ‘picar’ becomes messy and you get your hands dirty.

Not talking about hard business here tough. Just a pile of napkins, sticky fingers, splashes of sauce everywhere.

We are in Surquillo, the place chosen by chef Héctor Solís, to bring to the Peruvian capital the tradition of the picanterias, casual taverns popular in Arequipa (southern Peru).

Get started on Chicha, the national corn drink (and probably the best we had in our trip), to continue in front of a wall of ice.

Ffrom there, you will see dozens of fish heads popping out of the ice.

Whatever you pick, it will end up in ceviche, skin tempura, grilled fillet and soup. All seasoned with lime, amarillo, and any other spice or ingredient of this blessed land deemed suitable.

No excess. Full flavours. Zero waste.