Restaurants

Coffee and Breakfast at Jack’s

Breakfast found me in Jack’s this morning. It is a well-known American style eatery which serves breakfast during all the hours it is open. It offers premium bacon, pancakes and even nachos.

I arrived a little after seven, perhaps too early for the place since its kitchen was not ready and they did not have any WiFi to keep me occupied while waiting. My book thanked them.

When my breakfast arrived after the wait and the buildup of the menu and tradition it was ok, really unremarkable. The famous bacon was broken and stacked onto grilled pieces of toast. They did taste very good however.

The sausage, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggs of the gordo breakfast (aka English-ish breakfast) were not bad. They were hearty.

Fortunately for me the best thing came first, a cup of cafe con leche, a latté. The steamed milk was fine but underneath it lay a treasure, the coffee. I was immediately transported far away from this place that, despite the early hour, was quickly filling up with noisy people. 

The coffee had depth, a rich flavor that somehow avoided the bitterness that Starbucks has perfected. It was amazing with a wondrous balance of body and acidity with flavor. Despite the milk, the coffee stood out as very good.

At the end of my meal I asked the waitress if she could tell the name of the coffee they had brewed. Not only did she share that information with me, she brought me out a map and showed me where I could go to get this blend for myself.

The coffee is provided by Misky, a shop on Maruri street at the corner of Loreto.  I went there and asked if they would give me more detail on the coffee they provided to Jack’s.

The woman who was working there showed me to their bins of roasted beans and said the coffee was a blend of the first two, and exportation quality bean from Cuzco’s La Convención Province combined with a bean from the famed Chanchamayo area of Junín.  The latter wins awards, seemingly every year, as one of the finest in Peru.

Finding a good cup of coffee can be a surprising struggle in this town at the head of a valley that drops to a great coffee growing region around Machu Picchu in La Convencion. Jack’s surprised me. 

Maybe I should be thankful the restaurant does not pay quite the same attention to its food. The coffee was excellent and the mediocre food made it stand out all the more. 

Jacks Cafe, Choquechaca 509

Misky, Maruri 265,

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