When you think of ceviche, the ocean comes to mind, along with the breeze that blows when the waves role without end. There are many kinds of ceviche and they vary from place to place.
In Lima, Peru’s capital, you can find many luxurious restaurants where they offer spectacular plates of ceviche. In each of those places the taste of the plates varies. That is why people have favorite places where the taste makes them return to enjoy a fresh made ceviche.
Of course you can also enjoy a good ceviche from the carretillas, the food carts of Lima. Because of the magical flavor that their dishes of ceviche hold, the demand for them has risen strongly. This growth is also do to the contest held by celebrated Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio in 2013, calle Ceviche con Sentimiento, or Ceviche with Feeling, where many people participated. They each were dedicated to selling ceviche in their own particular carts. This show helped the general population to become aware that in the carts an excellent ceviche can be had. Consumption went up immediately once the show ended. Now people felt more confidence in eating from the carts.
In majority of Lima’s districts (neighborhoods) you can find ceviche carts available to satisfy the palates of all. Surquillo District, for example, there are carts that appear in the streets early in the morning to sell their ceviche. They have a medium sized board where they write what their daily offerings are and they include the prices. You will find normal ceviche, mixed ceviche, and ceviche of black clams regularly. All of them are accompanied by medium sized slices of boiled sweet potatoes, with some of kernals of fresh corn, and crisp fried pota (a relative of squid) called chicharrón de pota.
It is a pleasure to taste the flavor of sweet potatoes and the corn kernals mixed with the pieces of fish and their contrasting flavors. They also have the sour touch given by Peruvian limes whose juice spreads out and becomes the leche de tigre, the sum of all the flavors combined.
Since people line up to buy a dish of fresh ceviche from the carts, their owners and chefs come out daily to meet the demand. They are always active and seek to provide good service to their clients.
If you do not know where to enjoy a good ceviche do not forget that Lima’s carts are a good option.
