Hello everyone! Happy Autumn Equinox! I can't wait to drink warm apple cider and smell delicious pumpkin pie candle. I am so ready to go to the pumpkin patch! I love seeing the leaves changing colors, feel a light breeze, Halloween, and cute Autumn seasonal home decor at Target or Hallmark! Today I will talk about Mama Inca, a Peruvian restaurant owned by a Taiwanese woman and her Peruvian husband. Everyone in Taiwan loves good food and there are many restaurants in Taiwan that offer not just Taiwanese meals, but also Italian pasta, French pastry, and even Swedish breakfast! Some of these restaurants are owned by foreigners who moved to Taiwan.
The couple of Mama Inca have a young son who carries the plates to customers. He is fluent in Spanish and Chinese. I tried talking to him in English and he replied in Spanish. In translation, he said "We don't know English." I was the first customer to arrive just as the restaurant opened and I saw the little boy's father come in after he parked his motorcycle (or was it a scooter?) First thing I noticed was how colorful the wall is (bright orange and purple). What I like about Peru is how colorful it is and the traditional clothing that the Quechua-speaking residents wear. Then, I noticed the souvenirs on the window still such as mini dolls that seem to me that they might come alive any moment, but I still think they are cool decor purchased by the owners when they were in Peru. I would love to buy souvenirs in Peru to decorate my apartment someday. The owner gave me a simple menu and I skimmed over. The menu includes Spanish words, English words, and of course Chinese characters (in traditional). You don't have to speak Spanish here, but it is always fun to practice Spanish with the little boy!
I decided to order Limonada / Lemon juice with egg white, Lomo Saltado, sopa (soup), ceviche, and salad. Unfortunately, I did not read the fine print on the menu that ceviche must be ordered in advance and is only offered on Fridays and Saturdays, but it is okay. I can always order ceviche next time!
Then my limonada arrived to my table. I saw that it was foamy on top and the juice color is completely white even though I usually think of lemonade as yellow. I sipped it and it tasted delicious, a bit sour, but refreshing. I could drink this with a hearty meal!
Next, I ate my appetizer, a salad which was surprisingly not too big and had a simple taste (which is a good thing if you wanted to take a break from heavy food). It has a thin tomato slice in the center drizzled with a small amount of sauce, but I do not know what is the name of that sauce.
Next, my soup arrived. I usually do not eat this in my hometown, but it tasted like a carrot and cucumber soup. The menu did not include the name of this soup. It is recommended to enjoy this soup during winter time.
Lastly, my main course arrived. Now, I had Peruvian dinner before in my hometown and I love Peruvian food, but let me tell you this, this meal in Mama Inca tasted different! Definitely the rice tasted unusual for starters. The rice was shaped as a cube and had some black seeds. I am not sure what those seeds are. I am guessing the rice is not imported from Peru and is purchased locally from the rice fields in Taiwan. So I was not too big a fan of that rice, but I am always open to trying new things and new styles.
Then I ate the beef which is sliced in rectangle shape. It tasted like stir fry beef with a distinct Taiwanese taste. I ate purple onion, slices of red tomato, and beef altogether which is a colorful combination. The fusion of Taiwanese ingredients and Peruvian (imported) ingredients is a new tasting experience for me because I usually eat Peruvian food with American ingredients and imported Peruvian ingredients back in my hometown. Peru is famous for its gastronomy (and Machu Picchu).
On the wall behind the cashier counter, I noticed there is the Peruvian flag on the wall (so cool right?!) and on the countertop, a Inca Cola plastic bottle and other drinks. Inca Cola is a popular yellow drink in Peru and tasted like sweet candy to me.
Overall, it was nice to see a colorful restaurant! The price is slightly expensive, but I wanted to indulge myself since one of my goals while on vacation in Taiwan is to visit a Peruvian restaurant in Taipei.
I wanted to taste the fusion of Taiwanese ingredients and Peruvian ingredients in its meals. For two people, our bill was $1000 New Taiwanese dollars or $33 U.S. dollars. Tipping is not customary. The address is No. 1-1, Lane 31, Rui'an Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106.
My companion and I got lost trying to find this restaurant so I suggest you ask somebody on the street for help. The directions in Taiwan confused me as I could not figure out where is Section 1, where is this street, etc. The Google Maps helped me, but it only works when it is connected to public wifi.
Did you visit a restaurant owned by a foreigner/expatriate or a foreign couple (or a local who married a foreigner and set up a restaurant/business) in an Asian country or other nations? If so, did you like the food? The decor?
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