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Gastronomy

Tanta: A playful place to enjoy Peruvian Cuisine

From the design of their logo to the atmosphere within the restaurant, Tanta gives one the impression of lightheartedness and familiarity. This restaurant, opened by Astrid Gutsche and Gaston Acurio six years ago, now has spread throughout various districts of Lima. This year a restaurant has also been opened in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and there are plans for opening one in Santiago, Chile by the end of the year.

Tanta is filled with simple wooden tables that seem to accent the decorations that are present within the restaurant. Tanta in Chacarilla houses a wine cellar, a production plant for the Tanta chain restaurants, as well as various Peruvian and gourmet products.

And the variety that one finds within Tanta is also present in their menu. Serving everything Peruvian from appetizers to desserts, you will be sure to find something you enjoy. And the variety of prices is also appealing to many visitors there (average spent for a dinner is S/45 per person). Tanta is open all day, from breakfast to dinner, and always serves the freshest food. All of their products are made on site in Chacarilla, and all are made on the same day they are sold, in order to ensure that the food is as fresh as possible.

Tanta means bread in Quechua, and was created by Astrid as a location to sell fresh, Peruvian style breads. However, as the business grew, it evolved to also feature some of Astrid’s most famous desserts, and then evolved to become an everyday restaurant. But, there is nothing “everyday” about Tanta. It is a special location in which one can see the variety of food offered behind glass display cases, as well as relax and chat over a rich cup of coffee and an excellent dessert.

While LivinginPeru.com visited Tanta last week, we were served all types of lovely food served on beautiful ceramic plates. We started with the “Platón Criollo,” which featured four different small appetizers: Tamal, Chicharrón, anticuchos, and papa rellena.

Next we moved on to my favorite dish of the evening: the Pastel de Choclo. This could be eaten any time of day, and for that matter, multiple times a day. It was richly flavored, with sweet and savory tones that emerged from the combination of the choclo and the ground beef. I was ready, after just this dish, to say “No more! Just bring me five more Pasteles de Choclo!” But, that would not have been fair to our readers, nor to Tanta.



Next we moved on to the Causa de Cangrejo, which was excellently presented and tasted exquisite. The potatoes were made to perfection, and the crab and avocado combined perfectly. However, I was not much of a fan of having tomato in my causa, and so the next time I go, I will ask for it without the tomato.

We then tried the rich Lomo Saltado, which is Tanta’s most popular dish. The French fries were cooked to perfection, and served hot and crunchy. The lomo had a grilled flavor, and was also very flavorful.
We also tried another variation of Lomo Saltado with Lomo Saltado al lo pobre, which consisted of Tacu Tacu with the tomato and onion sauce that has made Lomo Saltado famous, spread over the top. Served with a “Milanesa” style cut of beef (called Apanado), and topped with an egg, it was an interesting creation and combination I had never tried before.

We then moved on to another signature dish, Arroz Puro Norte. A variation of Arroz con Pato, this dish combined duck with chicken, and was of course served with the typical cilantro rice and salsa criolla. An excellent combination of subtle flavors, this dish was another one of my favorites.

We finished off the evening with Tanta’s most famous dessert, Opera. A chocolate cake with coffee flavors, it was rich and not too sweet. The same was true for the Suspiro a la Limeña.

Tanta is the place to go if you want a casual, yet flavorful dining experience.



Add a comment :
2 comments

David N says :
23-10-09,05:29:11

This place is right by my house and I've been there a few times.  Nothing special, the usual Peruvian stuff.  Prices are cheap.

Elena Massa says :
25-10-09,07:08:24

I went to Tanta (Plaza Mayor, Lima centre) in 3 ocassions. Lomo saltado is very tasteful.
Though its service is bad. Waiters/tresses who forget about your order, who mix your order up, who ask you to move to a different table, just to allocate new customers.
Chrome cold chairs and white lightening inside and chilly outside... slow WiFi connection.
Last July I went with a friend for the last time (I always had hope that things might have changed...). A cold reception with the menu card almost thrown onto us... made us end up at "Pardo's Chicken", just in front and a very good service.
Elena

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