COLCA – kanpachi, leche de tigre, sweet potato, chulpi 😋

My foray into Peruvian cuisine occurred over four years ago at China Chilcano where I first met @chefcarlosdelgg. After trying most of the menu, I concluded the food was good though not exactly memorable. So in coming to @causadc_ last weekend, I arrived with few expectations. I was more excited to see Chef Carlos again, now in his own space introducing a fine-dining concept new to Washington, DC: a Peruvian tasting menu. As for the food this time? In short, I, and my dining companion, found it remarkable! 👏

At Causa, the humble but delicious potato showed up in multiple forms: as the restaurant’s namesake for an opening snack, as salt-baked fingerlings, and later, as a pavé in a meat-and-potatoes course. A ceviche dish surprised with frozen pebbles of leche de tigre, contrasting textures and temperatures. The contemporary presentation was riveting in sight and taste. Grilled salmon belly, a play on street food, was so succulent that it practically dissolved without much chewing. It was served alongside a chunk of meltingly tender beef tongue. The morsel of meat tasted erotically alluring, comparable to a French (or Latin to be more appropriate) kiss received the same moment you consumed it. A bomba rice course infused with herby notes of culantro and stuffed with rings of squid comforted and nourished even as it stunned my taste buds 🥰

All the aforementioned descriptions only describe about half of the dining experience offered at Causa. Perhaps the best compliment I can give is the meal has motivated me to visit Peru—sooner rather than later—to explore further and deeper the wealth of flavors of its diverse cuisine. I want to learn about the cities, towns, and regions Chef Carlos used as course names in his tasting menu, so I may get a sense of the history, memories, and nostalgia that inspired his cooking. And maybe, I can also understand the pride and love that has infused this cuisine ❤️

Much thanks to @chefcarlosdelgg and his team for this holistic and revelatory introduction 🙏