La Chola de Lima – one of the newest restaurants in Saigon – is perhaps the only current place in town that specializes in Peruvian food.
Situated in the famous foodie lane at 74 Hai Ba Trung St., D1, it belongs to the same group that owns other well known establishments eg. The Refinery, Au Parc, Propaganda,…
La Chola de Lima – first floor
My companion and I ordered about 5-6 different dishes to try, all of them were quite delicious. The pricing however is a bit on the high side considering the small portion. I’m not a big eater, so perhaps in your case you might need to order more than this to be full.
Ceviche
Ceviche is one of the most famous Peruvian dishes, originated from Spanish and West African influences. Here is the one with palm heart, avocado and tomato (VND90,000):
Anticucho Skewers
Anticucho Skewers are also among the must-try dishes here. We had both chicken and beef, and while the beef was decent, the chicken was the one to die for. If I come back here, I’ll definitely order this one again. A portion at VND90,000 comes with 2 sticks:
Lomo Saltado – Wok beef
Another famous aspect of Peruvian cuisine is called Chifa – the culinary fusion of Cantonese traditions and Peruvian ingredients. Lomo Saltado – Wok beef (VND175,000) is one of these. It comes with vegetable, fries and some rice on the side:
Wanton Fritos
Wanton Fritos (VND75,000) is another Chifa dish, though nothing really special:
PICARONES
Our dessert – Picarones with palm sugar orange syrup, VND80,000. I loved this one and will definitely order again next time:
Cocktail
As for the drinks, Peru is famous for their Pisco Sour cocktail. However La Chola’s version (VND150,000) is a bit too light for my taste.
Our total bill came to about VND 1million for 6 dishes and 3 drinks (a beer, a cocktail and a glass of wine). I’ve never been to Peru so I can’t comment on the authenticity, however I’ve heard they do have a real Peruvian chef. Might worth a try if you are interested in Peruvian food and/or looking for something different in this city.
Cool outdoor area on the 2nd floor
La Chola de Lima
Address: 74 Hai Bà Trưng Street, District 1, HCM City
Tel: 028 3823 8793
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to midnight. Monday closed.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacholadelima
Comment: The first restaurant in HCM City specialized in Peruvian food, where you can taste the rich, multicultural cuisine that was brought about by native indigenous culture combined with European, West African and Asian influences.
The Nomad Quynh
