While staying near Urubamba, my wife and I asked our hotel clerk (Daniel) for advice on a good restaurant nearby. Daniel made us reservations at El Huacatay in Urubamba and even arranged a driver for us during our stay at the hotel. Our driver delivered us to the restaurant, which has a nondescript exterior on a side road in Urubamba. The restaurant, located at Jr. Arica 620 Urubamba - Valle Sagrado de los Incas, may have been difficult to find without a driver to take us there.
Visitors enter an open doorway from a bland exterior into a lush garden. We were greeted by a server who walked us through the garden area into the interior, which was divided into several small seating areas. We opted for a seat in a back room, where one of the bars was located. It was a quiet room with nice jazz music creating a pleasant vibe. The walls were hand-painted with stick-figure scenes, creating an almost casual feel to the otherwise cozy room.
We were seated around a glass encased table on cushioned bench seats. While waiting to place our order, we were provided a basket with a variety of breads and delicious olives in a sauce that was reminiscent of tapenade, but the olives were whole and still contained seeds. The waitress also brought us two small dishes with dipping sauce for the bread. I liked the olive mixture on my bread. The other options were an oil and herb mixture and a yellow pepper spread. The appetizers were brilliant and delicious.
The menu featured a variety of signature dishes that were diverse enough and interesting enough to perplex us. I settled on the filet Mignon and my wife opted for the garlic chicken. The filet Mignon was fixed two ways, one with a blue cheese sauce and the other covered in a wine reduction. Between the two servings of beef was a healthy pile of linguine and a couple of broccoli florets. The chicken was covered in roasted garlic cloves and cranberries, served with a salad and potatoes covered in cheese.
Initially, I was a bit disappointed in my Filet Mignon, which was not nearly as tender as we find back home. However, the beef works a bit harder in Peru. I think the cow must have lived a good life before it became my dinner. While on the tough side, the beef had a great flavor. I especially liked the wine reduction. The beef was not skimpy, either. I believe I probably had at least eight to ten ounces of beef on my plate in addition to the pasta and broccoli.
The chicken was incredibly tender and had good flavors. The combination worked well together. The salad was a basic side salad, with a nice house dressing. The potatoes were covered in an elastic cheese that seems to be a common cheese in this region. We did not care for the cheese very much, but the potatoes beneath were good. The potatoes in Peru seemed a bit mealier than we get in the United States, but that was not a knock. The flavor of the potatoes was robust.
We washed our meals down with Coke and Hot Chocolate. The Hot Chocolate seemed to be freshly prepared and not a packet-type mix. It was served hot and delicious. The hot chocolate and olives were served in ceramic pots and cups that added to the overall rustic feel of the restaurant. We finished the entire meal off with a combination of sorbets. The icy treat was an excellent palate cleanser that tasted like it was freshly prepared.
When it came time to pay the bill, I was pleasantly surprised. I had read a review on TripAdvisor that indicated this restaurant was exorbitantly priced. It is anything but. Yes, you can get cheap meals in Peru, but the quality of those meals varies (often in relation to the price). This particular negative review had the cost of meals at well over one hundred dollars. Our bill, with dessert, came to less than 100 soles. It was in the neighborhood of thirty dollars total. That is a fair price for a quality meal in Peru and seemed on par with the other formal restaurant we dined at.
(This photo taken from the El Huacatay website)
Our server at El Huacatay took good care of us. She checked on us without hovering over us. She spoke decent English and was able to tell us a little bit about the restaurant and make recommendations from the menu. She also gave us information about the soundtrack that was playing on the sound system, because we enjoyed the music selections. She earned a large tip, which still didn't push the cost of our meal over what we would have paid at a similar restaurant in the United States.
I would highly recommend a visit to El Huacatay to any tourists who plan to visit the area around Urubamba. We took the lunch buffet at the nearby Tunupa restaurant and were impressed by both restaurants. It is a good area to find a solid reasonably priced meal. The creative dishes at El Huacatay are original, tasty, reasonably priced and eclectic. The free starters are healthy portions, but I recommend not filling up on the bread. The entrees are large portions that are sure to leave you feeling satiated. The dessert was a light, palate-cleansing bonus. For a few dollars more, we were treated to delicious sorbet that tasted freshly prepared. It was one of two desserts recommended by our server, who did not steer us wrong. Prices are average for high end meals in Peru. Not a bargain, but definitely not over-priced. Worth a visit if you are in Urubamba.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos are my own. They may be reproduced with prior permission.
