Aguaymanto - Cusco

I love llamas but it turns out they kind of suck. First of all, they are lazy. A horse will bear whatever load you place upon it, risking its own injury just to trudge it up whatever hill lies ahead. A llama loaded with a single ounce over 15-20 kilos refuses to move. But the Incas appreciated this quality and called the llama sacred so apparently laziness is a virtue for a people who cut perfect stones and hauled them out of a quarry and up a mountain. 

Even alpacas are better than llamas in almost every way. Their fur is softer, they’re smaller and cuter, and the meat is tender and cholesterol-free .The Alpaca Saltada is so tender that a butterknife slides right through, and the rest of this traditional Peruvian stir-fry has perfectly-cooked fresh veggies that would make any Asian auntie proud.

South America meets North America in the form of an Alpaca Burger. The patty is lighter but a tiny bit gamier than beef and makes a party in the mouth with a stringy cheese that gets better with every bite. The sesame bun has brioche-y flair, and as much as I objected to getting a burger in Peru, this one packs pizzazz.

All that alpaca packs quite a bit of salt, and those potatoes just dry you out. There’s no better way to rehydrate than a Mango Juice that tastes like a smoothie. Aguaymanto takes pride in their juice blends, and they put Jamba Juice to shame.

Aguaymanto is a pretty name, borrowed from the Inca Cherry, which has the texture and taste of a smooth white cherry crossed with a cherry tomato. The ones we sampled were organic, like over 75% of Aguaymanto's menu, and I wouldn’t mind sampling more.