The US $5 Lunch Challenge in Lima: eating at Gonzi’s

Gonzi's

Don’t let the modest look of this place fool you. It is clean, the waiters are friendly (but just so you know they don’t speak much English), and of course, the food here is good and the prices are even better.

Gonzi’s, a small spot conveniently located near the intersection of Javier Prado and Camino Real Avenues, is a bit hidden at a relatively quiet street, but yet very near to the Lima Downtown-Miraflores-Barranco route that many young backpackers take often while in Lima.

Like many places in Lima, Gonzi’s offers a “Menu Del Dia” for lunch, that is, several dishes (starters, main courses and desserts) to choose from; you can pick one of each, and you will also receive a tasty croissant and some homemade soft drink, like lemonade, emoliente (a local combination of herbs and spices), or chicha morada (soft drink made from purple corn), for example. All for a flat price.

Our choices for the Nileguide US $5 challenge were simple; Peruvian tamales as starter, and a kind of Hawaian Burger that, honestly I had never seen before, but was tasty and a good example of how some creativity can make turn simple ingredients into something memorable.

With our complete meal set on the table and looking at us (because this Limenian Local Expert decided to take a friend to exchange opinions on the meal) it was definitely time for a Kodak moment:

Menu Del Dia: Tamales, Hawaian Burger, Strawberry Jelly, croissant and soft drink. US $3.50

For those of you not familiar with tamales, they are based on a dough made from cooked ground corn, or corn flour, which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper (wrapping is discarded before serving). This one was stuffed with boiled chicked, and came accompanied by the so Peruvian salsa criolla (sliced onion in lime juice and chili). Good.

The Hawaian Burger is, basically, a junior burger served without bread nor fries, but with boiled white rice instead, plus a slice of sweet potato and covered with a light sauce with chopped pineapple and red sweet pepper. Good, too.

Another good thing of these foods is that yes, they were tasty, but were not too spicy. Flavors were natural and we didn’t see abuse in spices.

This “Menu del Dia” included strawberry jelly as dessert, and also came with a croissant and a glass of something that tasted like a combination of lemonade and orangeade. Everything for actually less than US $5: it was only 9 soles, that is, a little less than US $3.50.

So, if you are in saving mode, this may be a good spot.

Bon Appetit!

Gonzis’
Manchaypuito 177, San Isidro