Ask any beauty pageant contestant what the capital city of Peru is and you’d probably get answers ranging from “is Peru a country?” to “Is that not the suburb between Bellville and Goodwood?”  You don’t need a high IQ to enjoy the delights of Peruvian cuisine; heck you don’t even have to strain your brain to pronounce the name of their staple protein “quinoa” when searching for the restaurant that is simply called “Keenwä” (being the phonetic spelling).

Knowing nothing about Keenwä, except that they serve Peruvian cuisine, have a new chef and are situated on the Fan Walk in Cape Town, we visited with dear friends and fellow adventurous foodies, Ishay and Jelle.  What an eye-opening experience it was!  The restaurant is cosy and intimate but not in that “sitting on your strange neighbour’s lap” kind of way.  Our waiter Cristiano (a student from Columbia on sabbatical in SA) was extremely knowledgeable about Peru and its cuisine and patiently explained the dishes more than once with some hilarious Spanish lessons in between.  By the way, we’ve been pronouncing “chicken” in Spanish wrong all these years – it’s not “pollo” as it’s spelt but pronounced “podjo” (end of free Spanish Lesson number 1 for the day).

So often restaurants serving non-local or exotic cuisine are hellishly expensive and it is justified by the scarcity factor of their food.  I’m happy to report that this is not the case at Keenwä with Starters priced from R45 – R70 and Mains R65 – R150.  The Starter and Main portions are generous and not what we expected at all.  Reading up on Peruvian food influences after chatting to Cristiano, it is interesting to see the Asian influence (they do of course, share the Pacific Ocean, so it’s quite obvious) with the abundant use of soy sauce.  The primary influences are of course Amerindian and Spanish, but do not expect oily blast-the-top-of-your-head-off Tex-Mex style food either.  Ingredients are fresh and the food can never be called “heavy”.

Tiradito a dos Tiempos (ceviche with 2 spicy sauces) & Trio de Causas (mash potato with 3 toppings)

The most well-known dish from Peru is probably Ceviche and Keenwä serves 4 versions of this delectable starter – try the Ceviche Keenwä (R70) that sports added prawns and passion fruit to the usual cubes of fish and lime juice.  I loved the presentation and flavours of the Trio de Causas (R55).  It’s mashed potato with 3 toppings: beetroot & tomatoes, shredded chicken with mayonnaise and spinach with tuna.  This was easily the most beautiful dish of the evening.

Pescado a lo Macho (hake with a spicy sauce) & Lomo Saltado (strips of beef sautéed with soy sauce)

You have 12 options to choose from when it comes to Mains: the Pescado a lo Macho (R80) is described as grilled hake on a spicy seafood sauce, for the brave ones.  The Navigator loved the fish and he didn’t even have to be brave, as the spicy sauce was served on the side!  The Lomo Saltado (R95) looks like a typical Asian style spaghetti and beef strips dish but surprises with the fresh burst of flavour from the tomatoes and onions it is sautéed with.  I will be back to try the Sopa Criolla (R70) – an interesting sounding mince soup from Lima with poached egg and spaghetti).

Keenwä is also busy opening a bar space on their top floor where their unique cocktails can be enjoyed with a beautiful view of the city.  With exotic names like Pisco Sour (R50) and Machu Pichu (R45) you are in for a treat as they are made with Peruvian spirits.  Pisco is a strong, colourless grape brandy widely consumed in Peru; it is very strong and makes for some mean cocktails!

“Foreign cuisine” can sound daunting at the best of times: you have no idea what to expect, you don’t know if you are having the “real deal” and, most of all, you don’t know if you will be getting your moneys’ worth.  At Keenwä you are getting food beyond expectations at reasonable prices.

We reluctantly left the warm cocoon of Keenwä vowing to return soon to sample more of the delights that Peru has to offer…and for a few more Spanish lessons from Cristiano.

www.keenwa.co.za

50 Waterkant Street, Cape Town

021 – 4192633