Eating Organic in Cusco

Last Updated on August 10, 2017 by Karen

We arrived in Cusco around noon.  Having stuffed myself silly on barbecued meats (hey I was in Texas after all!) and snacked on way too much roasted peanuts and diet sodas the night before, I was starving for fresh, wholesome foods.  We found Green Organics just steps away from Plaza de Armas, the main town square.  The restaurant is bright and airy; it’s located on the second floor so you can sit by the balcony overlooking the Plaza!

To start…Cusqueno, our beverage of choice for the majority part of the trip. Hey, when you’re on vacation, it’s always happy hour!

Ceviche is a popular Peruvian dish, less so in the highland region, but it was our first meal so we wanted to try this trout and mango ceviche.  The sweetness from the mango complements the citrusy marinade so perfectly.  Peruvians like to drink the marinade called leche de tigre – not served with this dish though – and I imagine that the leche de tigre for this dish should be pretty darn tasty. We also had the shrimp croquette with mango for appetizer.  More mangoes – I couldn’t get enough of them!

Normally, I don’t order soups at restaurant because they tend to be on the salty side. For some reason, probably because of high altitude, I was so thirsty all the time, throughout the whole trip. This quinoa soup was a delicious and comforting option. James and Kylee both ordered the pasta dishes, but I forgot what they were :-p

Brad tried the alpaca steak.  It’s lean and tender, and actually not gamey at all.  As cliche as it sounds, I think it tastes like beef!

Finally, we opted for the two mango desserts on the menu (I told you I couldn’t get enough).  The coconut fried mango was the obvious choice for me because I love anything fried.  It was served with a refreshing mint sorbet so it didn’t feel greasy at all. Also, mango ravioli stuffed with fresh apples and topped with a vanilla-passion fruit coulis.  So refreshing as well!

I was really inspired by the clever uses of fresh, organic ingredients in this meal, and especially the fruits, which were used in different courses as well as the cocktails (in Peru’s signature drink Pisco sour). We actually went to the San Pedro Market after lunch where I bought some of the mangoes, chirimoyas, and passion fruit to try.  If you’re looking for a healthy alternative, Greens Organic is a solid choice!