Mango -- Peruvian food in the Lou

Author: Dave

What comes to mind when you think of Peruvian food?

I assumed spicy. I guess, living in the U.S., I assume any food south of the border brings the heat. After dining at Mango Restaurant, which boasts the only Peruvian restaurant in the St. Louis area, I would say that the stars of this South American country's cuisine are fresh, vibrant and colorful, but not at all spicy.

From Mango's website at www.mangoperu.com:

"Peruvian cuisine, in addition to its Inca origins, combines Spanish, Asian, and African influences to make an eclectic fusion of indigenous crops, spices, meats and seafood. Fresh ingredients and imaginative sauces are a hallmark of Peruvian cuisine, as is the popular Aji Amarillo pepper."

Aji amarillo is a fruity flavored and aromatic pepper, and its incorporated into many of Mango's dishes to add mild spice and a pleasant yellow color. The restaurant also mixes the pepper with oil as a condiment or dipping sauce.

The food was all good. Kirsten loved the empanada, which is spiced differently than the Argentinian empanadas we've enjoyed in the past. I ordered a an ensalada exicotica salad, which is made from an "exotic" mix of field greens, roasted red peppers, fresh mango and cilantro with a light citrus and olive oil dressing. I liked it. Wasn't knocked out, but then again I am not a big fan of fruit in a salad. I figure it's Mango's -- let's get something with mango. Trying the other salads, I would say that part of the meal was fine, but not my favorite.

The freshness and mild spice really came out in two salsas, one resembling chili verde and one that resembled pico de gallo. A plate of fried plantains came free to the table with these salsas. Fried yuca, similar to potato, also tasted great in a fresh dipping sauce.

Kirsten and I each ordered a "small plate" -- mine a skewer of beef kabobs and Kirsten an oven-baked shrimp dish with olive oil and shaved garlic. Each was delicious. Other members of our large dinner party also enjoyed their meals, and we heard few complaints. Mostly, people wished they had more food. In fact, we were a little hungry that evening after eating. But, we did have the "small plates" after all.

The restaurant has a pleasant atmosphere with hues of mango and scarlet. But, whereas I feel like I've received a nice introduction to the flavors of Peru, I didn't learn much about Peru itself. As the only St. Louis area restaurant boasting Peruvian cuisine, I thought it would be cool to see a map of Peru and photos of the ever-important aji amarillo pepper plant, along with some education about the culture and its food. The website does a good job of filling in some blanks, but from a selfish perspective, I would have loved to have known a little more about the food I was ordering and the culture that produced this food.

I emailed Mango Restaurant asking:

Have you thought about doing more to educate diners about Peruvian culture. Perhaps have photos of Peru, a map of Peru, some history of Peru ... just enough to give people a "flavor" of your homeland? I think as the only Peruvian restaurant in our area, you have a great opportunity to teach people more about your homeland's culture?

I think I phrased this sloppily, possibly insinuating that the owners do nothing to promote their culture. Sandra Calvo, restaurant Manager, was nice enough to answer:

Thanks for your interest in our restaurant. In regard to your question, the answer is yes, we have thought about the possibility of doing brief description of Peru and its culture. We are in the process of opening a new location and the idea of having a small map of Peru on the menu has come up as well. On the other hand we also offer teachers and their students an opportunity to come to the restaurant and have lunch or dinner and we have had requests for presentations and demonstrations about Peruvian culture. I have personally given the small little lectures to grade school (and this year) kindergarten students. We show them typical instruments, maps and we tell them about popular places to visit.

Mango Restaurant is located at 7307 Watson Road in the Mackenzie Point Plaza in Shrewsbury, South St. Louis County.

OVERALL: Mango Restaurant has fresh, vibrant food, and is a wonderful introduction to Peruvian food. The portions are small, although well-prepared.

3 out of 5 spoons

SCALE:

5 spoons -- a divine, out-of-body culinary experience

4 spoons -- top-notch establishment

3 spoons -- a good place to eat

2 spoons -- wouldn't recommend

1 spoon -- avoid at all costs