east valley
Volume 2 Issue 49 Mesa, AZ
July 12, 2020
Peruvian restaurant overcomes the pandemic shutdown TRIBUNE NEW STAFF
D
IN THE BIZ
ouglas Sanguino and his wife Clara took the big step of starting their own restaurant last January. They opened A Taste of Peru in the strip mall on the southwest corner of Guadalupe and Alma School roads in Mesa in January, less than a year after moving here from New York City where he had been involved in a Mexican restaurant for two years. The timing seemed great, Sanguino said, especially since he didn’t see much competition when it came to genuine Peruvian cuisine. “I wanted to show people how delicious and flavorful it is,” he said, explaining different regions of the country are known for different cuisine and he didn’t see anything in the East Valley with the kind he wanted to serve. Like most new businesses, start-up was challenging but moving along – until midMarch when the pandemic prompted the governor to close in-house dining. “I decided to shut down the restaurant,” he explained. “I didn’t want to expose anybody in the restaurant so we decided to shut down,” he recalled. “We kept reading the news and watching how people were reacting to the crisis and decided not to go back to work. We were a new restaurant so we didn’t have the demand for takeout anyway.” Now that a Taste of Peru has reopened, the Sanguinos are hopeful that people will venture out to taste what he describes as a full Peruvian experience where food is Public Notices ............... page 3 © Copyright, 2020 East Valley Tribune
concerned, though they also are now offering takeout and delivery. Their menu reflects both Asian, Mexican and Spanish influences, such as four Peruvian fried rice combos a number of dishes laced with noodles, a variety of stirfried items and a special paella with a Peruvian twist. There also are native dishes like the salchipapas appetizer, thinly sliced golden crisp sausage and French fries sprinkled with ketchup, mustard and mayo; the Peruvian rotisserie chicken that marinates for at least 12 hours in a secret sauce; and lomo saltado, a popular and Clara Sanguino opened a Taste of Peru at 1245 W. Guadalupe Peruvian specialty combining Douglas Road, Mesa, in January. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff Photographer). beef sirloin marinated in soy sauce and other spices and employees wear masks, social distancing sautéed with red onions, cilantro and to- among tables is maintained and frequent matoes. sanitizing is the order of the day. Seafood holds a special place in the Taste of Peru also offers a wide selection kitchen – so much so that some reviews on of beers and other alcoholic beverages, Yelp call A Taste of Peru the best seafood including pisco, a traditional Peruvian restaurant in the region, citing a seafood brandy made from muscat grapes, and an tower, several variations of ceviche and oyster shooter, a shot of tequila with an even a whole fish served head and all. oyster at the bottom. Both husband and wife work in the resSanguino also brags about his restautaurant and Douglas at times said he helps rant’s low prices, hoping that they will out in the kitchen when things get busy, help lure customers as the post-shutdown though he prefers to work the room with period has been a little slow. his wife to create a friendly and inviting Taste of Peru is open seven days a week atmosphere for guests. for lunch and dinner, They are on FaceAnd they are committed to keeping their book and can aWlso be viewed at mytasguests safe as the pandemic wears on. All teofperu.com. (USPS 004-616) is published weekly
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(480) 898-6500 Steven Strickbine, publisher Paul Maryniak, executive editor
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