When global backpackers are tired of local cuisine after a grueling 6 weeks in a foreign country they go straight for fusion food. Hailed as a great place for Asian rice dishes by the guidebooks, nothing of the sort was found at Al Grano. I couldn’t figure out if the food simply wasn’t good or if there is laziness in the kitchen. We ordered a plate of mixed vegetables, a lamb curry dish which came with vegetables, some steamed rice, and a bowl of cilantro soup.
As Cuzco is part of the ‘backpacker scene’ I understand that vegetarian and world fusion restaurants have their place. Al Grano is no exception. The aire of backpacker permeated the place. I’ve done enough sleeping in my car and camping around the US to know a backpacker place when I step into one. Remember readers, I don’t stay exclusively at posh resorts and hotels. Bargain Global Backpacker Restaurant shouldn’t be synonymous with poor quality, vegetarian, and bulk human fuel. Unfortunately, it often is.
Lamb curry isn’t that difficult to make and at the very least, it should be flavorful. Bland is the easiest way to describe the dish. And look at the pool of water in the plate! Flavorless. I even tried to enhance the color in my photo with online photo editing software to bring something other than a brownish-grey hue into view. I poured the two condiments offered all over my dish and was begging for some spice to go with it (condiment 1 below). The vegetables were a horrific tragedy, steamed to anemic paleness. The white rice was fine, at least it was cooked properly. The soup certainly tasted of cilantro, but was thin and once again underseasoned. As expected, lower quality was compensated with high volume. There was a lot of food delivered for 30 soles. Drinks comprised the bulk of the bill, with water and beer costing more than the food.
So I have a concept for a restaurant in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, think Fuzio combined with Panda Express, and Olive Garden…Fusion Panda Garden and we love less discriminating vegetarian budget global backpackers who are really tired of eating tasty local cuisine but have a huge budget for beer and cigarettes!
I’d rather eat McDonald’s. If you’re in Cuzco, skip Al Grano and go eat somewhere that serves local food.
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