A few years ago, there was no love lost for restaurant Machu Picchu in the local Peruvian community: The service was terrible and so was the food. Still, Julian Herrera and Nora Linares kept giving the establishment another chance, and another chance.
Herrara and Linares had worked at various Matthews restaurants since 2001; before coming to North Carolina, the couple worked in restaurants in Peru and Argentina. They knew how a restaurant should be run. Machu Picchu wasn’t doing it right.
After some serious soul-searching, Herrara and Linares bought the restaurant in 2008. Slowly, ever so slowly, they turned it into a restaurant of which they—and the local Peruvian community— can be proud.
In the last three years, the restaurant near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Sharon Amity Road has gained a steady Peruvian clientele. It boasts decorations and souvenirs from Peru, like a huge wall hanging made of alpaca fur. The stone fireplace recalls the Incan ruins of the restaurant’s namesake.
“The ethnic restaurant, it’s not just about eating totally different food,” Herrara said. “You’ve got to learn something about the culture when you go to an ethnic restaurant.”
The dishes are standard Peruvian fare such as rotisserie chicken, choice cuts of beef along with seafood and corn imported from Peru.
“With better products I don’t have complaints,” Herrara said.
“Fresh and better products taste better,” Linares added.
The couple touts the Ceviche Mixto, a fish and seafood dish marinated in seasoned lime juice, with a side of sweet potatoes and Peruvian corn. They also recommend the Jalea, a dish of fried fish and seafood with a side of fried yucca.
Machu Picchu o!ers a variety of foods from Peru, like the restaurant’s version of chips and salsa: dried corn kernels that taste like popcorn. You’ll also find Peruvian sodas and ice cream. Herrera, a master baker of 20 years, makes the desserts. He often talks with customers about his dishes and even explains how to make them at home.
“American people know about Mexican food,” he said. “They know tacos, burritos, guacamole, salsa. One day I want every American to know Peruvian food.”
Profile written by Tonya Jameson