A cocktail bar on Queen West seems like an unlikely spot for a pop-up that focuses on regional Peruvian cuisine. “There are Peruvian restaurants in Toronto but no one is focusing on specific parts of Peru,” Elias Salazar says while hovered over a plate of raw fish. His most popular dish is from his hometown of Callao, a ceviche of sea bass served in a bath of citrus chili marinade (leche de tigre) with varieties of Peruvian corn and deep-fried shrimp. “This is street-style from a specific beach town in the country, ” says Mr. Salazar, who recently launched his three-month pop-up at Rush Lane bar.

A few doors down, Noureen Feerasta’s menu at Rickshaw seems broad at first, spanning two continents from East Africa to South Asia. But Feerasta draws influence from both sides of her family with dishes that can be traced back to key places. The makai curry on her menu, made from corn, chickpeas and red chili, is inspired by the shores of East Africa. “The Kenyan version is richer with cashew paste, compared to the Dar es Salaam version which has a tomato flavour.” Her interpretation of khao shay which includes strings of deep-fried parathas, was inspired by the cooking found in the mountainous Shan state of Burma.

Source: Globe and Mail.