Since we spent a comparatively long time in Cusco (approximately a week cumulatively) we found ourselves constantly on the lookout for food that met two requirements:
1. It was healthy
2. It was affordable
Not surprisingly, it was easy to meet one of the two, but usually not both. We tried eating with the locals (affordable) but there’s only so much you can handle of being fed 3 different carbohydrates all on the same plate with next to nothing in the way of vegetables. We tried making our own food (which, by and large, was the way to go – but sometimes when you added up all the costs of the ingredients a bought meal was cheaper). Which is why after much frustration at expensive salads and cheap plates rammed with rice, potatoes and beans we were cautious when we saw the sign for the all you can eat indian buffet tucked in a little galeria in the Avenida Del Sol in Cusco.
We walked up the stairs with reserved optimism and asked if we could have a look at the options. We were delighted to see a variety of different protein dishes (chicken, beef, and tofu), a couple different types of rice, several vegetable stews, and a little salad bar (albeit it consisted of watermelon, tomatoes, beats and onions, but that was more veggies than we’d seen in some time).
All for an easy 15 soles (approximately $5USD).
I’m not going to say it was the best meal we’ve ever had. But it was cheap, and it was healthy. It wasn’t fried and the meat wasn’t dry and tough. If you’re hungry, in Cusco, not feeling particularly rich but feeling like you could do with a break from local fare, I fullheartedly recommend this place.
The Maikhana restaurant in Cusco, Peru, is located in the Galerias Merced at the Avenida Del Sol 106