I had my first taste of Peruvian food more than a decade ago as a student in San Francisco. Having returned to Asia since then, I could not really find a Peruvian venue that was as compelling. That is, until Tono Cevicheria came along in Duo near Bugis. Conceived by Chef Daniel Chavez who also owns Ola Cocina del Mar in Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tono is quite possibly the only full-fledge Peruvian restaurant in Singapore today. While it is touted as a “cevicheria,” it does not mean they serve only ceviche. On the contrary, there are varying dishes – from small plates to meatier mains. I was recently invited to Tono to check out the food and I must say it ticked off my checklist for authentic Peruvian cuisine.
We started off with the iconic dish – ceviche. In Tono, the dishes are reflective of the various nationalities living in Peru. Some dishes come with Japanese nuances which they call “Nikkei”, owing to the large Japanese community there while there is also “Chifa,” another category which carries plenty of Chinese influences.
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