Panka Peruvian

pankadsm.com This lovely restaurant is closing it's doors on April 9th. Let's visit them one more time! It is Good Friday, but they have lots of seafood options with vegan/vegetarian options as well. Happy hour is 5-7. Panka has a selection of appetizers and drinks available at lower prices, but you can order other items at full price. Panka is the creation of owner Mariela Maya. After moving to the US from Peru, Mariela wanted to share the flavors of her country with her friends and family in Iowa. Come experience the flavors of Peru. Panka is located in the heart of Des Moines, on Ingersoll Ave. Minutes away from downtown Des Moines, Panka offers quick lunches to get you on your way during the day. Dinner provides the perfect atmosphere before heading to concert or sporting event. Peruvian cuisine has many different cultural influences as supported by its rich historical background. Peru’s first inhabitants were believed to have migrated from Asia in 6000 BC. This is what gives Peruvian food that touch of oriental influence. In the 1400s, the Incas came to power, but their empire was short lived when in 1528 Spanish conquistadors came to Peru. The Spanish introduced chicken, pork, and lamb to the Incas and in return, were introduced to potatoes and aji. As European diseases struck the Incas there was a shortage of labor and slaves were brought over from Africa to work on the newly established plantations. Africans contributed to the food dynamic with such foods as picarones which is a deep-fried pastry made from pumpkin dough. Peru’s unique variety of climates and landscapes has also helped in making the Peruvian menu so diverse. Such geographical variety divides Peru into distinct culinary regions as the coastal, mountainous, and the tropical. This blend of ethnic influences and geographical diversity has made Peruvian food to be the unique cuisine it is today while promoting and teaching of unity and togetherness. I have adapted to American culture, but my…