By: Hana Park and Anne Clay, Student Ambassadors, USA Pavilion 2012

The Peruvian pavilion is illuminated with dimly colored red and blue lights and would seem relatively empty if not for the small, cozy restaurant which is the highlight of the exhibit. To attract guests to the restaurant, the staff has displayed many of its desserts and appetizers on a bar-like counter in front of the restaurant area. Their strategy worked! We were immediately drawn into the restaurant and were compelled to order. There were so many choices that we had to ask one of the waitresses for advice. Thanks to her hospitality, we ended up with two very satisfying dishes. The first one of which was a traditional Peruvian food with shreds of chicken covered in yellow pepper sauce served with rice and potatoes on the side. The chicken melted in our mouths and seemed to be an accurate representation of the Peruvian culinary arts. The next dish was made up of sirloin beef strips served with rice, onions, and tomatoes on the side. The beef was extremely tender, probably the most tender beef that we have ever eaten since our arrival in Korea. After eating our main course dishes, we proceeded to taste the various desserts laid out for us on the counter. At first, our plan was to finish off our delicious meal with a little cup of arroz con leche. But, our plan was foiled. It started off with arroz con leche, just as we had planned; but, we soon found ourselves going back for more and more. By the end, we had worked our way through banana bread, cachanga, empanadas, and flan. The lady selling the desserts chuckled every time we came back for more. In the end, our stomachs were so full they were about to burst. It still amazes us that we can taste authentic cuisine from various countries all over the world without even having to leave the small city of Yeosu.