La Costeña Peruvian Restaurant

Participated in the May 2009, August 2009 , and May 2010 Taste the World events, and participating in the 2010 Taste the World coupon book.

Haydee and Mark Davis, owners
315 W. King St.
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 397-1996
www.lacostenarestaurant.net
TuWTh 11am-8pm, FSa 11am-9pm, Su 11am-7pm

To try on your first visit: ceviche or ceviche mixto, fish or a mix of fish and seafood marinated in lemon. Or try the rice and seafood, or jalea, a fried seafood dish with yucca and onion salsa.

Growing up in Lima, the capital of Peru, Haydee Davis could look out from the front of her house to the ocean. And seafood was often on the menu. The Parihuela (soup with tilapia, shellfish, garlic, onion and Peruvian seasonings) being served at Taste of the World was one of her favorites as a child. She named the restaurant La Costeña, which means the coast. As a girl, she loved dancing, especially marinera, a traditional Peruvian dance. She would dance at events, schools, and parties.

Today, she keeps alive the culture and tradition of Peru through her food - and the dishes that she's introducing to Lancaster.

"I love cooking," she says. "Right now I am so so happy." Davis opened the restaurant after working in a factory for years. She had cooked for her co-workers, who praised her food. Her husband encouraged her to open a Peruvian restaurant and in 2007 La Costeña opened its doors.

To do: Find a Peruvian flag. What animal is on it? (Hint: It's furry and has a long neck.) Extra credit: What season is it now in Peru?

written by Marla Pierson Lester; photos by Matthew Lester Photography