Culantro Peruvian Eatery is a family-owned business bringing new flavors to Ann Arbor’s diverse range of restaurants. Culantro currently has two locations — one in Ferndale and now, one on Main St. Ann Arbor, just around the corner from CHS.

The space had previously been occupied by Broken Egg, a highly-praised breakfast spot among Ann Arbor residents that closed in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic. The eatery not only serves traditional Peruvian dishes and soft drinks, but also recipes influenced by Chinese culture.

Staff journalist Gabe Deedler decided to order the carnipapas and empanadas with the Inca Kola beverage.

Inca Kola is a canned soda popular in Peru, offering a creamy vanilla flavor and perfect sweetness. It tastes similar to American cream soda despite having ‘Kola’ in its name.

The empanadas were unique and extremely flavorful. Despite the small portion size, this dish delivered a crunchy and crispy crust along with soft beef and olives on the inside. The taste started off as savory, but slowly developed a complementing sweetness that gave the dish remarkable contrast.

The carnipapas were nothing short of delicious. From the tender steak bites to the tangy chimichurri sauce to the fresh cilantro topping it off, the dish was brimming with flavor. Despite the fries on the bottom quickly becoming soggy due to the juices of the meat, who doesn’t love a classic, salty fry? The carnipapas are familiar and refreshing at the same time, and you’ll find yourself finishing the meal before you remember starting.

Although seating can sometimes be a bit scarce, especially on a busy day, Culantro is the perfect place for CHS students wanting a break from Kerrytown restaurants.