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Our Peru, honored because it claims ownership to a myriad of gastronomical delights that are now recognized at an international level, finds its northern cities not only satisfying the tastes of the most demanding travelers, but has them succumbing to the flavors of their traditional dishes. Innumerable delicacies simmer under the scorching sun in this part of the country.

The north can hold its own. And in its gastronomy, there's no doubt about that. The kitchen of this region of Peru, closest to the border with Ecuador, is savory and compelling, difficult to resist and to not surrender to. This we can confirm thanks to the invitation we received from PromPeru for a culinary tour of the north, visiting the best restaurants of the area.

We left for Tumbes with many expectations, radiant sun and the reassurance that we'd enjoy the warmth and hospitality that is characterized by this part of the country. And we weren't wrong.

Our first stop was at the restaurant Las Tarrazas, whose owner Jenny Zevallos greeted us with the specialties of the house: a black conch ceviche; seafood rice with an abundance of fresh, delicious lobsters caught nearby; and the main attraction, La Mariscala, a fried robalo on top of a bed of fried seafood which includes black conches, lobsters, calamari and snails. The second course was a fillet de mero stuffed with crab, bathed in a spicy lobster and conch sauce… a dish absolutely worthy of a try.

After the succulent lunch, we rest a bit before wandering the city. We pass by streets adorned with sculptures by Delfin; the Jerusalén Avenue, the Concordia Avenue, and the Madre Boulevard among other sites of interest. We also visited the Plaza Mayor—a monument that celebrates the peace between Peru and Ecuador—as well as a Cathedral with architecture dating back to colonial times.

A not-to-be-missed attraction on this trip was the Los Manglares of Tumbes Sanctuary, with a striking landscape, it is a local source of diverse species of molluscs, crustaceans and fish. It is also the only place where the highly-valuable black conch dwells, along-side varieties of prawns, lobsters and crabs. While we watch how these creatures are extracted from their habitat, we are told by fisherman that because of the great demand for the black conch, their exploitation is becoming the norm. As a way of saving the species, it is now prohibited to harvest the specimen if it is smaller than four centimeters large.

After this direct contact with Mother Nature, and after reaching the furthest point from where the everglades' waters join the sea, we continue on route to our second restaurant, Mar Brava. Located in Zarumilla, five minutes from the Peruvian-Ecuadorian border, our neighbors to the north come in search of a savory mixed ceviche, containing fish or black conches, with the all-important accompaniment of soft yuca, chifles (fried bananas) and sarandaja. We're unable to resist the dish at the offering of owner Mercy Urbina. She insists we try her crab meatballs with a juicy, seafood hot sauce as an introduction to the main course, prepared for us by chef Steward Eduardo Okamura: seafood sautéed in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, and combined with pieces of fruit that have been soaked in a bath of passion fruit. The union is nothing short of exotic.

We bid farewell to Tumbes and journey on to Mancora, a beach-lovers paradise with flavors to match. We enjoy an evening of local tales with chamanes (folk healers), and then finally rest for the evening at our hotel, Las Orenas de Mancora. Jose Ossio, our host for the stay, is knowledgeable of the area and a great tour guide to boot.

The Next day: Cabo Blanco. This place has a certain charm and welcomes us with a musical band. The visit was seen through slightly sea-sick eyes, as we had a cruise on a yacht planned. However, the sea' s angry waters had us seeking land. We took it as an opportunity to sample the very fresh ceviche de mero murique, while Don Pablo Córdoba told us stories of his time spent waitering at the Fishing Club. He had served Ernest Hemingway, who had once brought with him a 40 person crew for the filming of “The Old Man and the Sea," and actually became a regular customer at this restaurant in order to practice catching a merlin fish.

While we traveled through Cabo Blanco, our hosts contacted Harry Schuler—pioneer in bringing this hotel ambience to the area—who has spent 21 years in the area and has a special flair in the kitchen. Harry shined with a display of stupendously presented dishes: mixed ceviche, octopus al olivo, chicharrón "land and sea"—a combination of fried pork and lobster—and a seafood tacu tacu.

As a farewell, Jose Ossio prepared a lobster with butter and freshly chopped garlic, of course, along with a tuna tartar accompanied with a white wine. Sun, sea, great food... What more could you ask for?

We left for Piura and its sunshine. After a warm welcoming, we dedicated ourselves to exploring every attraction the city had to offer. A few feet from the Plaza de Armas, Las Rejas—a shopping center—relies on locals to create the excitement of the moment.

El Capuchino, as its name indicates, is a lovely place to spend an afternoon with friends, drinking coffee, trying a variety of sandwiches, a few international dishes and an array of salads which serve as a good option if you're watching that waistline. And for those without weighty worries, this place is also a dessert fiend's paradise. Maná, marzipan, mousses, tarts and more are why this place exists.

Without having to travel much, we reach Carburmer, where we are welcomed with a delicious pizza in a personable place that can´t be missed.

Another intriguing place in the area is the Gaditano restaurant. There awaits for us a mackerel ceviche—a specialty of the owner—along with a diverse spread of international dishes.

We make a quick stop at our hotel Los Portales, located across from the Plaza de Armas, and whose bar El Marqués ends up being very charming. We also passed by the Tribis restaurant which serves succulent barbecues.

Our tour of northern flavors continues as we make it to our next stop, La Casa de Tejas. A winner of various culinary awards, we can confirm the greatness of its majado of yuca and seasoned steak, as well as express our regret in not trying more of its countless dishes. Unfortunately, the choices are plentiful and we have other places to visit. Mabel Benavides has prepared a special presentation for us: a local musical act which bid us farewell to the rhythm of the northern Marinera.

We finish this pleasant voyage by visiting two key sites: the house of Lidia Olaechea, who prepared delicious chifles of an indisputable tradition, accompanied by cecina (salted meat), which are truly a delicacy. Aside from the chifles, she took the chance to give us a sweet treat: manjar blanco (slowly-cooked, sweet milk), small spheres of tamarindo and the classic natilla custurd.

More than satisfied by such warm and welcoming attention, we prepared ourselves for the trip back to Lima, bringing with us the memories of the sensations of the distinguished northern cuisine and the generous hospitality of the people of that region.