PAULINO'S INDIAN CUISINE — Restaurant in Huaraz

Because of the pandemic, like many businesses in Huaraz, Paulino's was closed for 18 months and was dearly missed during that time. But luckily Paulino's is now back at a new location and is better than ever! The new restaurant is located on Huaraz main street, Avenida Luzuriaga, on the second floor with great views of Parque del Periodista, it is a very cosy space with excellent ventilation. The staff is as friendly as ever and pay particular attention to hygiene, which is much appreciated. The cost of living in Peru has increased substantially since the pandemic, but Paulino's, despite having somewhat increased its prices, has managed to remain extremely affordable. The lunchtime menu (served between 12pm and 4pm) now costs S/15 soles and includes all the favorites (chicken curry, lentil curry, chickpea curry, spinach curry, saffron noodles, etc.), as well as some great new additions (chicken biryani and a large selection of vegetarian/vegan dishes). It offers great value for money as it includes rice, chapati bread and an orange drink. The a la carte dishes are slightly more expensive, but the portions are bigger and the variety and quality of starters, main dishes and breads is astounding and suitable for everyone - meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, celiacs, kids, spice lovers or not as the level of spices can easily be adjusted to your liking. Don't miss it, it is the best Indian food I came across...

I came here so many times during my one-month stay in Huaraz, mostly because they have a menu del dia that's 18 soles that comes with rice, chapatti, dish, and drink (fresh orange juice). The food isn't particularly good, but it's the only Indian restaurant around and it's decent I guess.

The first time I came here was to celebrate finishing Huayhuash, I asked for a dish off-menu and got super upcharged for it - asked for paneer jalfrezi (they have chicken and beef jalfrezi but no paneer jalfrezi on the menu), and they charged me the chicken price. Not too happy about that. I also didn't want rice and asked to switch to naan, but they could only switch to chapatti. Not too happy about that either. The paneer was super rubbery and not good at all, should've gotten meat instead.

For the lunch specials, I only got the beef jalfrezi because nothing else looked that great. Flavor was good, lots of veggies but the beef slightly overcooked. Always asked for high spice level but it was never too spicy. Didn't want the rice and got an extra chapatti instead which always came...

I recently visited an Indian restaurant in Huaraz, and unfortunately, my experience was a complete letdown. Let me break it down for you:

Taste: Every dish I ordered had the same taste. Now, I’ve had Indian cuisine multiple times in Dubai, and this was nothing like it. Authentic Indian food is known for its rich, diverse flavors, but here, everything seemed to blend into one uninspiring note.

I’ve also tried an Indian restaurant in Arequipa, and it was hit or miss. Some dishes were decent, while others fell flat.

Cusco: The Indian restaurant in Cusco was a disaster. Not only did the food lack flavor, but it also left me with an unfortunate case of constipation.

Lima (Mantra Cuisine): The best I’ve found in Peru so far is Mantra Cuisine in Lima. It’s a solid 7 out of 10, but even that doesn’t compare to what you’d get in India, Canada, or Dubai.

I’ve attached my bill for reference. Trust me, it wasn’t worth the money. The lack of authentic flavors left me feeling utterly...