It can be said that the guilty pleasure of the foodie is fast food. We are not sure that anyone is truly guilt free of this little indulgence. I imagine high paid food critics sneak out for a late night snacks at Taco Bell once in a full moon. For us, its more of a sort of home sickness to want the occasional comfort of greasy fare. With the spread of McDonalds across the globe like an evil empire, more cultures seem to be developing their own breed of fast food to provide for their own tastes.

Needing a little comfort, we ventured into Bembo’s, Peru’s answer to the industry. It is totally western, a very familiar mold. With a menu as robust if not more than any Burger King or Jack in the Box, Bembo’s simply tailors the burgers with more local flavors. Fried plantains, chorizo, salchicha (like a hot dog) and fried eggs top burgers with condiments from mustard to aji moleda (Peruvian salsa). Sides include fried Yucca as well as the usual french fries. Inca Cola and Chicha Morado (blue corn based drink) round out an ethnic menu as unhealthy as anything America could fry up. The result is a different yet familiar taste to our palates. With guilt and gusto, we enjoyed our Huachana burger, topped with egg, tiny french fries, salchicha de huacho (a regional sausage), lettuce and the a lo Pobre burger, topped with egg, fried plantain, onion, tomato. Even the condiment dispenser is rigged to suit a Peruvian palette with plenty of Aji available by the pump.