Photograph by Katherine Bish

No one deserves success in this business more than Jorge and Nori Calvo. In Peru, they owned four restaurants; when Peru’s economy went south, they went north, to St. Louis, started a catering business, and eventually were wheedled into opening Mango, the city’s first Peruvian restaurant. At an age when some successful restaurateurs are considering retirement, this endearing couple opened Mango numero dos in September at 1101 Lucas (Mosaic’s former space). If what the coastal foodies tell us is true—that Peruvian cuisine is the hottest thing since yucca fries—the Calvos’ timing is perfect. They were so passionate discussing their native cuisine that it fired us up as well. And that was before any pisco sours.


You were a busy couple back in Peru. Nori: We owned a snack bar, ran the food service at the large regional hospital, owned a gourmet pizza place, then ran a busy country club…and I’m leaving things out.

Wow, so you came to St. Louis to, let me guess…take a vacation? Jorge: I had visited the U.S. before, but when the economy in Peru got bad, I was eager to come back here. St. Louis had no Peruvian food, and it seemed like a perfect place to raise the kids. We started a catering company—out of our house—making tamales and empanadas by the dozen and delivering them all myself. I know our city very well.

Do you prefer catering to everyday restaurant life? Jorge: It is nice to have the customers come to you instead of you feeling like you’re bringing your restaurant to their house.

You just got tired of all that driving… Jorge: It is gratifying to have people come then return with all their friends.

How did you know the locals would take to Peruvian food? Jorge: We did many Latino festivals, and our lines were always the longest. All we heard was “You have to open a restaurant,” so eventually we did. Nori: Peruvian food has influences from many continents. The variety of fresh herbs and spices give it great flavor, unusual flavor.

Like the aji amarillo pepper? What makes it different? Jorge: They are yellow, medium-hot, and fruity in flavor, making them very distinctive. Something else different is huacatay…

What’s that? Nori: You can’t get it here, so we grow it. But we have to be careful; we learned it looks very similar to a marijuana plant. Our neighbor was very suspicious.

What is the staple protein in Peru? Jorge: Both seafood and fish, as there are many lakes in Peru.

Is there an indigenous fish or seafood that you have shipped up here? Jorge: We can get mahi-mahi and sometimes ruby trout, but more often these come to us from somewhere else.

Is there a staple starch? Jorge: Potatoes…they originated in Peru with the Incas. There are 2000 varieties there…some say there are more.

I had no idea. Jorge: And rice…with the Asian influence, Peruvians consume a lot of rice. Much of the food in Peru is served with rice.

What does it taste like? Jorge: It’s different. There’s nothing that compares, really. [Editor’s note: Reportedly, a combination of mint and coriander gets close.]

Tell me about anticuchos… Jorge: Another dish that originated in Peru, it’s a skewer with pieces of corazon—beef heart—marinated at least overnight. Two days is better.

Do you sell any? Jorge: At first only to the Peruvians, but now we sell quite a bit. Nori: We get letters from people thanking us for introducing them to it. Jorge: Customers also like the fresh choclo, big-kernel Peruvian corn that’s chewier and nuttier than American varieties.

Did you have to “Americanize” any of your menu items for local tastes? Jorge: No, the only thing that people change is the level of spicing--which happens with all cuisines—but some dishes are traditionally hot or traditionally mild.

What would you recommend for the Peruvian novice? Jorge: Lomo saltado, sauteed beef loin that has both Peruvian peppers and some Asian spices, like soy sauce. Or the chicken anticuchos…marinated chicken, served with aji amarillo sauce, yucca or sweet potato and some choclo on the side.

How about goat? Jorge: Goat meat is wonderful. We sometimes have cabrito, young goat.

Call it “cabrito” and you might just sell some. Jorge: We make it a la chiclayana, with mashed Peruvian potatoes that we season with salt and lemon juice.

How bout ceviche…it’s another Peruvian national dish, correct? Jorge: Yes and we sell a lot of ceviche, even to the newcomers who can’t believe the fish is not cooked.

Do you sell any Peruvian beer at Mango? Jorge: I worked for a year getting some up to Missouri and I had to buy almost a whole pallet. It is difficult to get but we are trying again to get it. The Missouri laws are difficult…I can ship things in from other states but I cannot sell them.

What is the Peruvian equivalent of bread and butter for the table? Jorge: Fried chifles [Peruvian plantain chips], served with different dipping sauces and cancha, like corn nuts, only chewier. We make both here.

Let’s talk about your new location downtown. Jorge: We were lucky that Mango got so popular. We were ready for a bigger place, more notoriety, more conventions, more tourists. We will attract people we would never see in Shrewsbury. Nori: Plus, there’s a night life that does not exist there.

Mango’s décor is simple and tasteful. What’s different downtown? Nori: My son is an artist who does large works in wood and paint, so he did the new bar top and the soffit. Jorge: And all we ever wanted was a Machu Picchu mural from him!

Why do you think Peruvian cuisine is one of the hottest trends in Latin cuisine? Jorge: Chef Gaston Acurio, our most famous chef, has opened Peruvian restaurants all over the world and has many more in development. A lot of this is due to him.

Are St. Louisans willing to try Peru’s national drink, the Pisco sour, or do they all wimp out and drink Bud Light? Nori: Even though it’s made with egg whites, when we explain it, very few do not try the pisco. Jorge: [Raising his hand] Myself, I drink Bud Light.

Anything else on the horizon? Jorge: In the big cities, Peruvian rotisserie chicken is very big. The combination of spices, the cooking method and the wood in the rotisserie make it unique…we may try our hand at that. My children don’t want me to do it…but they can’t stop me.