Ceviche is a well-known dish from Peru. It is particularly popular for its sour, fresh taste and the piquant spices. The Peruvian national dish, ceviche, has become a real export hit and has made it into various kitchens around the world. The Dominican Republic also offers its own variations of ceviche. Is it worth trying the Dominican ceviche and giving the version from the Dominican Republic a chance? How does ceviche taste in the Dominican Republic?

Ceviche is a traditional and famous Peruvian dish

Whenever I am asked about my favorite food, I easily start pondering. As a proven food connoisseur and well-known gourmet with a penchant for gluttony, my abundance of culinary experience and my repertoire of internationally consumed dishes exceed the sheer number of gastronomic imaginations.

There is a lot that I like and almost nothing that I don’t like. Grandma always said, beaming with pride, that I was a good eater. But if I had to choose between any dishes, then I would rather name a simple dish that …

• is prepared freshly
• has a penchant for savory elements
• contains healthy elements
• and fills pleasantly my stomach

My choice would be ceviche. A traditional Peruvian dish from the coastal regions of the Andean state in South America.

---

---

I had the privilege to live in the Peruvian capital of Lima for about a year and was able to consume some gastronomic masterpieces. Most of the time, when I quickly scanned the menu, I realized that my choice had already been made before I entered the restaurant. Anyone who has ever had the chance to try an originally prepared ceviche in Peru will be able to understand my words.

However, it is best not to eat ceviche alone. The marinated fish bite can be enjoyed better in company. Fortunately, there were several nice people during my time in Peru who were happy to share this meal with me.

---

Ceviche from all over the world

As with most traditions, recipes and culinary preparations are passed on over generations, evolve, and spread geographically. Without any real possibility of patenting food, it’s difficult to ascertain who prepared or cooked the very first delicacy of a dish before everyone else. While there has been a bitter struggle between Chile and Peru for hundreds of years for the pioneering claim of ceviche, this dish has spread globally and has been adopted and adapted by many other gastronomic kitchens.

From Mexico to the Philippines and Hawaii to the Caribbean, it is now possible to enjoy ceviche in similar variations and with typical national influences. Perhaps under a different name, with different side dishes, or made with different focus. The principle of marinating raw fish or seafood in various spices with lime juice has been a real trend and a cultural export hit for many years.

I also wrote an article a few years ago after trying the versions from Ecuador and Chile for the Peruvian cross-check. I recommend the following article as additional literature for all of you food-interested readers:

---

The non-Peruvian experiences with its most famous national dish were rarely satisfactory. Expectations that ceviche would be at the same taste level as in Peruvian restaurants were too high. The disappointment when the Ecuadorians served me some kind of ceviche soup or the Mexicans with their outrageous audacity to stuff ceviche into a taco was too confusing and disillusioning for me.

I have therefore decided – of course purely out of pride and to protect my sensitive palate – not to try any ceviche outside of Peru. Or would you prefer a US pizza with dry salami and a burnt cheese crust instead of an original Italian master pizza from the oven?

---

---

Isolating yourself completely from the ceviche, however, created some dreary absence. Although the palate is well protected from weak plagiarism from all over the world, the longing for the delicious dish always flamed latently in me. And sooner or later that culinary yearning had to be satisfied at some point.

Now ceviche has made it as well to the Dominican Republic. Whenever I eat ‘Ceviche Dominicano’ on a menu here on this chaotic island, some lustful stimuli conquered the taste buds of my tongue. The mouth began to become watery and immediately demanded that the dish be ordered.

Hence, I couldn’t resist and gave the Dominican ceviche a chance. Or two, or three. Or maybe even more chances than ‘just a try’. At least several times to be sure and each time with different results. I would like to share my experience report with you about ceviche from the Dominican Republic.

On the following pages, I describe with a few photos and texts what I was able to experience in the Dominican restaurants when I was served ceviche. To get a taste bit by bit, I recommend clicking on the next page.

Next page: Dominican Ceviche Fusion from Limao