Dawn
on the Amazon
Captains Blog

More excitement about the new Dawn on the Amazon Café and Menu

You know me. I am a highly focused, type A, leader, Leo personality. As long as all this drive and determination is channeled in a positive direction it is not considered a disorder.  I’m positively focused on opening a new restaurant, and  juice, smoothie bar, that also serves beer and wine called The Dawn on the Amazon Café. That’s about all I think of. It’s most of what I work on. Maybe you will get tired of hearing about it. Maybe you are not interested in my new project to begin with. That’s  why yesterday I bought the domain name for www.dawnontheamazoncafe.com, and am starting a new web site and blog just about the Dawn on the Amazon Café. It will probably take over a week to get that web site up and running. I’ll let you know. In the mean time this is what you get here on the Captain’s blog, more Dawn on the Amazon Café news.

The tours and cruises business is good

First of all, business is good. Dawn on the Amazon I is in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve on a 7 day cruise with three nice young veterinarians. Dawncita is out on a day trip with two guests, complimentary bottle of champagne included, to the Butterfly Farm and the Bora Village, 7 guests are joining them for a half day trip at 1:00. We have several bookings in the next few months, and I am corresponding with several more potential guests. Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises doesn’t need a whole lot to step up to the next level. If I just had this Café opened and full of hungry, thirsty tourists I would be pretty proud of myself and my team. That’s for next week.

About the café, the menu, our preparation, the food, and my team

The awning for our sidewalk café

The awning frame installation was finished last night after dark, one week later than promised. The welders miscalculated a few things, and had to start over. They ended up making a very good installation, and Marmelita talked them down S/ 100 off the final price.

The awning material upholsterer is here now measuring the frame. He says he will finish three days from tomorrow. That would be Friday, January 29th. We will see. I have learned to doubt all estimates of time in Latin America. I’ll try to be patient. The material is an off white with blue trim that matches the building and our chairs. It will be attractive and practical for shade in the morning, rain protection when necessary, and make it obvious to tourists walking the boulevard that there is a café under the awning. I think we will wait until the awning is up before we open, unless that turns into two weeks. The extra few days will give us a chance to develop and improve our system.

Our simple system

Our system includes serving your meal within 30 minutes of when you place your order. This isn’t fast food. It’s home cooking from scratch. It takes longer but is fresher and better and our Chef Judy is a fabulous cook. Simple orders such as smoothies or soup, must be served within 15 minutes. I will be timing everything for the first couple of weeks, and we will make adjustments as we go. We will develop a simple system with my team of highly trained professionals, to make the work stream flow smoothly. I have the vision. I know how it should be. It will take a little time to implement and improve my system. Who am I kidding? Not you. We will always be tweaking our simple system to make it more efficient.

About the menu

Have you seen the menu? Click this link to The Dawn on the Amazon Café Menu. Note that everything on the menu is less than S/ 20 or $7.

Our signature dish, the Chef’s Choice steamed fresh fish fillet, with a salad, and your choice of the best rice ever, a twice baked stuffed Andean potato or a cup of soup, is only S/19.50 or $6.96.

The tropical fruit smoothies are addicting, so most of our combos include a smoothie with a discount. If you try one, you will want to come back for another. The baked chicken sandwich combo with your choice of smoothie is only S/ 18 or $6.43, the second highest price on the menu, but possibly the best return on investment. The fantastic sandwich by itself is only $4.82, and all of the choices of the large 16 oz. refreshing frosty smoothies are only $2.32.

Gourmet Inchicapi soup

Do you know about inchicapi soup? It’s the quintessential soup of Peruvian cuisine. There is no doubt in my mind that we serve the best Inchicapi Soup in Iquitos. Please give it a try and let me know if you agree.

Sacha Inchi Oil

Do you know about Sacha Inchi Oil? You will. The cold pressed Sacha Inchi oil is making big news for containing 45% Omega 3 fatty acid, 36% Omega 6, and 9% Omega 9. It grows here in the Amazon and it tastes great. We use it in our homemade dressing for all of our salads. Learn more from this article I wrote; Sacha Inchi Super Food, The Inca Nut.

I get to have the cake and eat it to

Once a week Marmelita enjoys making 2 or 3 Chocolate Pisco Cakes and a couple of Cinnamon Cream cakes. It’s one of her hobbies that she has turned into a thriving business. They sell out fast so if your lucky enough to get one you’ll be pretty happy. They are made with Peruvian ingredients, like pisco from Ica, and chocolate and cinnamon from the Amazon. We sell them for $1.25 a slice. The Cinnamon Cream cake goes great with our fresh brewed coffee. The Chocolate Pisco cake with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc tops a perfect meal. We pasteurize our own fresh whole milk with the cream floating on top. A cold glass of our milk fresh from the cow will make you want to eat two pieces of cake, at least it does me.

Doomed diet

I’m supposed to be on a diet, but I’m not doing so good. Opening a Café requires a lot of taste testing to get the recipe right. Those smoothies are addicting. I’m warning you now before it’s too late. I tested 4 new mixtures today. My favorite was the Orange, Pineapple Vanilla Froth. I like this new job.

No bush meat

One final thought; I made an ethical decision not to serve “bush meat” at the Dawn on the Amazon Café. My main business is providing tours and cruises to people wanting to see wildlife, not eat wildlife. You have to get two days away from Iquitos to see a large black caiman or a turtle, but you can still eat caiman nuggets in most of the popular tourist restaurants. If you want to eat “bush meat” go to those other places. Better yet, come to The Dawn on the Amazon Café and enjoy a good old fashioned cheese burger and french fries, or vegetarian steamed vegies on quinua and wash it down with a tropical smoothie. You’ll be glad you did.

More excitement about the new Dawn on the Amazon Café and menu.

Bill Grimes is feeling some pressure to make sure everything on the menu at The Dawn on the Amazon Café the best of it’s kind in Iquitos.

You are the first to see the Dawn on the Amazon Café Menu.

Welcome To The Dawn on the Amazon Café.

Our goal is to provide you with the freshest, highest quality, most delicious safe food and drink for a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a reasonable price. Our food, made fresh daily in our own kitchen, is free of artificial ingredients, MSG, and refined sugar.

My promise to you is we triple rinse all fruits and vegetables in purified water. Rinsed three times with purified water so you don’t have to worry, and so I don’t have to worry. The Dawn on the Amazon Café is the only restaurant in Iquitos that uses purified water every step of the way from the market to your table, including the coffee, soup, ice, and water. Combined with our excellent hygiene, you can enjoy the fruits and salads and every item on the menu with confidence.

We are proud to be serving the freshest, purest, fruit and vegetable juices, all-natural smoothies and world class fair-trade organic coffee in Iquitos.

Enjoy them in our casual California-Iquitos style sidewalk cafe, sitting under the shade awning overlooking the boulevard and river, or take-out our gourmet grab-n-go to your home or office. Call 600057 or 223730 to order in advance.

Drinking the freshest, purest tropical juice is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body in terms of hydration, nutrition and overall well-being.

Would you like to join the Dawn on the Amazon Explorers Club to receive a 10% discounts on all items on the menu, all Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises, and lots more benefits? Become a member today! Save money and have more fun.

Thanks for choosing The Dawn on the Amazon Café

Starter/Appetizer

(1) Mango Salsa, served with our hand made artisan chabata bread.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

(2) Perfect Guacamole, served with our hand made artisan chabata bread.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

(3) Salsa Criolla, served with our hand made artisan chabata bread.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

(4) Garlic Bread, with Roasted Garlic Butter and fresh Herbs, Best Olives. You’ll love this garlic bread, straight from our oven to you.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

(5) Chinese-Iquitos Egg Rolls, with Pungent Mustard Soy Sauce for dipping.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

Specialty Coffee

(6a) Fresh Brewed Roasted Peruvian Coffee, large, (two cups in one).  S/ 4 = $1.43.  With milk.  S/ 4.50 = $1.61

(6b) Fresh Brewed Organic, Fair Trade, World Class Coffee, small, (one cup).  S/ 4 = $1.43.  With milk.  S / 4.50 = $1.61

Iced Coffee, Iquitos Frappuccinnos

(6c) Iced Coffee, Iquitos Frappuccinno, strong chilled coffee, cold milk, ice cubes, first pressed brown sugar, blended; cool, delicious.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

(6d) Iced  Coffee, Caramel Iquitos Frappuccinno,  strong chilled coffee, cold milk, double dollop of caramel sauce, ice cubes,  first pressed brown sugar, blended; cool, delicious.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

(6e) Iced Coffee, Vanilla Iquitos Frappuccinno, strong chilled coffee, cold milk, vanilla, ice cubes, first pressed brown sugar, blended, cool, delicious.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

(6f) Iced Coffee, Mocha Iquitos Frappuccinno, strong chilled coffee, cold milk, cocoa, chocolate, ice cubes, first pressed brown sugar, blended, cool delicious.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

Full compliment of 16 oz. fresh juices and smoothies from the juice menu all day.

Juices

(7a) Orange Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7b) Limonada.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7c) Passion-Passion Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7d) Star Fruit Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7e) Camu-Camu Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7f) Mango-Mango Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7g) Pineapple Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

Smoothies

(7h) Melon Cream Dream, (Seasonal).  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7i) Banana Bliss.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7j) Peanut Butter Conspiracy.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7k) Mango Pineapple Orange.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7l) Orange Banana Pineapple.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7m) Orange Pineapple Vanilla Froth.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7n) Melon Pineapple Orange Honey.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(7o) Orange, Celery, Carrot, Apple.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

For an even more healthy experience, add 1 teaspoon of Maca or Cats Claw to any juice or smoothie for S/ 2 = $.71

The Best Breakfast In Iquitos

(8) Stuffed Cheese and Vegetable Omelet, with Toasted Chabata Bread, Real Butter, and Tropical Marmelade.  S/16.50 = $5.90

(9) Pancakes, three light and fluffy Pancakes, Real Butter, Honey and our Home-made Tropical Fruit Syrup.  S/ 9.50 = $3.39

(10) Pièce de Résistance, Pancakes and Eggs, three light and fluffy Pancakes, Real Butter, Honey, and our Home-made Tropical Fruit Syrup, with Two Eggs, as you like them, (over easy, sunny side up, scrambled, fried firm, or hard boiled).  S/ 14 = $5

(11) The Foundation, Two Eggs, as you like them, (over easy, sunny side up, scrambled, fried firm, 0r hard boiled), with toasted Chabata Bread, real Butter and Tropical Jelly.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(12) The Fundamental, Bacon and Two Eggs, as you like them, (over easy, sunny side up, scrambled, fried firm, or hard boiled), with Toasted Chabata Bread, Real Butter and Tropical Marmalade.  S/ 12 = $4.29

(13) Grannie’s Old Fashioned Home Fries with vegetables.  S/ 9.50 = $3.39

(14) The Time-honored, Grannie’s Old Fashioned  Home Fries and Two Eggs, as you like them, (over easy, sunny side up, scrambled, fried firm, hard boiled), with Toasted Chabata Bread, Real Butter, and Tropical Marmalade.  S/ 14 = $5

(14) The Classic, Two Eggs, as you like them, (over easy, sunny side up, scrambled, hard boiled), Bacon, Grannie’s Old Fashioned Home Fries With Vegetables and Toasted Chabata Bread, Real Butter and Tropical Marmalade.  S/ 17.50 = $6.25

(15) The ELT Sandwich, a fried firm Egg plus Garden Goodness Sandwich on toasted chabata bread; a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables and fresh cheese, dressed with three parts Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil, and one part fresh squeezed lime juice.  S/ 11.50 = $4.11

(16) The BLT Sandwich, Bacon plus Garden Goodness Sandwich on toasted chabata bread; a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables and fresh cheese, dressed with three parts Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil and one part fresh squeezed lime juice.  S/ 14 = $5.00

(17) The BELT Sandwich, Bacon, firm fried egg plus Garden Goodness Sandwich on toasted chabata bread; a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables and fresh cheese, dressed with either three parts Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil, and one part fresh squeezed lime juice.  S/ 15.50 = $5.54

(18) Super Spicy Bacon and Egg Breakfast Burrito With Gravy and Rocoto Sauce.  S/ 14.50 = $5.18

(19) Super Spicy Bacon and Egg Breakfast Burritos with Gravy,  Guacamole and Rocoto Sauce.  S/ 18 = $6.43

(20) Fruit Salad.  S/ 10 = $3.57

(21) Granola, made from Andean whole grains, or cereal, a tropical fruit, and milk.   S/ 11 = $3.93

(22) Fresh ground peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

Gourmet Soups with Corn Bread

(23a) Cream of the Crop, Corn and Potato Soup, a bowl of soup, a piece of corn bread or our hand made artisan chabata bread, and two olives, equals a meal. Our Peruvian vegetarian soup is a rich, delicious, milky mix of old fashioned corn, potatoes, peas, carrots, fresh basil and other special spices.  S/13.50 = $4.82

(23b) Cup of Cream of the Crop Soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68, (no corn bread or olives)

(24a) Inchicapi Soup, a bowl of soup, with a piece of chicken, a piece of potato, and a piece of corn on the cob, a slice of corn bread, or our hand made artisan chabata bread, and two olives, equals a meal.  The essential Peruvian soup, made with ground peanuts, corn meal, rich chicken broth, chicken, potatoes, corn on the cob and special spices.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(24b) Cup of Inchicapi Soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68, (no corn bread or olives)

(25a) Healthy Chicken Soup, simmered with fresh herbs, vegetables, and wheat berries, with a slice of corn bread, or our hand made artisan chabata bread, and two olives.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(25b) Cup of Chicken Soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68, (no corn bread or olives)

(26a) Vegetarian Quinoa Soup, with a slice of corn bread, or our hand made artisan chabata bread, and two olives.  S/  13.50 = $4.82

(26b) Cup of Quinoa Soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68, (no corn bread or olives)

Crisp Fresh Salad

(27) Garden Salad, a small salad mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables dressed with three parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to one part fresh squeezed Lime Juice, and a little salt and pepper.  S/ 7 = $2.50

(28) Garden Goddess Salad, a plate full of mixed seasonal fresh raw vegetables dressed with three parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to one part fresh squeezed Lime Juice, and a little salt and pepper.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

Lunch

(29) The Cheese Burger, topped tall with mild red onion, ripe tomato, lettuce and melted Edam cheese, on hand made artisan chabata bread, baked in our oven till melted and golden brown.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(30) French Fries, you’ll like our Andean French Fries, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside,  sprinkled lightly with oregano and salt, unique in Iquitos.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(31) Garden Goodness Sandwich, A mix of seasonal crisp raw vegetables with fresh cheese, dressed with three parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to one part Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice.  S/ 9.50 = $3.39

(32) Mex-Iquitos. Better than a fajita, with marinated Beef Tenderloin, Guacamole and Salsa Criolla wrapped in a flour tortilla. Rocoto Sauce on the side.  S/ 17.50 = $6.25

(33) Charred Chicken Fajita Fiesta with crisp fresh greens, chopped tomato, and a dollop of sour cream. Rocoto Sauce on the side.  S/ 17.50 = $6.25

(34) Perfect Guacamole.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(35) Vegetarian Steamed Seasonal Vegetables, with Garbanzo, on Quinoa; high protein, nutritious, super grain of the Incas.  S/ 9.50 = $3.39

Delicious Baked Chicken Sandwiches

(36) Sweet Iquitos Fire Baked Spicy Chicken Breast Sandwich, hot Rocoto pepper, sweet mango salsa, fresh pineapple, Rocoto hot sauce, cheese, on our hand made artisan Chabata bread, baked in our oven until golden brown.  Rocoto hot sauce on the side.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(37) Parmesan Baked Chicken Breast Sandwich; with homemade tomato, basil Italian sauce with Parmesan and fresh Peruvian cheese, on our hand made artisan Chabata bread, baked in our oven until golden brown.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(38) Chef’s Choice, Steamed Fresh Fish Fillet; Salad and your choice of Twice Baked Stuffed Andean Potato, Best Rice Ever, or a Cup of Soup.  S/ 19.50 = $6.96

(39a) Italia-Iquitos Fresh Fusion, Better Than Marinara, on Fettuccini Pasta,  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(39b) Italia-Iquitos, Salad, Garlic Bread, Olives Combo.  S/ 19.50 = $6.96

(40) Garlic Bread, with roasted garlic butter and fresh herbs. You’ll love this garlic bread, straight from our oven to you.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(41a) Stir Fried Sweet Snow Peas and Quail Eggs on Fried Rice.  S/ 15.50 = $5.54

(41b) Stir Fried Sweet Snow Peas and Quail Eggs on Fried Rice, with Fried Won-ton Spring Roll Ups Combo. Mustard Soy Sauce side.  S/ 19.50 = $4.82

(5) Chinese-Iquitos Egg Rolls with Pungent Mustard Soy Sauce for dipping.  S/ 10.50 = $3.57

(43) Fried Rice.  S/5.50 = $1.96

Individual Portions

(30) Andean French Fries.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(44) The Best Rice Ever; brown rice with toasted Brazil nuts.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(45) Brown Rice.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(46) White Rice.  S/ 4.50 = $1.60

(47) Twice Baked Stuffed Andean Potato, with mild roasted garlic, sour cream, butter, cheese, and green onions. S/ 5.50.  $1.96

(48) Sweet Potato.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(49) Boiled Andean Potato.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(43) Fried Rice.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(50) Bacon.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(34) Guacamole.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(51) Avocado and lime.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(52) Salsa Criolla.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(53) Mango Salsa.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(40) Garlic Bread.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(54) Olives.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96

(55) Corn Bread.  S/ 2.00 = $.71

(56) 1 Chabata Bread, untoasted.   S/ 1.50 = $.54

(57) A plate of toasted, buttered, sliced, chabata bread S/ 5.50 = $1.96

Dessert

(58) Chocolate Pisco Cake.  S/ 4 = $1.43

(59) Cinnamon Cream Cake.  S/ 4 = $1.43

(60) Pasteurized Whole Milk, right out of the cow to our pasteurizer to you. The only safe fresh milk in Iquitos.  S/ 4 = $1.43

Beer

(61) Small Cuzqueña, Iquiteña, or Pilsen, cold and frosty.  S/ 4 = $1.43

(62) Large Cuzqueña, cold and frosty.  S/ 6 = $2.14

(63) Large Cuzqueña de Trigo, (Wheat).  S/7 = $2.50

(64) Large Pilsen, Iquiteña, or Cristal, cold and frosty.  S/ 5 = $1.79

Wine

(65) Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2009, Concha Y Toro Vineyard, Chile…Fresh intense aromas of peach, and tropical fruits. Perfect to share with fish, salad, soups, chicken, and vegetarian dishes.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

(66) Pinot Noir, Reserve 2008, Casillero del Diablo, Concha y Toro Vineyard, Chile, Fruity flavors of raspberries, with soft points of coffee and chocolate.  Versatile, goes well with meats, chicken, vegetarian dishes, cheese, and even fish.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82

Champagne

(67) Tabernero, per bottle.  S/ 26 = $9.29

Bottled Beverages

(68) Soda.  S/ 2 = $.71

(69) Bottled Water.  S/ 2.50 = $.89

(70) 7-Up or Guarana, 500 mil.  S/ 2.50 = $.89

Snacks

(71) Banana Chips.  S/ 1.50 = $.54

(72) Farina.  S/ 1.50 = $.54

(73) Cookies/Biscuits.  S/ 1 = $.36

Rainforest Herbal Products, Pure, Organic, Kosher, Fair Trade

(74a) Peruvian Jungle Chocolate Bar, 75% cocoa (Organic, Fair Trade Dark Chocolate).  S/ 12 = $4.29

(74b) Peruvian Jungle Chocolate Bar, 55% cocoa (organic, Fair Trade Chocolate).  S/ 12 = $4.29

(75a) Sun Dried Peruvian Olives (100 % Certified Organic, Kosher), 8 oz.  S/ 24 = $8

(75b) 100 Olives unpitted, S/ 50 = $17.88

(75c) 100 Olives, pitted, stuffed with pimentos,  S/ 50 = $17.88

(76) Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 liter bottle.  S/ 59.60   = $19.85

(77) Maca Powder, 9 oz.  S/ 25.30 = $8.45

(78) Coffee, Peruvian, Organic, Fair Trade, 1/2 Kilo.  S/ 57 = $19

Ayahuasca Diet Menu

We realize there is a large gray area of what is an acceptable diet from one Ayahuasca Center to another, and from one dieter to another. We are committed to accommodating the variety of diets and information into one menu. Everything on the menu will not be appropriate for everyone. Please pick and choose what is best for your situation based on the ingredients listed. Please don’t say, for instance, “I can’t believe he has basil and garlic in his pasta sauce.” If basil and garlic are not part of your diet, don’t order the pasta sauce. I think we can all agree that pork, fat, excess oil, pepper, and hot pepper, should be avoided before taking Ayahuasca.  This menu eliminates those ingredients from the recipes, and minimizes salt.

Full Compliment of 16 oz. fresh juices and smoothies. (No salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)Add honey,  S/ 2 = $.71

For an even more healthy experience, add 1 teaspoon of Maca or Cats Claw to any juice or smoothie.  S/ 2 = $.71

Juices

(79a) Orange Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79b) Limonada.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79c) Passion-Passion Fruit Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79d) Star Fruit Juice.  S/  6.50 = $2.32

(79f) Camu-Camu Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79g) Mango-Mango.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79h) Pineapple Juice.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

Smoothies

(79i) Mango, Pineapple, Orange.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79j) Orange, Banana, Pineapple.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79k) Orange, Pineapple, Vanilla Froth.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79l) Melon, Pineapple, Orange, Honey.  S/ 6.50 = $2.32

(79m) Orange, Celery, Carrot, Apple.  S/6.50 = $2.32

Breakfast

(80a) Fruit Salad.  S/ 10 = $3.57 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(80b) Fruit Salad with Granola.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(81) Two boiled eggs.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(82) Garden Goodness Sandwich, a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables on our hand made artisan Chabata bread, dressed with only a squeeze of lime.  S/ 9 = $3.21 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil) Add a slice of fresh cheese.  S/.50 = $.17

(83) The ELT Sandwich, a fried firm Egg plus Garden Goodness Sandwich on toasted chabata bread; a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables including tomato, lettuce, or spinach, dressed simply with fresh squeezed lime juice.  S/ 11 = $3.93 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy; but a small splash of oil to cook the egg) Add a slice of fresh cheese.  S/ .50 = $.18

Soups

(84a) Healthy Chicken Soup, simmered with fresh herbs, vegetables, and wheat berries.  S/ 12.50 = $4.46 (No salt, pepper, sugar, dairy or oil)

(84b) a cup of soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

(85a) Vegetarian Quinoa Soup.  S/ 12.50 = $4.46 (No salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(85b) a cup of soup.  S/ 7.50 = $2.68

Crisp Fresh Salad

(86) Garden Salad, a small salad mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables, dressed with fresh squeezed lime juice, or if you prefer, left naked.  S/ 7 = $2.50 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(87) Garden Goddess Salad, a plate full of mixed seasonal fresh raw vegetables, dressed with fresh squeezed lime juice, or if you prefer, left naked.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

Lunch

(82) Garden Goodness Sandwich, a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables dressed in fresh squeezed lime juice, or if you prefer, naked.  S/ 9 = $3.21 (No salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil) Add a slice of fresh cheese.  S/ .50 = $.18

(83) The ELT Sandwich, an Egg, fried firm, plus the Garden Goodness Sandwich on toasted chabata bread; a mix of seasonal fresh raw vegetables, including tomato and lettuce or spinach, dressed simply with fresh squeezed lime juice.  S/ 11 = $3.93 (No salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, tiny splash of oil to cook the egg). Add a slice of fresh cheese.  S/ .50 = $.18

(88) Charred Chicken Fajita Fiesta, with crisp greens, chopped tomato, wrapped in flour tortillas.  S/ 17.50 = $6.25 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy; but a splash of oil to cook the chicken)

(89) Simple Chicken Sandwich with mixed garden vegetables dressed in fresh squeezed lime juice, unless you order it plain.  S/ 13 = $4.64 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy; but a splash of oil to cook the chicken)

(90) Vegetarian Steamed Seasonal Vegetables on Quinoa; super grain of the Incas.  S/ 9.50 = $3.39 (no salt, pepper, sugar, honey, dairy, raisins, or oil)

(91) Chef’s Choice, Steamed Fresh Fish Fillet, a salad, and your choice of boiled sweet potato, boiled Andean potato, brown rice, white rice, or a cup of soup.  S/ 19.50 = $6.96 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, or oil)

(92) Italian Vegetarian Basil Sauce on Fettuccini Pasta, contains a small amount of extra virgin olive oil.  S/ 13.50 = $4.82 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy)

Individual Portions

(93) Boiled Andean Sweet Potatoes.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, oil)

(94) Boiled Andean Potatoes.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96 ( no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, oil)

(95) Brown Rice.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, oil)

(96) White Rice.  S/ 4.50 = $1.61 (no salt, pepper, sugar, dairy, oil)

(97) Avocado and Lime.  S/ 5.50 = $1.96 (no salt, pepper, sugar, oil)

(72) Farina.  S/ 1.50 = $.54 (no salt, pepper, sugar, oil)

We also provide the best run tours and cruises in Iquitos from the Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises office next door. Ask about our day trips. They are fun. You will like them. Including the complimentary bottle of Champagne. Relax! Let us take care of everything. Let’s celebrate!

Thanks for choosing The Dawn on the Amazon Café. The next time you are thirsty or hungry or just want to sit in a comfortable chair and sip a cold beer watching life on the boulevard go by, you will be welcome again.

The Dawn on the Amazon Café Menu. Did you read anything that sharpened your appetite?

Bill Grimes is a big fan of the Dawn on the Amazon Café.

Today Matt and I ate the best quarter pound hamburger, french fries and frosty juice in Iquitos at The Dawn on the Amazon Café.

This afternoon Matt and I agreed we ate the best burgers and fries in Iquitos. The ground beef was freshly ground from brisket, a little salt and pepper, a slice of Edam cheese melted, with a good fresh bun, a slice of tomato, onion, and a little lettuce, simple, no sauce, but ketchup, mustard, or mayo on the side. Matt and I used the ketchup on our fries. The juice was cantaloupe, blended with whole milk, blended with ice. Very good, sort of like a milk shake. Matt is a big eater and he said he was full afterward, so it must have been enough for a meal, a combo,…the Captain’s Combo.

We had near perfect weather in Iquitos all last week, and it continues today. Overcast with a breeze, around 80 degrees.

Did you read the Dawn on the Amazon Jungle Cabin, Llanchama Village post? I thought it was an interesting subject, fairly well written, but the next day I got an email from a young couple that had found the Jungle Cabin page on our web site and wanted to come, but asked for more information. I sent them to the blog article and have not heard back from them. Maybe they didn’t like the part about Farley Mowat eating rat guts to gain balanced nutrition…or were afraid I would apply that to their menu. Oh well, you never know. It’s a real adventure, in the jungle, not a pretend one.

It isn’t easy starting even a simple little café with a small menu, at least for the first time. On our cruises we never pay any attention to portion size or food expenses per portion. We only know how much we spend on the total groceries for the cruise and divide that per day per guest, but not per meal or dish. There is always more food than can be eaten. That is what we want.

For the Dawn on the Amazon Café, we need to know exactly what the portion size is, and it should be enough, but not too much. We need to know exactly what the expenses are, not only for that dish but for all of the miscellaneous items like wages, napkins, sauces, salad dressings, dish detergent, etc. to determine how much we need to charge to make a profit.

Fortunately it isn’t like starting over, we have great recipes, a great chef, and a system, but there is still a lot to figure out before we can make an interesting, compelling menu with the exact prices and deliver the best food in Iquitos to our guests tables, simply, easily, and quickly.

We don’t want to charge too much. We want you to feel comfortable coming here. I expect this will be an important piece of the puzzle to make Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises, and Dawn on the Amazon Explorers Club more successful.

I know why most people don’t call restaurants cafés. It is a real pain in the “fingers” on my keyboards to type the é. I wish I had kept track of how many é I have already typed and never even served a juice or bowl of soup yet.

We are planning on opening next Monday, January 25th. Our Chef Judy is working every day perfecting our portion size, presentation, speed of service, quality of food, and consistency. Every pot and pan, knife and cutting board, salt and pepper shaker, cup and glass, ice tray and pitcher, microwave and blender, and everything else, will be used several times before we open, so I think the objections to eating at a new restaurant will be avoided. We will be up to speed with everything clean and sanitary on the first day.

Marmelita and I have been thinking, and talking about this project for three or four months but we have only been actively working on it for three weeks, so next Monday will be a month. Most of our friends probably think it has been a slow process to get this far since they have been hearing about it for months. It seems like a long time to me also. I meant to open the first of the year but reality has a habit of getting in the way. Actively running three other business, our Peru vacation to Huaraz, Christmas, New Years and blogging were only part of the reality.

I do my best when I can focus on one project at a time and now I am focused on the Dawn on the Amazon Café. Marmelita and Chef Judy are on board. It is coming together. Today my Café crew received their graduation certificate from the Iquitos School of Restaurant Hygiene. The mountain of paperwork has been surmounted. The time for government officials is over. The time to prepare the best food in Iquitos is at hand.

Today Matt and I ate the best quarter pound hamburger, french fries and frosty juice in Iquitos at The Dawn on the Amazon Café.

Bill Grimes is eating great hamburgers and french fries at the Dawn on the Amazon Café.

What does it take to start a small café in Iquitos?

What does it take to start a small café in Iquitos Peru? Patience, time, money, hard work, and attention to detail is part of the answer. Maybe I’m making too big a deal out of this. How many restaurants are there in Iquitos? There must be thousands of them. They must just open up and work out the details as they go. I may be trying to over think this.

We have one of the best chefs in Iquitos and the upper Amazon. Judy has cooked nearly all of the meals ever served on Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises. She will be cooking nearly all of the meals at the Dawn on the Amazon Café also, so I know they will be delicious.

We are practicing and refining our recipes that we developed on our cruises. We are studying just how much each dish costs per serving and what the miscellaneous expenses of running a café are before we decide how much we have to charge to make a profit. I am having a hard time narrowing down our choices of what should be on the menu. I only want 8 to 10 food items, but we have dozens of great recipes to choose from.

There are a hundred details to work out. I am trying to develop a simple system. I will not reinvent the wheel but I don’t want to be like any other restaurant in Iquitos either. The Dawn on the Amazon Café is unique.

I hope to open by January 25th, as organized as possible and up to full speed on the 1st day. I think we will be open from 8:00am to 9:00pm. Nothing is carved in stone. Everything can still change day to day. We are making it up as we go along. I feel like we are creating something special, but I guess you will be the ones to decide that. My goal is still for me to consider each item we serve to be the best in town. If I don’t feel like we cook it, blend it, rinse it or fix it, fresher and better than anyone else, we won’t serve it.

What Does It Take To Start A Small Café In Iquitos?

Bill Grimes, is the self appointed restaurant critic of Iquitos from Dawn on the Amazon.

The Dawn on the Amazon Jungle Cabin on the outskirts of Llanchama Village.

We look forward to getting away from the city to work and play at our Jungle Cabin on the outskirts of the village of Llanchama, (pronounced janchama). No tourists were there for the weekend so we invited Marmelita’s extended family to join us. I think 24 relatives were there Saturday and 20 spent the night and stayed and played most of Sunday.

We don’t call it a lodge. That is too grand a description. It is more like a fishing cabin on the Wabash River back home in Indiana than a lodge. We have two bed rooms with 2 bunk beds in each room. Our maximum group size for tourists and travelers is 8. Like all of our tours, cruises, and services, we only use purified water for cooking, drinking, and rinsing fruits and vegetables. We charge $86.25 per person per day, and provide a remarkable experience.

Our Jungle Cabin is similar to most of the other native cabins in the village except we have more blooming bushes and fruit trees than the others, and by far the nicest outhouse and water spring for bathing.

We never know what our experience in Llanchama Village will be. It is something different each time we visit. This article is specifically an account of  last weekend, January 9th and 10th. If you go there next weekend, “your mileage may vary”.

We packed our bags, cleaned up last minute emails and business, paid the Dawn on the Amazon crew,  loaded up in Guido’s motocarro, and headed out. First we stopped on the way and bought 4 hibiscus, 3 bridal bouquet, and a pink Baston del Emperador blooming bushes. Then we had to stop at the Amazon Golf Course to pay the grounds crew but that was no big delay because it is on the same road to Llanchama.

Then we stopped at Arapaima Gigas to eat lunch, but that was no big delay because it is only 1000 meters past the Amazon Golf Course on the same road, headed the same direction to Llanchama. I enjoyed my fresh paiche ceviche, Marmelita and Guido got the sabalo fish cooked on the charcoal grill. After our delicious lunch, we turned left at the bottom of the lane and headed west toward Zungarococha, Nina Rumi, and on to Llanchama.

We were lucky the road was passable all the way and we arrived at the cabin at 2:00pm. Most of Marmelita’s family were already there when we arrived.

Marmelita and I walked all around examining everything. Part of our goal for the weekend was to organize a work force to replace the thatch roof with a new one, to line our fresh water spring with sand bags, landscape our yard, and repair the fence.

We were disappointed, again, that our caretaker hadn’t done a better job of maintenance. Gossip travels fast in a small village so our previous caretaker saved face by resigning. That’s fine, firing one of my crew is the worst part of being the boss. I get attached. We are more like family. But I expect a lot, and everyone has to be pretty remarkable or I will find someone that is. Everyone knows that.

The first thing we did was hire a new caretaker from the village. Louisa worked on our boat once and made a good impression with her hard work and good attitude. I think she will be a big improvement.

Then Marmelita and Guido got right to work landscaping our new plants into the yard, including 8 small crotons we started as cuttings from our house plants. A few of Marmelita’s family helped with the landscaping, others were cleaning the cabin, and cooking dinner over the wood and charcoal summer kitchen fire pit.

The young family members started a volleyball game with the neighborhood athletes, and soon the place was abuzz with activity, both work and play.

I went to the back yard and found a secluded quiet place to sit and watch nature. It wasn’t long before a 5 or 6 inch brown lizard came out of hiding and hunted insects on a dead branch. Four small parrots, 2 Black Cara-caras, and 3 chicken hawks flew over, then a green lizard hunted insects on an Aguaje branch. That lizard could puff up it’s throat real big. It was good to get out of the city.

Marmelita came out and found me just before dark. We strolled back to the cabin to make the beds before we lost the last of the light. Marmelita’s mom, Filo, filled and lit the five kerosene lamps, while her cousin Nora cooked a sweet milky, rice and tapioca drink, called mingado. A neighbor brought over fresh fish. Filo fried them. Marmelita chopped up tomatoes, sweet peppers, and cucumbers, with the fried fish, and mingado, made an excellent jungle meal for 20 hungry people.

There was much conversation, joking, and laughing all around the table as we cleaned up from the meal. I went to bed early, around, 9:30, but Filo and Lupa went out to a village bar and partied until around 1:30am.

I got up at first light around 5:30am and used the best outhouse in Llanchama. It has a flush toilet, plenty of toilet paper, a sink, soap, towel, and mirror. Of course the toilet, and sink water comes from a bucket.

I cleaned up and crawled back in bed for a few minutes.There was a flurry of activity getting everything cleaned, the fire built up, and the kettle put on to boil the purified water for coffee and tea. I timed it just right, and climbed back out of bed in time for the coffee.

I sat out on the porch sipping my coffee and discovered one of the new hibiscus bushes only had a dozen leaves left on it. Life is tough in the jungle. Only the most adaptive survive.

Speaking of survival, as I was sitting on the porch drinking my second cup of coffee, 5 rifle shots rang out, maybe 1,000 meters from the cabin, followed in quick succession by 5 more rifle shots. We found out later the 1st set of 5 shots bagged a 25 pound majas, a  nocturnal fruit eating rodent, considered to be the best meat in the jungle. The second volley brought down a 300 pound tapir, a mammal related to rhinoceroses and horses, and also prized for it’s meat by the natives.

At 6:45, three Duski Titi monkeys were heard calling and were spotted jumping from branch to branch, putting on a show for us in the back yard, right where I was sitting enjoying nature the evening before.

Our neighbors are great subsistence hunters, fishers, and gardeners. One common survival trick is to bait a noose trap with yuca to catch a special type of edible rat, the Green Acouchy. One of our closest and favorite neighbors came over and gave us two of the little rodents cleaned and ready to cook, with half a dozen fazaco fish. Truthfully none of those are my favorites, more survival food than a delicacy, but since we had over 20 hungry relatives to feed, we gratefully accepted his offer. The Green Acouchy is also known as the “cuy of the jungle.” Cuy are an edible domesticated livestock raised in the Andes for meat, which happens to be a rodent you might know better as guniea pig.

Do you remember the research Farley Mowat did on the wolf in Alaska. He wrote a great book and a movie was made called Never Cry Wolf. After observing wolves stalking and killing dozens of rats every day he realized that rodents were their primary diet, not the reindeer as most less observant people thought. Knowing government officials, hunters, other scientists, and the general public would be skeptical, and because his food supply was running low, he started trapping the rodents and eating them himself. He lost weight, and his health went bad. He had a flash of understanding. His problem was caused by poor nutrition because he was cleaning the carcass by gutting it. As soon as he started eating the liver, heart, and the partially digested contents of the stomach and intestines, he put weight on and regained his health.

My point is the natives here already know that, as you can see from the photo I took of the two little “ratoon” carcasses we were given, which contain nearly all of the organs, ready to eat.

We sent Lita out in the other direction and she found another neighbor with better fish to eat.

We have some of the best lime fruit I have ever eaten anywhere, and a lot of wild charapita hot peppers. We brought fresh basil, cilantro, ripe tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic, ginger, potatoes, rice, tapioca, salt and sugar with us from Iquitos.

That second morning, Marmelita planted the two new citrus, and the jungle apple pomarosa saplings in the back yard. We used the extra two bags of compost to mulch the other citrus, banana, copoazu, huasai, and other fruit and palm trees.

It started sprinkling rain after the trees were planted and mulched. The sprinkles and clouds kept the temperature down to a comfortable level, and it wasn’t long before the volleyball games resumed.

Around 10:00am another neighbor brought a haunch of the majas, and some good fish, another neighbor brought a piece of tapir tenderloin. Another villager brought over a big stringer of around 20 racta-cara, and yaraqui, some of the best fish in the lake. That was more like it. No more fasaco or rats thank you. We improved beyond survival food into the realm of jungle delicacies. We had a feast.

Marmelita cooked the fresh majas in a delicious stew over the open fire. Nora cooked the Tapir tenderloin over the coals. The fish was cooked four ways, depending on the best way to prepare each species, soup, directly on the grill over the coals, fried, and/or wrapped in Bijao leaves from the back yard, and steamed in their own juices, with cilantro, and sweet peppers my favorite. Very few people in the world ate better than our crowd of 20 hungry guests. We lived off what the fat the land provided, more like how the natives lived 200 years ago than how you probably live in the civilized world today.

We put the word out when we first arrived that we wanted to replace our thatch roof. One roof thatcher brought 80 sticks with the palm thatch woven on, and promised another 20 sticks on Monday. Edwardo brought 50 sticks of thatch, with more promised early in the week. The going rate is S/ 150 soles for 1oo high quality sticks of thatch. We probably need around 300 sticks of thatch, or S/ 450.

We made arrangements to line the spring with sandbags. It will be more like a comfortable outdoor bathtub. Marmelita’s Mom Filo stayed to supervise the work. She would stay at the Jungle Cabin nearly all of the time if she could. She loves it there. So do we.

Before we left, Marmelita picked a beautiful bouquet to bring back to the Dawn on the Amazon Explorers Club office.

We had a very difficult time getting back to Iquitos. The left rear wheel bearing went out of Guido’s motocarro. The wheel locked up many times. He stopped and took it apart 5 or 6 times. Each time it got hotter. He/we were very frustrated, but we made it home. Instead of taking an hour and a half it took four hours.

On the way back we were lucky to stop in three interesting places. The university’s agricultural and forestry department is on the road to our Jungle Cabin.

We were thankful to arrive back at the Amazon Golf Course well after dark. Fortunately Rodrigo had an extra rear wheel and chain that only needed a small modification to fit Guido’s motocarro. After that, everything was easy.

Our work and play getaway to our Jungle Cabin for the weekend went well. We accomplished our work goals and it was a fun family gathering. I hope we can go back soon. I never even told you about the best part of going to our Jungle Cabin, and never even took a photo of the beautiful lake with the rainforest island in the middle and the narrow channel connecting the lake to the Nanay River. I love that lake, the island and the river. Next time I will tell you all about that part. I guess it will be titled the Dawn on the Amazon Jungle Cabin, Part Two, Overlooking The Lake, Island, And River. Or something like that.

Maybe you will want to join us for Part Two? Let me know.

The Dawn on the Amazon Jungle Cabin, on the outskirts of Llanchama village.

Bill Grimes is president of the Dawn on the Amazon Jungle Cabin. Click the link to learn more.