NOVEMBER 7 • 2019 | 53
B
etty Shuell is as warm
and approachable as the
food made from scratch
at her restaurant.
Culantro, the
Peruvian eatery,
is in a Ferndale
storefront north
of Nine Mile
Road.
Spanish for
cilantro, “it’
s a
spice that gives a
fresh sensation,
” Shuell said.
Lively Latin music adds to
the ambience Shuell intended
when she opened her doors in
May 2018. She and
a friend painted two
Inca-inspired murals
and attached treeless
branches to beige
walls.
Born in Pulcapa,
Ucayali, Peru, Shuell
is an attorney. She also owned a
restaurant while living with her
two children and husband in
his native Ecuador. The family
came to southeast Michigan in
2000, joining a friend. Shuell
said she was immediately
“impressed with the generos-
ity of Americans” and better
opportunities for women.
Shuell earned a nursing
degree. While she is working
today as a psychiatric nurse in
a state hospital, her second hus-
band, John Shuell, and her son,
Alvaro Herrera, mind the store.
Herrera is among those cook-
ing at Culantro, but “my main
cook is Carmen Medina,
” Shuell
said. Also from Peru, Medina
prepares the classic dishes, a few
with Betty’
s own touches.
Culanto offered nine dishes
initially, before adding some
popular weekend specials.
Guests order by number at
the register and also choose
other menu items, such as yucca
fries, banana plantains and des-
serts like passionfruit mousse
or flan, a rich custard dessert
topped with caramelized sugar.
Peppers, or aji, are an import-
ant part of Peruvian cuisine.
Carrying varying amounts of
heat, Rocoto is a hot pepper
used in sauces. Less hot are
Panca and Amarillo, the latter
yellow pepper giving my Arroz
Con Pollo a spicy jolt of flavor.
A friend was
enamored with Aji
de Gallina, shredded
chicken over potatoes
in a creamy sauce of
walnuts and Amarillo
peppers, with hard-
boiled egg and black
olive garnish.
For Seco a la Nortena, beef
stew cuts and Panca chilies are
slow-cooked and served with
Canario white beans and white
rice, topped with salsa Criolla.
Two vegan dishes are avail-
able, such as spaghetti tossed
in a sauce of basil spinach,
Amarillo chilies, onions, garlic
and vegetable oil.
My favorite is Pollo la Brasa,
available in three sizes with
dipping sauces. Chicken is mar-
inated in a blend of 15 spices for
24 hours before slow-roasting
in a charcoal oven from Peru.
Try it with Peruvian beverages,
such as Inca Kola or refreshing,
healthy Chicha Morada. It’
s
blended purple corn, pineapple
with its bark, lime juice, cinna-
mon and cloves.
Nosh
dining in the d
Culantro
Culantro
Esther
Allweiss
Ingber
Contributing
Writer
Culantro
22939 Woodward
Ferndale
(248) 632-1055
culantroperu.com
$$ out of $$$$
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6407 Orchard Lake Road
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