 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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