O'FALLON, Mo. — It is Hispanic Heritage Month and we're featuring 'Latinos in the Lou', who are making an impact in our community.
A newer Peruvian restaurant is bringing a taste of South America to St. Charles County.
It's always been Luis Moreno's dream to have a restaurant.
"When I finished high school, I studied some cooking in Peru and I always wanted to be a chef and wanted to have a restaurant," Moreno said.
Moreno moved to the land of opportunity 20 years ago.
Through personal connections, he found a home in St. Louis.
"I'm from Lima, Peru, came here to look for a better future," Moreno shared.
Foreign to the area, he wanted familiar food.
At the time, he couldn't find Peruvian options and would travel to other cities to get a taste of home.
When he couldn't find it, Moreno remembered his dream.
Moreno shared, "We decided, why don't we open one, bring authentic Peruvian food here?"
Years of wishing turned into reality in May 2023.
Moreno's friend was shutting down his South America Bakery & Cafe, and with all the kitchen equipment already in place, Moreno seized the opportunity.
He partnered up, becoming the co-owner of Los Incas Restaurant in O'Fallon, Missouri.
"We wanted to show this area here west of St. Louis, show the Peruvian food," he added. "When I say authentic, it's like you were in Peru, on the streets of Peru."
Walking into the restaurant, customers are immediately immersed into Peruvian culture.
To the left of the restaurant is a mural of Macchu Picchu as it transitions into Lima's Larcomar, a shopping center in the Miraflores district of Lima near the Pacific Ocean.
5 On Your Side asked about the importance of the restaurant's name.
"When you think of Peru, you think Incas and that's the culture. It was something so easy and simple, when we came up with that name, we said yes!" Moreno admitted.
The name is a nod to the Incan empire, which established its capital at Cuzco, Peru, in the 12th century. They began their conquests in the early 15th century and within 100 years had gained control of an Andean population of about 12 million people.
The restaurant's main focus is on the food.
Recipes were handed down through generations and relatives.
Moreno shared his favorite dish: Lomo Saltado.
It is a popular Peruvian dish made of stir fry mixing marinated strips of sirloin with onions, tomatoes, french fries, and rice.
When it comes to Peruvian food, Moreno said it's a variety of flavors.
"We talk about different cultures, it has a lot of influences, not just Italian or Spanish, we have Chinese, Japanese so it's a fusion of different cultures," he added.
It took years to create a piece of Peru. Now, it's vibrantly visible in St. Charles County.
"We have to be proud of who we are and proud of where we came from," Moreno shared.
Time and tenacity showed he can achieve not just any dream, but the American dream.
"We have achieved the American dream, yes I think so." Moreno shared, "We see all kind of people coming here, trying our food and that is shocking—when you have a dream of having a restaurant of people liking your food and you see it happening, it's just great."
His goal is to expand his business to other areas.
On Oct. 31, the restaurant is celebrating Día de la Canción Criolla, which is a Peruvian festivity celebrating the criolla culture of Peru. Criolla is Peruvian Creole music.
It will have special dishes, live music with a Peruvian band from Florida and prizes for the best three costumes.
