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If only South American expatriots find their way to Camana Peruvian and Latin Cuisine (4517-A W. Market St., Greensboro, 617-3622), the rest of us might be missing out on a unique cultural experience.

This small South American country is a crossroads of geography that includes arid coastal plains, lush rainforests and the high Andes mountains. The savory but not spicy cuisine is also a mosaic influenced by Japan, China and even the Middle East and is built upon a traditional foundation.

"When I came here, I didn't see anything from my home," says Liliana Hughen, who owns the restaurant with her husband. "I asked, 'Why? Peruvian food is so good.' "

This is Hughen's first restaurant, which she named after her home state in Peru. But both of her sisters are in the food service business in Peru. She consulted extensively with one of her sisters, who is a chef and caterer. And she knows the food she serves well -- she grew up with it.

"Our South American customers say it's simple," Hughen says. "They say you feel like it's homemade."

Which it is, says this mother of two. The restaurant makes its own sauces for Italian-influenced spaghetti dishes such as Tallarines Rojos ($7.95) topped with Peruvian-style red sauce or Tallarines Verdes ($7.95) topped with Peruvian-style basil sauce. Salads, including Camana Chicken ($7.95) topped with rotisserie chicken and a traditional poached Beet Salad ($5.95), can be tossed with a house vinaigrette.

Other internationally influenced entrees include Tallarin Saltado ($8.95), Chinese-style beef, chicken, shrimp or pork tossed with vegetables and noodles, and the Arroz Chaufa ($7.95) with chicken, beef, pork or shrimp served with fried rice and vegetables.

For the more traditional, Camana serves Secco con Frejoles ($7.95), a Peruvian beef stew with cilantro and yucca; Arroz con Pollo ($8.95), seasoned chicken in a cilantro sauce with homemade salsa criolla; and Aji de Gallina ($8.95), chicken presented in a creamy yellow aji chili sauce served with egg, olives and potatoes.

Potatoes and yucca, another tuber, are common ingredients or side dishes in Peruvian cuisine, such as the Papa a la Huancaina ($4.95) served sliced in a spicy sauce with olives and boiled eggs. Hughen says the country grows about 200 varieties of the potatoes.

Camana also offers three soups ($3.95 each), such as a traditional beef stew, a traditional "hen" soup and a creamy butternut squash option.

Camana offers a small wine list and beer list. Hughen says she plans to add more South American wines to the list soon.

Inside the old Libby Hill's location, the interior is clean and tastefully decorated. Candlelit lanterns and the soothing flutes of traditional Peruvian music create an ambiance close to fine dining.

"Give me the chance to show you my Peruvian food," Hughen says of her native cuisine.

Camana hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Bet on Super Bowl deal

If the opening kickoff of Superbowl XLIII on Sunday is returned for a touchdown, fans will score a 25-cent pizza from Papa John's (www.papajohns.com). The catch is, you have to sign up at www.thecountdowntokickoff. com. Registration ends at 6 p.m. on game day.

Free coffee for a cause

Get a free cup of coffee and sample three new grilled breakfast sandwiches today at Panera Bread locations.

The catch? Donate $1 to Operation Dough-Nation program. Panera will match the donations in support of local community programs. For locations, visit www.panerabread.com.

Triad chef chosen for ball

Chef Drew Ward of Noble's Grill in Winston-Salem was selected to prepare a course for the N.C. Governor's Inaugural Ball in Raleigh. The restaurant was one of many chosen to represent the state's food at the event.

Ward, a North Carolina native, prepared a salad of citrus, avocado and sunchokes highlighted by pickled shrimp. The dish, with a contemporary spin, is a Carolina classic and can now be found on the menu of the Winston-Salem restaurant. In addition to the Winston-Salem location, Noble's also has restaurants in High Point and Charlotte.

Wine tasting and specials

The Bistro (5710-M High Point Road, Greensboro; 294-4610) at Adams Farm is holding a wine tasting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The event offers heavy hors d'ouvres paired with wines from Italy, France and Spain. Cost is $25. Call 294-4610.

Be sure to check out The Bistro's new specials that include Tapas Tuesday. For $45, a party of two can choose three to five items from a tapas menu and a bottle of wine.

Wednesday is half-price wine day, and Thursday is Music and Martinis.

Wine dinner offered

Chefs Andy Furness and Jeremy Joy are at it again.

The two have created a five-course menu for a Scratching the Surface of Spring wine dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday at Ganache (403 N. Elm St., Greensboro). Cost is $44. Call 230-2253.

Event features local brews

Vintage 301 (301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Greensboro) is joining Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem for a Taste of the Piedmont dinner today.

Brewmaster Jamie Bartholomuas will be on hand to introduce each beer paired with this five-course menu.

Cost for the event is $50. Call 333-3190 for reservations.

Downtown cafe for sale

Some folks are curious about the "for sale" sign outside Metro Delistro, formerly Metro Gourmet Market, at 200 S. Elm St. in downtown Greensboro.

Owner Noah Burgess recently lost the market aspect of the restaurant and changed the name. Now, he is looking to sell the space. The late dinner hours and operating a sister location, Metro 300 (300 N. Greene St., Greensboro; 275-2334), he says, has interfered with family life.

Burgess says Metro Delistro will continue serving lunch and dinner until a buyer is found. He has no plans to close Metro 300 and continues to offer breakfast and lunch.

Humble pie

A reader brought to my attention that twice in nearly as many weeks I have misused the word "infamous" when describing a dish. I dusted off my dictionary and discovered that the reader is right.

In both instances what I meant was that the dish is reputable -- or almost famous. I tread lightly on adjectives describing food. After all, despite a common misconception, I am not a restaurant reviewer. I gladly leave the restaurant reviewing to Go Triad contributor John Batchelor.

So, for me to say a dish has a "reputation of the worst kind" (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary) is to, well, report it. And although I'm often told by restaurant owners and chefs how great their food is, I have yet to meet anyone who confesses to serving bad food.

My apologies.

Have restaurant news for Short Orders? Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or cwilson@news-record.com