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Dish · Cochabamba
Silpancho
Layered dish from Cochabamba: rice, boiled and fried potato, a very thin breaded steak, fried egg and a salad of onion, tomato and locoto. The name comes from Quechua and means flattened and thin.
Flavors · Cochabamba
Pique macho
Platter to share, with beef strips, sausage, French fries, onion, tomato, locoto and boiled egg. Created in Cochabamba, it was chosen in 2019 as the department's most representative dish.
Traditional dish from Cochabamba, Cochabamba
Also known as: Pique a lo macho
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Pique macho — Cochabamba, Bolivia
The pique macho is a large platter made for sharing. On a base of French fries go pieces of sautéed beef, sausage or cured meat, onion, tomato and locoto, the Andean chili, sliced into rings. On top, boiled egg and, in many versions, mustard and mayonnaise. The meat juices and the locoto’s heat soak the fries.
The dish was born in Cochabamba, at a restaurant run by the couple Honorato Quiñones and Evangelina Rojas. Family and press accounts differ on the year it was created: it started as a late-night snack for friends and customers, with various meats, cured meat, potatoes and locoto, and became a house specialty. According to the family, the name was given by the customers themselves, among them employees of the airline Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano who worked nearby.
In 2019, the Gobernación de Cochabamba held a public vote to choose the department's most representative dishes, and the pique macho placed first, ahead of falso conejo, chicharrón, silpancho and p'ampaku. The Secretary of Cultures certified the family’s restaurant as the creator of the dish.
Pique means a snack or something to nibble. The word macho refers to the portion size and the spiciness of the locoto: a platter typically feeds multiple people.
Pique macho spread across Bolivia and is served in restaurants in many cities, but it remains linked to Cochabamba, a city known for generous portions.
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Where it comes from
Cochabamba , Cochabamba
Created in Cochabamba and chosen in 2019 by the Gobernación as the department's most representative dish.
Ingredients
Beef strips, sausage or cured meat, French fries, onion, tomato, locoto (Andean chili) in rings and boiled egg. Many versions include mustard and mayonnaise.
How it is eaten
On a platter in the center of the table, to share. Each person serves themselves with a fork or toothpick, mixing fries, meat and locoto.
When it is eaten
Year-round, at lunch or in the evening, as a dish to share with friends and family.
Your questions
Questions about Pique macho
What is pique macho?
A platter to share, with beef strips, sausage, French fries, onion, tomato, locoto and boiled egg. It was born in Cochabamba and is eaten throughout Bolivia.
Why is it called pique macho?
Pique means snack. According to the creator's family, the name was given by customers, and macho refers to the large portion and the spiciness of the locoto.
Is the pique macho spicy?
It can be, because of the locoto, the Andean chili served in slices. You can remove the locoto and eat the rest of the dish.
How many people is a pique macho for?
It depends on the size ordered, but the platter usually feeds several people. Ask about portion sizes before ordering.
Flavors of Bolivia
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Dish · La Paz
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Dish · Santa Cruz
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Dish · Sucre
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