Went to this Peruvian joint again yesterday (Aug. 4 2018). Been there a few times in the last year. I had the Pollo a la Brasa with Yuca about a month ago. Very good. Tender and tasty, spiced in a very unique way, not quite pesto or italian, but a bit similar. Very aromatic. This time I had the Bistec a lo Pobre and a couple of appetizers. Review of those 3 is below and photos attached.
This last time, for appetizers I ordered Anticuchos (skewered beef heart) and Papa a la Huancaína (boiled yellow potato with Huancaína sauce, a yellow mustardy and light spice sauce traditional to Lima, Perú).
If you've never had Anticuchos before, they are an acquired taste for more junior foodies. Strong beefy taste, a little like wild game in strength and consistency, and a bit tough and very lean because the heart is the most active muscle; it gets a workout. If you're a junior foodie willing to stretch the range of your culinary taste and deepen your international food experience (like any foodie should), and can get past the "but its cow heart!" bit, give Anticuchos a try. Appetizer came in a long dish with 3 skewers with 3 chunks of beef per skewer. Garnished with some corn (called Choclo by Peruvians) and a couple of slices of small potatoes. Presented very neat.
I like strong flavors so I liked the anticuchos. Will order again. I don't ding food taste because it's outside of the traditional American range, as this ain't traditional American food. Go to Denny's or Applebee's for that. I've had Anticuchos before in other joints and these aren't bad at all. 4 stars.
The Papa a la Huancaína appetizer was also great, it was basically a whole potato sliced at 1/2" to 3/4" slices, resting on lettuce leafs, covered with Huancaína sauce, and garnished with half a hardboiled egg and an olive. Tasted really good, the sauce totally different from any sauce used in Mexican restaurants. Very unique. Potatoes are very popular in Peruvian dishes, as Peruvians produce and consume more potatoes per capita than most other countries and this dish is very popular with Peruvians. A classic. 4 stars.
For the main dish I got Bistec a lo Pobre (literally translated to Steak in the Style of the Poor, or Poor Man's Steak). The name doesn't mean it's a small meat cut, or small food portions; quite the contrary. It means its charm is based on its simplicity and abundant use of basic, everyday, traditional food staples and not fancy "rich man's" ingredients.
In this particular case, it is a chunk of what appeared to be top sirloin, about 6-8 ounces, seasoned, grilled, and accompanied by fries, white rice, fried plantains, and a fried egg. By design, nothing fancy. Simple but effective.
Without asking, the steak was cooked medium rare (pink middle) so if you like to murder your cuts and eat them cooked more than that, I recommend you tell the waiter. The fries were good, they use a batter that sticks to them and adds crunch, taste, and texture. It's tough to screw up white rice and a fried egg so those were solid, the egg on top of the rice. The fried plantains were also good, similar to the servings at Caribbean and Puerto Rican joints: soft and a bit sweet.
I really liked the Bistec a lo Pobre. Simple, strong, plentiful in protein and carbos, and got the job done. 4 stars.
The service was good. Polite, courteous, uniformed in black. No shortage of staff noted and no delays in sitting, ordering, getting the ticket, or paying. Day was Saturday at about 1pm.
I will be returning sometime soon. Their menu has a lot of dishes that got me curious. Will post on those in time.
Menu photos also attached.
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