Taste of Peru--another take

A2Fay, sazerac, Lovely Dining Companion and I spent a highly enjoyable evening last Saturday, although our outing to Taste of Peru--tempted in part by the posts of previous diners—was less than we had hoped. This highly abbreviated review is provided to share our less-than-completely-enthusiastic response to our meal.

We arrived at 7:00 to find the restaurant filled. We were asked to sit at the one empty table, nearest the door, so that a party that was leaving could finish and we could have their table. After lengthy consultations about what to have so as to maximize our experience and also satisfy our palates, we settled on anticuchos de corazon (marinated, grilled beef heart) and a ground beef empanada to start. (For what it’s worth, by 7:00 pm they had only one skewer of the beef hearts left and no chicken empanadas.) Before the appetizers arrived we found very much to our liking a plate of plain white bread and roasted green pepper salsa. The salsa was a creamy light green concoction of roasted, pureed jalapeno (serrano?) chiles and what appeared to be cream cheese or sour cream. Hot but not too hot and incredibly flavorful. A great way to begin.

The heart kabobs were generously portioned as were the entrees soon to arrive. The meat while flavorful, seemed a bit on the dry side--a danger, I expect, when dealing with a meat as lean as this. Still, it had the appearance and taste of something that was not freshly prepared but was made long in advance. Though re-basted with a sauce prior to serving, the meat had already begun to dry out. All who tasted it enjoyed it, but my benchmark remains the anticuchos from the long-gone, sorely missed La Llama. By way of comparison, I found them better prepared and more enjoyable than those I have had at Rinconcito Sudamericano. The empanada was nicely spiced and again, enjoyed by all, without bowling anyone over. Dinner entrees: aji de gallina, jalea de mariscos,a seafood paella, and seco de cordero. Each plate seemed larger than the next. As someone remarked in an earlier review, an entrée portion can easily be shared by two. Prices for our entrees ranged from $9.75 to $17.50 for the jalea. Taste of Peru also offers a large number of fresh seafood dishes whose price varies with the market.

Our reaction to the four dinners varied enormously. Three-fourths of us found the aji de gallina greatly disappointing. (The unnamed to protect his/her identity had only one bite and professes an inability to opine.) Four expert palates notwithstanding, we could not identify the ingredient in the sauce that rendered it offputting, but offputting it was. It was far and away the meal least touched. The seco de cordero, a lamb stew simmered with hot peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro and beer, served with a sea of flavorful beans, red and green peppers, peas, and four acres of rice, was more enjoyable. The meat was tender and the sauce again (damning with faint praise) enjoyable. The seafood paella prompted differing opinions. Two felt it bland, if well prepared. The others enjoyed it. All agreed that its size was beyond generous. The jalea was the best-received dish: a fried food lovers delight: fried fish (sorry, I forgot what kind) plus a large portion of tender fried calamari, deep-fried scallops, a couple fried shrimp, a handful of mussels (battered and fried in their shells!), plus a marinated onion salad (lime and cilantro?) atop it all, and a little corn on the side: easily enough to feed three.

We tried Inka Cola (from New Jersey, where else?) Sazerac hit it on the head: cream soda with a slight pineapple twist. All in an unexpected shade of bright yellow.

We enjoyed the place, an unprepossessing storefront lovingly decorated with all sorts of items, mementos, crafts, maps, photographs, touristica, and other things relating to Peru. Service was friendly. Prices reasonable (and though very fair, sometimes pricier than one expects to find in such a simple storefront operation). The food we enjoyed less. We’re glad we went but we probably won’t be returning for a while.
[/img]


PS Special thanks to the evening's photographer, sazerac

Gypsy Boy covered our meal at ToP quite thoroughly, so this is just to add a link to a recipe for the "Spicy Peruvian Dip". Overall I think this was the item I most enjoyed at ToP.

I had made something very similar at home before, but more of a paste than the thick green liquid at ToP. Back home I located the recipe - something I'd printed off the internet long ago...

The ToP version I think had some roasted (but not charred) jalepeños in there, not just steamed.

Hi,

I have been to both Taste of Peru and Rinconcito Sudamericano in the last 6 months. When I was at Riconcito Sudamericano, I was mightily impressed by the preparation and taste of the beef heart. It was circulated around the table as an appetizer. I was so impressed, I ordered it as my main course.

I had been assured by other posters, the best beef heart could be found at Taste of Peru (aka Sabor Peruano). I came to lunch there in June really hankering for the heart, which I found to be just ok rather than the heart which impressed me at Riconcito Sudamericano. I'm still dreaming of revisiting Rinconcito Sudamericano to try the heart once more.

I was to another Peruvian restaurant recently, which I really enjoyed more than Taste of Peru. The dish I recall most strongly at Ay Ay Picante was a chicken in a walnut sauce.

Ay Ay Picante
4569 N. Elston Ave (halfway between Lawrence and Montrose)
Chicago, IL
773-427-4239

Taste of Peru (aka Sabor Peruano)
6545 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60626
773-381-4540

Current address until September, 2005:

Rinconcito Sudamericano
1954 W. Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL
773-489-3126

New address as of September, 2005:

Rinconcito Sudamericano
2012 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773-489-3126