Catherine C.
Yelp
Amazing. I would give them more than 5 stars if I could. Friends have asked me why I went to eat Peruvian food in Tokyo when I was only visiting Japan for 2 weeks. I have to tell you, it is worth it. If you live in Tokyo, even better, you can make this place a regular favorite!
I will put in a disclaimer, I am friends with the owners of this place, which is what initially turned me on to coming here in the first place, secondly, I love Peruvian food, and have spent time traveling and cooking with Peruvians. I say this only for full disclosure-- I am a terrible liar, and think it would be criminal to lie about food. :-)
I had a little bit of everything here-- the cocktails made with Pisco are all delicious- I think my favorite was the Pisco punch- I forget what was in it, but it had a nice, light flavor, and I believe it had chicha morada in it, which I love! The fish dishes are very fresh- the ceviche tastes so nice, and presentation on all dishes is so lovely, each dish is like a delicate artwork. The traditional ceviche is very fresh, has the perfect amount of tang and spice to it, and leaves you craving more. The causas are all great-- I couldn't decide which one I liked best, but I tried them all in their causa sampler. The rocoto was particularly flavorful though with a nice crab pulp confit on top, and it was the most memorable to my palate of the four selections.
I also tried some of their cold seafood appetizers with those wild looking sauces on top-- the idea of kalamata sauce on top of octopus didn't really appeal to me (I love octopus, but couldn't picture the flavor combo), but this sauce is fantastic, and the combination of flavors and textures was perfect. The tiradito was excellent-- the green, cilantro based sauce was also wonderful. My mouth is watering just writing this review. The cold mussels were delicate bursts of flavor to your senses- almost like Thai cuisine, there was a nice mix of spice, salt, and tang to this dish. For warm appetizers, I tried the anticuchos. Anticuchos is a very popular, common dish in Peru, which many times I have opted out of trying, but I have become a major fan of this dish. The way they prepare the beef hearts here is so nice-- you cannot tell that you are not eating a more traditional cut of meat, and the meat is seasoned perfectly. On top of that, they are served with three side salsas to choose from, and I cannot tell you which of the three were my favorite. All of them were fantastic. I wish they would make these and sell them in jars!
The quinoa dish with grilled fish is great-- the quinoa is so flavorful and nice, and it's a comforting dish to have. The duck and rice is a second hearty, comforting menu item, with a nice sauce to it, and flavorful rice. Consider it a Peruvian version of arroz con pollo. Finally, for dessert, the lucuma ice cream. Lucuma is a popular fruit in Peru-- creamy and mildly sweet. If you've never tried it, try the ice cream here!
The ambience of the restaurant is very pleasant, classy yet comforting and warm. Service is friendly and top notch-- many of the staff are trilingual in Japanese, English, and Spanish, so many visitors will find themselves at ease here. Dinner prices are reasonable by Tokyo standards, especially considering the amount of ingredients that have to be imported to make these dishes with authentic spices and flavors. I would happily recommend this place to anyone living or traveling through the area-- it is a lovely restaurant with lovely people, and you will most definitely enjoy a fantastic meal here!