Panca

"Panca is a lowkey Peruvian spot that’s quietly held its ground since 2008, and, in a neighborhood where last-minute dining is nearly impossible, you can easily walk in and grab a seat. We’re fans of the skillfully stir-fried lomo saltado, but even if you navigate Panca’s menu like a Ouija board and order whatever you land on, you’ll leave satisfied. Everything about this place—from getting a table to the guarantee of good ceviche—feels easy, which we love. " - Team Infatuation

"West Village residents know to fill the seats at this Peruvian restaurant’s indoor and outdoor dining spaces for fresh ceviches and tiraditos. There are nearly a dozen ceviche and tiradito options, but folks are most often getting the clasico — made here with fluke, sweet potato, choclo (fat white Peruvian corn kernels), red onion, and spicy leche de tigre. For those who just want a taste, Panca offers a ceviche shot which is the clasico served in two or three bites." - Robert Sietsema, Patty Diez

"The revolving door of restaurants in the West Village can leave us with some trust issues when choosing where to dine in the area, but Panca is reliable. It’s a lowkey Peruvian spot that’s quietly held its ground since 2008, and, in a neighborhood where last-minute dining is nearly impossible, you can easily walk in and grab a seat. Everything about Panca—from getting a table to the guarantee of good ceviche—feels easy, which we love. You could navigate Panca’s menu like a Ouija board, order whatever you land on, and leave satisfied. This place passes the pollo a la brasa test with flying colors–but it’s the skillfully stir-fried lomo saltado that will leave you feeling like you’re in good hands. Use the accompanying yucca fries and garlic-bomb of white rice to soak up the soy-saucy steak drippings, so you can slurp up as much as possible. Speaking of the sides of rice, neither of the two options feels like an afterthought. You’d think the rice we’d want to take home would be one of the elaborate chaufas, but we’re still jonesing for more of the aji verde-infused cilantro rice that arrives with the perfectly-pink, crispy duck confit. Ceviche is also a must–our favorite, the ceviche palteado, has slices of sunny yellow aji amarillo to sweeten up the leche de tigre. Panca deserves a pisco sour toast (no really, their cocktails are amazing) for holding down the neighborhood without making too much of a fuss." - Neha Talreja

"Panca in the West Village is known for its ceviche clásico, priced at $19, featuring fluke cubes in leche de tigre marinade. The ceviche is complemented with Peruvian corn, sweet potato puree, red onion strips, and cilantro, offering a playground of textures and flavors." - Eater Staff

"You could navigate Panca’s menu like a Ouija board, order whatever you land on, and leave satisfied. They have a particularly good selection of ceviches and cocktails that you can enjoy on the sidewalk patio. You can always reserve a patio seat, but Panca is also a good walk-in option. " - Matt Tervooren, Neha Talreja