The Hummingbird | Ceviche House
Peruvian restaurant · Greater Echo Park Elysian ·
Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei seafood bar with creative ceviches
Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei seafood bar with creative ceviches
"Chef Ricardo Zarate’s irreverent ceviche shack in Echo Park has quietly become an iykyk locals’ favorite — even luring Westsiders — for lip-puckering ceviches, Nikkei hand rolls, and an aji-spiked risotto de mariscos. In the dark, narrow room splashed with neon, the tiled interior evokes a gritty underground club; a fuchsia-lit piano alcove glows while couples claim two-tops or nestle at the bar, making it a prime date-night spot that’s just as fun for catching up with an old friend. Zarate, of Picca and Rosaliné fame, feels both relaxed and confident here, often behind the counter portioning out dishes himself. Scallop aguachile enraptured us, its tart aji base tempered by a dusting of sandy black pepper “ash”; rotating options include a serrano-flecked prawn aguachile, salmon tiradito dolloped with trout roe, and Peruvian-style ceviches with amberjack and rocoto leche de tigre. A separate section of Nikkei-style hand rolls offers even more variety — go for the one with crab, crispy rice, arare (rice crackers), avocado, and cucumber — while more filling plates like grilled octopus with confited potatoes and chorizo mousse and that aji-spiked risotto round things out; hot dishes such as pineapple-studded picanha steak appear, but it’s better to stick to the deftly dialed-in hand rolls, seasonal salads, and raw fish. Go the tasting menu route for $60, $75, or $100 to experience more of the menu. The restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol, but regulars know the fun doesn’t stop: canned THC drinks, non-alcoholic wines, and earthy purple corn iced tea topped with chopped pineapple and apples brighten it." - Nicole Fellah
"Ricardo Zarate’s irreverent ceviche shack on the corner of Berkeley and North Alvarado in Echo Park has become an IYKYK locals' favorite that even draws Westside regulars for its lip-puckering ceviches, Nikkei-style hand rolls, and aji-spiked risotto de mariscos. On a date night the menu paired well with purple corn iced tea and THC-infused seltzers (the restaurant, for now, doesn’t serve its own alcoholic beverages). The scallop aguachile "enraptured us early on, its tart aji base flavor tempered by a dusting of sandy black pepper 'ash,'" a dish that "opens the palate and simultaneously refreshes it; a perfect starter on a menu seemingly filled with perfect starters." In the dark, narrow dining room splashed with pink neon light, the reviewer says they "found the nirvana its namesake represents." — Nicole Adlman, Eater cities manager" - Eater Staff
"Created by the chef behind splashy restaurants like Rosaliné and Causita, the Peruvian-Japanese seafood dishes at The Hummingbird—a scrappy pink-lit ceviche bar in Echo Park—look pulled from a fine dining spot on Restaurant Row, and taste even better. That includes hefty scallop handrolls with wasabi and jalapeno paste, salmon tiradito accented with bright orange vinegarette, and shrimp dumplings wrapped up in sesame leaves like Korean ssam. Better still, most dishes on the menu are under $20. " - sylvio martins, garrett snyder, brant cox
"We had to double-check Hummingbird’s signage the first time we walked in. Not because we’re thrown by cement floors, stackable banquet chairs, and cheap drop-in ceiling tiles in a restaurant. We just weren’t expecting that level of scrappiness from a Ricardo Zarate restaurant, the former chef of flashy Peruvian restaurants like Rosaliné, Causita, and Picca. The quirks at this Echo Park ceviche bar are everywhere—love notes from guests are scribbled on subway tile walls and a neon sign reading “Muchisimo Amor” casts a pink glow over the room. A piano and a mic are set up in the back. But for all of Hummingbird’s arthouse eccentricities, what you’ll leave talking about is something else: incredible Nikkei-style seafood assembled in front of you with flavors and flourishes that shout fine dining restaurant (at prices that certainly do not). photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp photo credit: Jessie Clapp Pause Unmute Hummingbird’s kitchen spills out into the ad hoc dining room, creating a sense of theater no matter where you’re sitting. At the bar, you’ll watch Zarate grind homemade salt in a giant molcajete and assemble technicolor raw dishes with a jeweler's precision. Another chef rolls thick temaki stuffed with so much sashimi you’ll want to call KazuNori for a retroactive refund. Sit at one of the tables and you’ll hear iPhone camera shutters throughout the evening as dates around you snap photos of yellowtail tostadas and seared ribeyes plated like main courses at the Met Gala, followed by audible “ohh’s” as they start eating. It’s more than just dramatic food that makes Hummingbird feel like a touring production of the hit indie play Restaurant! though. Servers retrieve water and dinner plates from a table pushed against the front door. Purple corn tea and THC seltzers stand in for beer and wine. The playlist jumps unironically between Britney, Bob Marley, and Madonna. Most dishes hover around $20. Stay late enough and someone in the kitchen might ask you to try a new one they’re working on. Stay later and someone’s roommate will hop on the mic and start singing. Bongos might appear. It’s an offbeat world at The Hummingbird but—as the rule goes in theater—it rewards you for saying yes. Food Rundown The Handrolls The temaki here are hefty in both flavor and fillings: they’re packed tighter than a sleeping bag and robustly seasoned with things like lemongrass aioli and wasabi jalapeno paste. We recommend ordering two per person at most—they’re big and you need to save room. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Salmon Tiradito When this plate landed on our first visit, we got the sense Hummingbird wasn’t your average neighborhood cevicheria. Then we tasted the curls of rich fatty salmon and zesty orange dressing mixed with spicy miso and knew for sure. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Yellowtail Ceviche Tostada Let’s state the obvious, this dish is a looker. But so are a lot of yellowtail tostadas in LA. This one, however, injected a B12 shot, put some serum under its eyes, and went on a personal enrichment retreat for the weekend. We love the drizzle of citrusy soy-ginger sauce and sprinkle of nutty puffed quinoa on top. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Shrimp Dumpling Ceviche Our favorite dish. The fried dumplings filled with juicy shrimp ceviche are delicious enough on their own, but then wrapped minty perilla leaves? With a smear of zesty lime aioli? We might never eat a plain dumpling again. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Papa No Rellena The crispy fried potato ball and pile of creamy lump crab with avocado that make up this dish are tasty when eaten separately, but together, it all becomes a bit mushy. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Ribeye You’re going to eat a lot of seafood here, so balance things out and order the steak as your entree, an evenly seared eight-ounce cut on a bed of warm yellow pepper hummus. The hummus goes well with the meat, but it’s even better with the fried flatbread that comes on the side. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Purple Corn Iced Tea The Hummingbird doesn’t serve liquor yet, but this sweet, slightly nutty chicha morada with chopped apples on top will hold you over until they do (that, or one of the canned THC seltzers). photo credit: Jessie Clapp" - Brant Cox
"The chef behind Colibrí and Rosaline has a new Peruvian concept called The Hummingbird, a colorful ceviche house in Echo Park. The barebones space is lit up fluorescent pink and has an open kitchen where you can watch staff plate various raw and hot dishes. There’s hand rolls stuffed with crab and wasabi jalapeño paste, tuna ceviche in miso-infused tigre de leche, and grilled octopus on ají amarillo hummus. The menu has a few vegan options, too, and no alcohol, but you can opt for a “totally legal” hemp-infused cocktail. We recently visited The Hummingbird and added it to the Hit List." - sylvio martins
