El Pollo, the new Peruvian restaurant on 5th Ave between 1st and 2nd streets, opened its doors a few days ago. And it’s a gem. I ordered our meal for pick-up rather than delivery so I could enjoy an evening walk harbingering spring and also check out the restaurant’s ambience. Anytime I enter a new restaurant or bar I get a pang of anxiety as I open the door. But anxiety is not possible in this warm, pacifying space. The simple, candle-lit décor and peaceful eyes of owner Marzia Huaman (pictured) allowed my mind nothing but a quieted presence and an appetite. Marzia is only one of the owners, the rest are her family. She’s a humble charmer, who delights in telling anything you’d like to know about the Peruvian cuisine and culture. So, how was the food? Increíble! My entrée was the roasted chicken. The blissful taste of the seasoning, unlike too many roasted chickens in the Slope, went beyond the chicken skin--it was infused in every forkful of the meat. I started with the Papa ala Huancaina, perfectly boiled potatoes covered in a light cheese sauce. It was an enjoyable appetizer but a dollar or two too expensive. My companion started with the avocado salad—an even better start than mine. And considering the quality and freshness of the avocados, it’s a good deal. For his main course he had the Lomo Saltado. It engaged every one of my taste buds (when I was allowed a taste) with its skillful combination of stir-fried cuts of spiced sirloin, tomatoes, onions and peppers smothering a plate-full of crispy fries. I think it’s the nec plus ultra of the menu. I haven’t tried everything. But I will. Welcome, El Pollo. The Slanter is making a very good bet on you.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Peruvian Highs on Fifth Avenue
El Pollo, the new Peruvian restaurant on 5th Ave between 1st and 2nd streets, opened its doors a few days ago. And it’s a gem. I ordered our meal for pick-up rather than delivery so I could enjoy an evening walk harbingering spring and also check out the restaurant’s ambience. Anytime I enter a new restaurant or bar I get a pang of anxiety as I open the door. But anxiety is not possible in this warm, pacifying space. The simple, candle-lit décor and peaceful eyes of owner Marzia Huaman (pictured) allowed my mind nothing but a quieted presence and an appetite. Marzia is only one of the owners, the rest are her family. She’s a humble charmer, who delights in telling anything you’d like to know about the Peruvian cuisine and culture. So, how was the food? Increíble! My entrée was the roasted chicken. The blissful taste of the seasoning, unlike too many roasted chickens in the Slope, went beyond the chicken skin--it was infused in every forkful of the meat. I started with the Papa ala Huancaina, perfectly boiled potatoes covered in a light cheese sauce. It was an enjoyable appetizer but a dollar or two too expensive. My companion started with the avocado salad—an even better start than mine. And considering the quality and freshness of the avocados, it’s a good deal. For his main course he had the Lomo Saltado. It engaged every one of my taste buds (when I was allowed a taste) with its skillful combination of stir-fried cuts of spiced sirloin, tomatoes, onions and peppers smothering a plate-full of crispy fries. I think it’s the nec plus ultra of the menu. I haven’t tried everything. But I will. Welcome, El Pollo. The Slanter is making a very good bet on you.
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3 comments:
"El Pollo" means "the chicken." Do you think the chickens who spend their lives in cages the size of a folded newspaper, with their beaks clipped, sitting in their own shit as well as the unidentifiable shit of other chickens and praying to the Spirit Boss of the Chickens to mercifully end their short, sad chicken lives CARE? Think about that next time you feel a pang of anxiety!
P.S. I miss you!
Chickens shit?
They might be sitting in people shit (a.k.a., "party of one") as well.
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