Do you know about those plaintain chips that Trader Joe's stocks periodically? Dear Mumsy is the snack's newest devotee. After picking up a few bags for her, I mentioned tbat it's a popular Peruvian snack. And now - after I've visited Peru twice and gorged myself at the Peruvian food festival - now Mumsy wants to try Peruvian food.
Since I have been disappointed by an old favorite, I decided tbat Mumsy should try Fresca in West Portal. I left my tv when the Giants had a 5-0 lead and ordered lomo saltado, tbe super savory combination of steak bits, french fries, tomatoes, and red onion cooked in a soy-based sauce. Ever since my friend's mom cooked this for me in Peru, it has been one of my favorite meals ever. Fresca's lomo saltado did not disappoint and despite a couple of tough pieces of beef, I finished my plate clean.
We were both surprised that Fresca's pollo a la brasa "wasn't ready" because Mumsy really wanted to try the rotisserie chicken (after all, it's almost all I talk about when it comes to Peruvian food.) She ordered a tuna dish as a substitute and though the grilled tuna could've used some salt, tbe green cilantro-flecked rice and the spicy red sauce were spot on.
What I really love about Fresca is their ceviche bar, where a ceviche expert marinates fish and seafood in lime juice to order. If you want to try something different, I recommend the mojito ceviche. But since this was Mumsy's first taste, I ordered the classic Peruvian ceviche of white fish (halibut used here) and red onions soaked in lime juice and peppers and seved with choclo, yucca, and toasted corn kernels. We don't have a picture because we had devoured it all before I remembered. It is that good (and might I say, much more accessible than La Mar on the Embarcadero.)
All in all, I think I showed Mumsy exactly why I gained weight the second time I went to Peru: la comida peruana.
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