34066 Mon Jan 31 16:55:07 -0800 2005 14 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 153377 After blowing $100 last weekend on a thoroughly disappointing meal at Mochica, I was very happy to accept a Saturday night inviation to Fresca on Fillmore Street. I had also dined at the new Limón in December so this provided a good opportunity to compare the three. The halibut ceviche was fansastic. The fish came in tender, fresh, half-raw chunks in a brightly acidic marinade with just a bit of chile and cilantro. The flavors were not as complex as those covering the sinewy bits at Mochica, but the texture and simplicity made this a fantastic dish. We also tried the mixed shellfish ceviche, which apart from the tough bay scallops contained tender shellfish in a much spicier marinade. The tuna "sashimi" was covered in a powerful ponzu-like sauce that was good but completely obliterated any flavor of the fish itself. The other appetizer we tried was the fried calamari, which was a delicious plate of tender squid in a rustic cornmeal crust. For the main courses I tried both the lomo saltado and the seafood stew (called "parihuela" elsewhere, but something different and now-forgotten at Fresca). Both were excellent. The lomo saltado was far better than the version at Mochica and even the one at the new Limón. In fact it was the best lomo saltado I have ever had, besting the one I had at the original Limón in November 2003. The pieces of meat were toothsome but not chewy, the onions well-cooked and sweet, the potatoes still had a core of rich potato flavor (though they could have been fried a bit longer to produce more crust), and the sauce intense and well integrated. The flavorless "snapper" (not true red snapper but one of the bland species often passed off as such) and the slightly ripe scallops were dark spots on an otherwise beautiful stew. The broth was rich with seafood and chile flavor, and the rest of the seafood fresh and tender. In my opinion, this was better than Limón's because the liquid was still essentially a seafood broth, whereas Limon added a generous dose of dairy that made it more of a creamed soup. She said: I'm torn between which style I like better. ;) They were out of flan so we all shared a mango cheesecake. I did not care for it, though I'm not fond of most cheesecakes. Our waitress offered to let me try tastes of three white wines before buying a bottle. I tried a fizzy Basque wine (which I disliked greatly) and the two Albariños on the list. We ended up drinking two bottles of 2003 Don Pedro de Soutomaior Albariño. It was a bit richer and lusher than the tangy and zesty Pazo San Mauro from a week before. I liked the San Mauro better with the ceviche and the Don Pedro better with the main courses. The cost this time was $120, a bit more than the $100 at Mochica. But Fresca Fillmore was all around a better meal, and now firmly holds the title of Best Modern Peruvian Restaurant in San Francisco in my book. Dinner at Mochica: http://chowhound.com/california/boards/sanfrancisco/messages/114462.html Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/26697#109000 Mon Jan 31 16:55:07 -0800 2005 0 nja 1 153386 Fresca 2114 Fillmore St @ Califonia Mon Jan 31 19:14:27 -0800 2005 153377 0 Paul H 1 153387 I hear lots of good things about Fresca. Man, Peruvian food is taking over! Death to small Plates! Mon Jan 31 19:16:27 -0800 2005 153377 0 Mil Guapo 1 153388 great post, thanks for the input. can anyone compare the fillmore st. fresca to the west portal one? Mon Jan 31 19:22:50 -0800 2005 153377 0 artemis 2 153398 I've tried the West Portal location once and didn't like it nearly as much as the Fillmore one. Construction at the new one in Noe Valley is coming along nicely. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/28561#119466 Mon Jan 31 20:37:43 -0800 2005 153388 0 nja 3 153421 aces, thanks! :-) Tue Feb 01 01:09:52 -0800 2005 153398 0 artemis 1 153415 Don't close the book until you try Zcaveche on Mission near Russia. I would love to hear if you think it compares. I was very happy with my mixed seafood ceviche, but don't know about how their other traditional Peruvian dishes rate. I now will try to sample Fresca soon, thanks for the rec! www.chowhound.com/california/ boards/sanfrancisco/messages/110320.html Tue Feb 01 00:23:08 -0800 2005 153377 0 deelish 1 153422 Great reports. Thanks for the links to the other reports to save me from searching. Have you tried any Peruvian joints ... or viejo latino as opposed to neuevo? There is one that I keep passing and it is tempting me. Are lomo saltado. parihuela, Causa Limeña and Alfajores pretty much common Peruvian dishes and the things to start with? I'm not much of a ceviche fan so I probably wouldn't order it. Where is La Furia Chalaca and how does is fit in with your current ranking of Fresca (Fillmore), Limon, Alma, Fresca (West Portal) and Mochica? Tue Feb 01 01:17:10 -0800 2005 153377 0 Krys Stanley 2 153424 I'm not the OP, but on my one visit over a year ago, La Furia Chalaca strikes me as much more old school, along the lines of Mi Lindo Peru in the outer Mission or La Fina Estampa, more centrally located in the Mission District. I like all three, and at one time was a La Fina Estampa regular, where I particularly liked the arroz con pollo, aji panca sauce and zarzuela. I recently noticed a much nicer Mi Lindo Peru in the Marina, with the same logo. I have to assume these are related, but does anyone know the full story? Tue Feb 01 01:37:48 -0800 2005 153422 0 bernalgirl 3 153473 I agree. Limon, Fresca, and Mochica are what I consider Modern or Nuevo Peruvian restaurants. They take Peruvian dishes, dress up the presentation, offer nice wines, and provide stepped-up ambiance and service. They are in concept to Peruvian cuisine what The Slanted Door is to Vietnamese. Then there are the more humble spots like Mi Lindo Peru (which I have not yet tried although I have peeked inside the restaurant and read the menu). I would put La Furia Chalaca in the latter category, although it seems a little bit nicer than Mi Lindo Peru. Foodwise I think La Furia Chalaca does quite well, though they definitely don't have the wine and service of the Modern places. I can't say that I'm an expert in the cuisine, but the dishes that I see most often at all these places are Antichuchos (grilled meats on skewers; beef heart is most traditional), Papas A La Huanacaina, Parihuela, Arroz con Mariscos, and Pollo a la Brasa. But the two things that are most dear in the cuisine for me are ceviches and lomo saltado. I would really urge anyone to try the ceviches, especially a halibut one and/or a mixed shellfish one. They are very different than Mexican ceviches. I can't recall ever having an even passable Mexican ceviche in a bay area restaurant and (if the wrong people read this I'm a dead man) I think Peruvian ceviches are better than even the best homemade Mexican ceviches I have had. Alfajores are ubiquitous across Latin America so I wouldn't consider them distinctly Peruvian. Here's a linked to a cached copy of La Furia Chalaca's menu, which does a good job of describing these dishes. Link: http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:eSXMkB5z6TAJ:www.themenupage.com/lafuriachalacamenu.html+la+furia+chalaca&hl=en Tue Feb 01 14:44:07 -0800 2005 153424 0 nja 4 153484 Thanks for starting this thread, Nick. I'm reeling from the 3 P's (Philippines, Portugal, and Peru!) that have been getting some deserved attention here lately. As such, I'm trying to find some South Bay counterparts for Peruvian food. Came across a "Best of Silicon Valley" Metro list (see link) that gave a nod to Jesse's Place. Sounds more like a humble, traditional place than the Fresca's et al. Anyone eaten here or heard about it? Copied from the Metro: Best Ceviche/Peruvian Food Jesse's Place Hidden along Monterey Road in south San Jose is Jesse's Place. Since 1993, the place has actually been owned by Peruvian national Zenon Robles—and quite simply, Robles serves up the best fish and mixed seafood ceviche in the valley. For $8.25, customers reel in a generous helping of fresh red snapper or tilapia cut in small squares, marinated in lime juice, seasoned with garlic and served under a piece of lettuce accompanied by yams, corn and potatoes with sliced lime-marinated red onions and cilantro. The mixed ceviche is a combination of shrimp, fish, octopus, crab, green mussels and other ocean delicacies. Robles, who does answer good-naturedly to "Jesse," also serves popular Peruvian dishes such as cau cau, tender honeycomb beef tripe cut in bite-size pieces with potatoes and cilantro; and pollo a la brasa, or rotisserie chicken with potatoes and salad. It's a busy place on weekends, when Peruvian Andean dancing and small singing groups perform. Cash only. 3088 Monterey Rd., San Jose. 408.225.3052. (SS) Link: http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.22.04/best-food-0439.html Tue Feb 01 15:15:54 -0800 2005 153473 0 Carb Lover 5 153488 There's also a Peruvian restaurant in downtown SJ called Inca Gardens. The only time I attempted to eat there we ended up only getting appetizers because it was getting late and we had a curtain to make at the nearby theater. Apparently all the food is cooked to order by one cook and served by one waiter. And it's not that small a restaurant. Cynthia had a better experience there: Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/23469#89243 Tue Feb 01 15:38:52 -0800 2005 153484 0 Ruth Lafler 6 153501 My wife loves this place. There are a lot of little things about it, though. It's in a building that looks pretty delapidated from the outside, the space used to be an art gallery, and there's still art on the walls. The lone waiter is also the owner, and he's just a tad eccentric. Service is at a 'relaxed' pace, which he'll explain, is intentionally peruvian - we budget 2 hours for dinner there. He'll explain the dishes and even ingredients to you, if you're curious. There's live music some nights (and you'll need reservations for those nights). The food is worth the wait, though, and depending on your attitude the whole experience can be charming. Tue Feb 01 17:16:18 -0800 2005 153488 0 Manuel 3 155726 To answer Bernalgirl's question: Yes, there is a second Mi Lindo Peru. The address is: 3232 Scott Street, San Francisco, Ca. 94123 The phone number is 885-8078. They don't seem to be listed on the yellow pages yet, but I'm sure they will soon. The location is indeed much nicer,and they have been able to provide the same good food and good service so it is a plus!. Fri Feb 18 15:35:42 -0800 2005 153424 0 Mila Ramos 2 153483 La Furia Chalaca is in Oakland, on Broadway a couple of blocks up from Jack London Square. We had a very good chow lunch there a couple of years ago. The main thing you need to know about Peruvian restaurants is that the service takes the concept of "leisurely" to new levels. Don't plan on popping into a Peruvian restuarant for a quick lunch. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/22243#81990 Tue Feb 01 15:14:53 -0800 2005 153422 0 Ruth Lafler