Peruvian food request: Anticuchos

[Woolsey]

A friend at work was discussing Peruvian food and mentioning the trouble she has finding a particular dish at Peruvian restaurants in town. It's called anticuchos, sliced marinated beef heart. She tells me she generally dines at Peruvian places around Glendale (and used to go to The Brick in Eagle Rock before it closed). Does anyone know of a place that serves this? (My previous Peruvian experience is only at Mario's, and all I remember is the saltado and ceviche.)

[streetgourmetla]

The best place for anticuchos in LA is Anticucheria Danessi in Norwalk, which has in addition to beef hearts other anticuchos like higado(liver), pancita(stomach),chocholi(tripe) and rachi(honeycomb tripe).This is LA's only anticucheria, many of these places are great, but this is the creme de la creme.

previous posts
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/563344

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/568058

[Charis]

Peruvian Kitchen in Orange County has this dish.
See blog herehttp://epicurious-wanderer.blogspot.com/2006/10/peruvian-kitchen-super-post-fountain.html

[jenn]

El Pollo ala Brasa serves it on skewers.

Presume the reference to "not for the faint hearted" is silliness---really just tastes like a hunk o' beef but beefier, if that makes sense. My youngest pup loves the stuff.

and yes, what we had was NOT just beef. Texture is completely different. Good but different.

[Woolsey]

YES!

The answer, just plunked into my e-mail, from Jonathan Gold himself:

"They have them at Pollos a la Brasa, on the corner of Western and 8th streets in Koreatown. Very tasty, actually, although Peruvian friends tell me it is apparently next to impossible to find fresh beef heart in Los Angeles."

[J.L.]

Wow.... Kudos to you writing Mr. Gold, & to Mr. Gold for writing back so promptly. Jonathan Gold is a living city treasure. He da man!

[jenn]

hey?! what about me? I posted before gold responded!!!!!!!!

just kidding. .... sort of...........

we had them last night. definitely NOT plain beef. Be sure to get them medium rare at most. if you over cook them, they get nasty.........

and by the way, makes a tasty snack for breakfast if there happen to be any leftovers................

but for the record, i'm pretty sure i've seen beef heart at grocery stores in the sgv.......

[J.L.]

Yes, my apologies, Jenn - you chimed in with the correct Jeopardy answer 4 minutes before the Jonathan Gold post made it on to the thread...

Mad props to you, Jenn.

[jenn]

giggle.

[samizzz]

I love Pollos a la Brasa for the chicken but their anticuchos de corazon left me yearning for the more wickedly spiced (not to mention incredibly tender) versions that I had in Peru. PAB's is good but more smokey in flavor than savory.

The last two times I was at Lola's they didn't have them that day. Is there a best day of the week to try?

A waiter at Mamita's (their chupa de camarones and chicha morada are particularly yum) alluded to a third spot in Glendale that he believes to have the best in L.A. but I have not been able to figure out its location. Pehaps a great excuse to weather this storm tonight and head back to Mamita's tonight... Any ideas about this mystery 3 spot?

Also, I agree with whoever said that beef anticuchos de corazon taste like "beefier" beef, and also with the comment about making sure not to have it overcooked lest it get funky and tough. It may be more conceptually challenging to some than other parts of the cow but, for me, it's texturally in line with other beef items that make their way into my stomach.

[Das Ubergeek]

streetgourmetla is right that if what you are after is anticuchos, you need to come down this way and go to Norwalk's Anticucheria Danessi. If, however, you want a more varied Peruvian restaurant, the undisputed new belt-winner of Peruvian food is Puro Sabor, on Van Nuys Blvd. in Van Nuys. Absolutely astoundingly good. Blows Mario's right out of the water, and (l'havdil) Lola's isn't fit to be mentioned in the same sentence.

[Das Ubergeek]

Las Quenas, in North Hollywood, has them. You should call ahead to make sure their supplier didn't flake out on them. If not, try El Hatuchay, two blocks west on Sherman Way.

[Cicely]

I've had it at Lola's, in Glendale. They're probably best known for their rotisserie chicken, but they have a full menu including good ceviche. I really liked the anticuchos de corazon; they were intensely beefy and smoky (I think they were grilled) yet tender.

Lola's Peruvian Restaurant
230 N Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91203
[phone]

[Bria Silbert]

I'm pretty sure the South Bay-based Pollo Inka chain carries them; I remember seeing them on the menu.

[J.L.]

You need to write Jonathan Gold at LA Weekly for this - he specializes in searching for ethnic dishes across SoCal.

[CarlieInLA]

I love anticuchos! They are so delicious. Do you know if they are real anticuchos with actual cow heart? Normally I find that the menu says anticuchos but its usually beef or chicken, not heart.

[SauceSupreme]

It's not for the faint of heart... and you have to have your heart set on it... so don't be broken-hearted, and I don't mean to serve your heart on a plate or anything, but...

Los Balcones serves anticuchos.

http://www.laweekly.com/eat+drink/cou...

[Woolsey]

I just checked the online menu for Los Balcones del Peru, and anticuchos is not listed. Is it an off-menu item?

http://losangeles.menupages.com/resta...

[SauceSupreme]

Hmm, better call them and ask.

Incidentally, I've also had the Brazilian version at a churascarria

[Woolsey]

Normally I wouldn't go all out, but it is her birthday, and I do want to make it offal good...

[SauceSupreme]

You've got such a good heart.

Perhaps because it's a specialty item, they only carry it as a special (I don't recall). If you call and make a request, I'm sure they'd accommodate.

[Woolsey]

I'm just trying to get them to pick up the phone. They never answer. How heartless.