CHINA CHILCANO (Washington, D.C.)
At this Peruvian restaurant, brainchild of noted chef José Andrés, the flavors of Peru are as eye-opening as the décor, influenced by Asian cuisine with a distinctively South American touch. Take a seat in the vibrant space beneath the large, colorful mural and begin your exploration of this vibrant culinary intermingling. Ceviche Nikkei is a twist on the Peruvian classic, with bigeye tuna joined by soy-cured egg yolk, ponzu, puffed quinoa, jicama, and Japanese furikake seasoning. Jiaozi de la Chacra is a cilantro dumpling with seasonal vegetables and aji rocoto pepper for a bit of tang. Here, the Yaki Udon noodles are seasoned with aji amarillo peppers, and even the sides display the international mingling, ranging from salsa to pickled daikon. I love the aji de gallina, a hearty traditional chicken stew with chilis, pecans, cheese, and rice, while Lomo Saltado takes beef fillet and seasons it with a “Criolla meets China” combo of soy sauce, aji amarillo, and tomatoes. Wash it all down with a drink made with Pisco, the Peruvian brandy, whether it’s a Sakura Maru that pairs sour cherry pisco with plum sake, yuzu, and five spice seasoning, or a Jade Garden, where Pisco combines with cucumber, cilantro, lemon, and vanilla. It’s not your ordinary brunch, to be sure! 418 7th St. NW, Washington D.C. Tel: 202-783-0941. Brunch served Saturday and Sunday 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. www.chinachilcano.com
China Chilcano
