Restaurant reviews: Ají Seco, completos in Ñuñoa

Ají Seco is a Peruvian restaurant in Santiago Centro, actually there's two. There's a small one and a larger one, both on San Antonio. I recommend the Ceviche mixto especial. It's to die for, a mix of shellfish and fish marinated in limón de pica, ají, cebolla corta pluma and accompanied with supersized corn kernels and this other variet of corn similar to cornuts. It's soooo good and not pricey. I hope its open on Sundays because I could totally go for another cerviche peruana.

Vuko ordered a tasty dish called arroz chaufa tres sabores; it came with rice, chicken, beef, shrimp, scallions, red peppers, and it tasted like it had fresh ginger and coriander and a few other spices. Christian ordered tacu tacu con lomo liso which features a mix of beans and rice topped with Sirloin steak and fried eggs. I tried the tacu tacu, which was good, as was Vuko's dish. I was craving vegetables so I ordered panache de verduras, which is basically stir-fried veggies. They were tasty as well.

The other good eats place I tried this weekend is a completo stand/restaurant in Ñuñoa. Apparently you can't call yourself Ñuñoino until you've tried these completos. They were absolutely delicious, with topped with tons of mashed avocado. And at only like 750 pesos. It hits the spot. Unfortunately, I can't remember what street it was on, because it was definitely a ways from Plaza Ñuñoa. But Vuko thinks it was at Grecia/Ramón Cruz.


So there are a couple of Peruvian dudes who work at the minimarket where I shop - go figure. Anyway they are nice guys and I've known them for a couple years now, although I've never asked their names and I don't think they know mine either. The other day I told them I'd eaten some Peruvian food, and it was cute, their eyes lit up and they asked me what I'd had and if I'd tried the ceviche. They also asked me which restaurant I'd been to. I said Ají Seco, and they said it was good, but one of them said there is an even better Peruvian restaurant at Teatinos and Rosas. I'm taking him as an authority on the subject (obviously) and plan to check out this other restaurant at some point in the near future. Ojalá.

Ceviche en 6.000 pesos en el Restoran Alpamayo en Teatinos con Rosas.
Ñami. Ñami. Ñami. Me dio hambre. Raw fish and shellfish ceviche, doused in lemon juice, acompanied with potatoes, sweet potatoes, giant corn, regular corn, corn nut like dealies...super tasty, onions. It's to die for.