A SOUTH AMERICAN DELIGHT

Menu at Mi Lindo Peru

If you've never had Peruvian food, then you're definitely missing one of the best cuisines offered in South America.  And if you live in San Francisco, you don't have to travel far to seek your Peruvian fix.  The Mission District in San Francisco offers the perfect place to begin your culinary adventure in this hearty cuisine. 
"Mi Lindo Peru" is a quaint, little restaurant offering Peruvian and Spanish delights.  Their reasonably priced menu allows you to experience a new culture without having to cross a relative off of your holiday gift list.  They offer entrees that range between $12.95-$15.95, where as appetizers and tapas run between $5.95-$10.95 each. 

I can never resist starting with the "Papa a la Huancaina," a traditional appetizer with sliced boiled potatoes, topped with a  mildly spicy, cheesy sauce that has a hint of yellow chile peppers (aji amarillo) and saltine crackers.  I know, it probably isn't the first thing you'd throw into a blender and make into a sauce to pour over boiled potatoes, then garnish with a marinated olive and hard boiled egg slice, but believe me, once you've had it you can't get enough.  And you better believe that if the potatoes are all gone, I'm reaching for their fresh bread to soak up any leftover remnants of this creamy goodness that may be on the plate. 

Typically when I dine at a Peruvian restaurant I prefer to order the "Lomo Saltado" which is this wonderful concoction of beef strips, onions, tomatoes and french fries (yes! french fries...oh my goodness, it's so GOOD!), served with a Peruvian style seasoned rice.  As a lover of french fries, I thank the Peruvian Gods that their people decided to throw in something you'd normally eat with a burger into an otherwise healthy dish.  Brilliant! 



Bisteck a lo Pobre
Mi Lindo Peru, San Francisco

This time, it was a special night and I wanted to try the one with a twist.  The "Bisteck a lo Pobre" is basically the same as the "Lomo Saltado," but it's topped with a fried egg, prepared over-medium, and a fried plantain.  Sounds too risky?  Well, don't fret, if you've ever had steak, eggs & potatoes for breakfast, it's basically the same concept.  Trust me, the combination works.  And the fried plantain?  It just adds that perfect balance of salty-sweetness that bumps any dish up a notch from 'okay' to 'mmm, this is very good...' 

If you're looking for a Peruvian Restaurant in San Francisco, California, you'll have to stop at this intimate, casual restaurant.  It's a South American delight you'll wish you had discovered long ago.  12/04/10