Picca Peruvian Cantina

ceviche crocante - halibut, leche de tigre, crispy calamari

Picca Peruvian Cantina, the second restaurant from Chef Ricardo Zarate, presents updates on some of the classic flavors and dishes of Peru, albeit with a significant dose of Asian influence.  The word Picca means, ‘to nibble,’ and is fitting for a large menu of small dishes perfect for sampling or sharing.

The restaurant’s cuisine is awash with interesting and novel flavors.  Rather than serve the more traditional, long-marinating ceviches, they prepare their raw fish dishes to order.  Leche de Tigre is the tart, flavorful liquid that typically accumulates in the marinating bowl of seafood, but instead Picca prepares its leche de tigre separately giving them a greater control over the flavors and adding a unique freshness to their ceviches.  I was particularly taken with the Ceviche Crocante, where the searing acidity of the leche de tigre was balanced not only by rich halibut but also a topping of crispy fried calamari.

In a further innovation, the restaurant takes the traditional Peruvian Causa, cold potato cakes served with a variety of toppings, and applies the logic of Japanese cuisine, using the potato cake in place of rice to create an experience similar to nigiri sushi.

The menu is packed with intriguing ingredients – aji amarillo & rocoto peppers, sun-dried potatoes, beef heart and more – that we’ll be exploring in the future.  But definitely a culinary experience worth having if you find yourself in the Los Angeles area.

You can view a gallery of images from the restaurant here.

http://www.piccaperu.com/