Restaurant Review: El Chalan Restaurant in Miami, Florida

In the mood for Peruvian food? El Chalan Restaurant located at 7941 S.W 40th Street in Miami, Florida features classic Peruvian dishes. El Chalan is located on a mini mall strip, parking is first come serve, handicap parking located near the restaurant and space found easily before 7 p.m.

The diners: Florida Four(includes myself and 3 siblings), Chester and guest Big Al.

The atmosphere is down to earth and cozy. This is not a place to take a first date to if you want to impress her, there are no white linen table clothes but instead colorful peruvian blankets under plexi glass that decor the tables. If you want to impress her with good Peruvian food then this is the place. On the wooden panel walls there are pictures of Machu Picchu and the Lineas de Nazca. Price range from $7.00-$15.00 for the main course and side orders, drinks,and desserts all under $2.50.

We ordered an arange of dishes starting with Choros a la Chalaca for an appetizer. Choros a la Chalaca are steamed mussels topped with a corn, tomato, onion and red pepper in lemon juice sauce served on a mussel shell and over a bed of lettuce. This dish is light and delicious and a hit for any seafood with six servings you might just want to eat them all by yourself.

For our entrees we ordered the Jalea Mixto, Aji de Gallina, Seco de Res, Mondogito and Lomo Saltado. Let's start with the Jalea Mixto, it is an array of fried seafood consisting of fried calamari, shrimp, mussels, fish and yuca served with El Chalan tarter sauce and limes on the side. The seafood is piled high and is enough to feed two people. Big Al is no friend to seafood, born and raised in Boston he cannot stand fish but he was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and tenderness of the fish in the Jalea Mixto.

Aji de Gallina is shredded hen in a creamy sauce with cheese served with white rice. This is the only dish we were not impressed with, we've had Aji de Gallina before made by one of the best cooks we know and this was by far not close to the potential this plate is known. We spoke to the chef and he prepared it the way it was taught to him in his native Peru. We must remember that Peru has a coastal area, a mountain area, a city area and a northern area which all prepare these dishes but use like and different spices. Creating an array flavors. Taking that to consideration this dish could still use some help from spices.
Seco de Res beef cooked in a cilantro sauce with white rice and northern beans. This dish was delicious and perfectly made. The chef took time to saute the onions and spices and incorporated the liquified cilantro to the beef. Meat was not overdone, tender and burst with flavor. Nice big portions you will be coming back for more.

Mondogito a la Italiana, beef tripe prepared italian style. If you do not know what tripe is it is cow stomach. This dish was packed with flavor and the julienne vegetables with the tripe were perfectly cooked. Tripe if not cook correctly is hard and if overcooked becomes slimy and mushy. If you want to be adventerous or love tripe this is the dish to try and have your tongue wanting more.

Lomo Saltado, sauteed beef with tomato and onions served with french fries and white rice. Okay this dish is my favorite when it comes to Peruvian food and it is a hit with everyone being introduced to Peruvian food. There are two ways of preparing Lomo Saltado and El Chalan prepares it city style or Limeno. I myself like Lomito, if you want the recipe let me know. Chose Lomo Saltado at the Chalan and you won't be left hungry. It is very good and you will not be disappointed. The meat is tender and the tomatoes and onions are perfectly sauteed.

And to top off the meal dessert. We ordered Tres Leches, a cake that is moisted with three types of sweet milk. This is beyond delicious, once you start to eat this dessert you may need to take one to go. For another dessert that is sweeter then the Tres Leches is Suspiros a la Limena. This dessert has whipped condensed milk and topped with whip cream.

In addition, to further enhance the Peruvian experience, customers can choose Inca Kola - which is the most popular soft drink in Peru. It can best be described as a more sweetened off-shoot of cream soda - only yellow in color.

The rating: Out of "Must Bite"(Excellent), "Bite this"(must try), "Take a bite"(hit or miss), "little bites"(go at your own risk), and "This Bites!"(sucks)...we give El Chalan an overall rating of Bite This.