New Restaurant #14 - Peruvian
Well, I started the second half of the year one day early. My plan was to visit 13 new restaurants by June 30 and then I would visit the other 13 after July 1. But on June 30, I went to a new restaurant in Indiatlantic, my 14th for the year, called Pico Alto PHC.
The restaurant is named after a famous big wave in the surfing town Punta Hermosa. Pico Alto is Spanish for High Peak. PHC is short for Punta Hermosa Corazon which translates to the Heart of Punta Hermosa. I mean, the owner is a surfer dude from Peru who now owns a restaurant on Wave Crest Avenue in Indiatlantic, a popular place for surfers. It can be found on the North end of the boardwalk, next to Bizzaro's Pizza. Here is a wide angle of the place with A1A on the right. I did not know when I parked using a meter spot, that they do have parking where the meters are covered for users of the restaurant.
Upon entering, the place was pretty big with lots of different seating options. I choose a table because the place was not crowded. Here is a photo from my able seat looking at the bar area. I love the big wave mosaic on the wall, Pico Alto!
They do have some individual seats also, and tables for two or four people. I saw them accomodate a group of six as I was finishing my lunch.
Above my table was a photo of Machu Picchu, a bucket list item.
The owner, Alberto Deza, stopped by my table to see how I was doing. I said I always wanted to visit Peru, particularrly Machu Picchu, after my visit to Ecuador. He asked where in Ecuador I had been and I told him Galapagos. He said that was on his bucket list! He told me about a place near where he grew up that is like Machu Picchu but bigger. He said it only opened two years ago to the public. Suggested it as an alternative to the overly visited Machu Picchu.
On to the new restaurant. I took a picture of the menu...
When in the Galapagos, ceviche was a very popular Ecuadorian dish. Likewise, Peruvians consider ceviche a main country dish and I decided, even at $15, I would order it...Ceviche de Pescado
This is what came out. At first, it seemed like a small bowl. But as you start to eat it, you realize it is all fish with just a few onions. There were a few scallops too. It was simply delicious and very refreshing. They use lime juice to "cook" the fish. They have three choices for spiciness: mild, medium or hot. I asked how hot, and Gabriel suggested I try the medium to start. Medium was good, it was the kind of heat that builds as you eat more and more. I will try the hot someday.
Chocla, aka Peruvian Corn, was served as the vegetable with a slice of sweet potato. There were two varieties of the choclo. The white kernels are boiled and taste like hominy. The yellow kernels are toasted and taste like corn nuts. FYI, there was nothing left in my bowl when I finished.
But I had to try a dessert. I saw they had a passion fruit mousse, which I ordered...
It was delicious and took some of the heat of the ceviche from my mouth. As I was leaving, the owner Alberto was bussing another table and asked me if I was satisfied. Of course, I said yes. I asked him about the new restaurant he is opening next door called Brasas Peruvian Grill. He said it would be a simpler place where you order food from a counter that you can take back to the beach to enjoy. He said he was sorry he told the Florida Today that this would be open by the end of June, because they were not open yet and it was June 30. He said it would not be long before they do open.
From the friendly staff, to the pretty decor, and the great food, I give this place a 3.5 (great to excellent) on my scoring system. I definitely am going back real soon. If you have never tried Peruvian food, give this place a try!
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