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Cuzco Chicken Run is muy bueno

September 22, 2005 1:06 am

By LINDA SALISBURY

For THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Good news! You don't have to travel to South America to taste delicious Peruvian food.

Walter Villa opened Cuzco Chicken Run about five months ago on Fall Hill Avenue, and he expects to open a second, larger, restaurant in Central Park near Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar this year.

Because My Dining Partner and I enjoyed Peruvian food at a favorite Florida restaurant before our move to Virginia last year, the sign for Cuzco Chicken Run, featuring Peruvian-style charcoal-broiled chicken, caught our eye.

We stopped by for lunch on a couple of occasions and decided to return for dinner on a weekend, when specials such as ceviche are available.

Friends who had never tried Peruvian food joined us. (Footnote: Cuzco is the former capital of the Incan empire in the Americas, and it means "navel" or center of the world.)

Tucked into a strip mall, the restaurant immediately plunges customers into the experience of another country. The television near the four tables often features Latino shows, and the radio in the kitchen plays similar music.

Villa told us that most of his business in this location is takeout, and there was a steady stream of customers picking up orders.

We quickly ordered ceviche ($9.95) before they ran out of it. (Twice now we have been too late for the tamales--they also sell out quickly!)

Ceviche is raw fish marinated in lime juice, which "cooks" it. We were told on an earlier visit that tilapia is used at Cuzco Chicken Run. When we were in Costa Rica and Panama, sea bass was used for this excellent dish.

The fish is cut into small pieces, and Villa garnishes it with a purple, lacy seaweed; crunchy cancha, a type of corn that tasted a little like popcorn; onions; and cilantro.

On the plate were colorful and unusual additions: a wedge of sweet potato, a slice of white potato and a 3-inch-high piece of Peruvian corn on the cob. The fan-shaped kernels were about the size of sweater buttons. They taste different from familiar American varieties of corn--more like hominy.

While we perused the menu (English) and specials board (Spanish), we asked the very accommodating Villa about the sauces. He smiled broadly as he told us that the marinade for the chicken had secret ingredients, and he willingly brought us a sample to taste.

He also brought us a sample of each of the sauces that make up the seven-layer sauce that is applied to salchipapas (fries and hot dog nuggets, $3.95), and salchipollos (fries and chicken nuggets, $4.95).

He provided some of the excellent fries to dip in the various colorful sauces, which were mild and tasty.

MDP, still marveling over the ceviche, ordered mixed grill ($19.95), which included a quarter-chicken, top round steak, chorizo and a pork chop. It was served with fries or yucca and a house salad.

He opted for the yucca ($1 extra), large slices, crisp on the outside and tender within. The chicken was excellent as usual, with the marinade penetrating the meat, not just the skin.

MDP realized he should have asked that the top round be rare or medium rare, because it was delivered well done.

The sauce was tasty, but a bit salty. The pork chop was good, and he liked the spicy chorizo sausage links. He had had a chorizo sub ($5.75) on a prior visit.

One of our friends ordered chicken and steak ($13.95)--a quarter-chicken and 6-ounce steak served with fries or yucca and a house salad.

She felt the steak was tough, and was disappointed that she wasn't asked in advance how she would like it prepared, but she loved the special sauce on it.

Her husband and I decided to try one of the specials, lomo soltado, a beef platter ($10.95). The pieces of beef were cooked with tomatoes, onions, peas and carrots, and were served with a mound of wonderful rice on a bed of fries.

It seemed like an unusual combination, but the tomato-and-beef combo was full of flavor, even if I didn't eat the fries. I would have it again or try some of the other specials.

Of course we had to sample the homemade desserts. MDP tried the bread pudding ($2). Cakelike, it was one of the best he has every tasted. I selected flan ($2.50). It was so light and creamy that I quickly convinced myself that it had no calories.

Villa said his new restaurant will be able to offer wine and beer, but the establishment on Fall Hill simply has coolers with water, tea, colas (including Inca Kola) and bottled fruit juices, such as lychee, guava and mango. I tried the latter, and it tasted fresh-squeezed ($1.60).

We look forward to trying the Central Park restaurant, but will return to what Villa calls his "lucky spot" when we are in the neighborhood.

Muy bueno!

Linda Salisbury, who has written five books, works with self-published authors. E-mail her at lgsal isbury@gmail.com.