Recently I tried the Peruvian cuisine of recently remodeled Los Balcones in Hollywood. The family run spot has been in it’s current location for 9 years but they have been bringing Peruvian eats to the area for almost 20 years. They boast a full bar and lots of great options for food and drink. The recent remodel is wonderful, the inside of the restaurant is warm and inviting and I love the succulent garden on the walls outside. Of course I sat at the bar and started with some fantastic cocktails. The first drink I tried was the Tipsy Jalapeno a margarita made with El Jimador tequila, fresh jalapeno, lime juice & rosemary. You can also choose to have it made with pisco, a Peruvian brandy that mixes well and makes a great substitute in tequila cocktails.
Los Balcones Del Peru
1360 Vine Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
http://losbalconesperu.com
While I sipped on my drink I enjoyed their sweet potato chips with their aji verde sauce. The aji verde was one of my favorite things, not too spicy and full of flavor!
Of course I had to have a pisco sour, one of the more common pisco cocktails. Like any sour it is shaken with lime, sugar, egg whites, and finished with bitters.
The last cocktail I tried was the Watermelon Express with watermelon, lime, pineapple and a choice of rum or pisco (I chose pisco).
For my main course I had the lomo saltado which was recommended by a few people. It is sauteed sirloin with tomato, onion, and fries. I was offered rice also but declined since I was already getting pretty full. This dish was so flavorful and super filling! The food here really works well for sharing if you are dining out with a few friends or family.
There is no way on earth I had room left for dessert so I will have to leave that for my next visit. I definitely want to try the picarones, a sweet potato beignet. The service during my visit was fantastic. I enjoyed chatting with the bartender, he had really great recommendations and was very attentive. If you plan on visiting make sure you park next door at the K&L Wines/FedEx lot, they do validate!
