Peruvian cuisine is in its renaissance and we have been loving every second of it
Last week we were invited to try out POPULAR, a restaurant located within the PUBLIC Hotel in NYC that specializes in Peruvian cuisine. And with Chef Diego Muñoz at the helm bringing authentic, original, and globally inspired Peruvian dishes to the table, we were extremely excited to try out some of these dishes.
Before getting into the food, we have to talk about the ambiance at POPULAR. Stepping into POPULAR was like being transported into a rainforest. The entire restaurant, from floor to ceiling, is covered with greenery and foliage making it a stunning sight to see as you walk in. And with the dim lights and candle accents, POPULAR becomes a beautiful space that is perfect for a special night out.
As with any meal, we started off by ordering some cocktails. The cocktail menu at POPULAR features a wide variety of flavors and ingredients, which all tie in together with the base spirit being Pisco. If you are unfamiliar with Pisco, it is a Peruvian liqueur that can be compared to unaged brandy made using fermented Peruvian grapes. The notes of Pisco are usually very floral, aromatic, and herbaceous which allows it to be a beautiful base for most cocktails. For our first drink we tried to Salvia Durazno which is made with sage macerado Caravedo Pisco Torontel, yuzu, and Redemption Rye. With the first few sips you get a prominent fruity flavor very similar to a peach’s sweetness. This sweetness pairs well with the yuzu’s tart melon notes that helped brighten the drink up. As you let the drink linger on your palate, you will then notice the addition of rye which adds subtle notes of oak and baking spices in the mix but doesn’t overpower the overall profile of the drink. This drink was well balanced, sweet, and fresh which was the perfect drink to start our meal.
The next drink we tried out was the Chilca which was made with winter spices macerado Macchu Pisco Quebranta, figs, turmeric, gin, and tonic. The feel of this drink was on the fizzier side and the pairing of the tonic water, fig, and the turmeric created this ginger beer type of note to the drink. Additionally, the botanicals from the gin accentuated the winter spiced Pisco, adding a freshness to the drink that can only be described as taking in your first breath of the cool winter air. The Chilca was such a fun seasonal drink that made us excited for the Fall and coming Winter months.
The dinner menu is broken up into four sections at POPULAR. There is the ceviche section, the vegetable section, the wok section, and the oven roasted section. All of these sections feature ingredients that highlight the essence of Peruvian food while also adding a bit of American fusion into the mix. We started off with the Ceviche Classico which is a Peruvian seafood staple. This dish was made with fluke, octopus, red onion, and cilantro. The first thing we noticed from the dish is that is a seafood lover’s dream with the amount of seafood in it. Each forkful had plenty of seafood that packed in a lot of brightness and acidity which made the dish pop. The red onion added a nice sharpness to the dish along with a different texture which helped balance out the dish. And one ingredient that we noticed and loved was the addition of sweet potato which added a meatiness to it and a sweetness to the dish. Overall, the ceviche was balanced and highlighted the freshness of the seafood perfectly.
The next dish we had was the Roasted Roots which was made with whipped feta and rocoto. Huacatay, and roasted sweet chili oil. This dish was one of our favorites and was an example of how amazing a vegetable dish can be if you treat the ingredients right. The roots used included vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and onions which added a nice meaty texture to the dish. The vegetables were cooked perfectly making it fork tender and practically melted in our mouth. The whipped feta and rocoto added a luscious rich creaminess to the dish and paired well with the sweet heat coming from the sweet chili oil topping. Then there was the addition of the Huacatay, a classic Peruvian ingredient, which added herbal notes to the dish that complimented certain vegetables like the carrots and potatoes. Our lasting thoughts on this dish was that there was an incredible balance of flavor and texture to the dish. We loved the balance of heat and sweetness to it and the vegetables were able to absorb a lot of those flavors making each bite just as good as the last.
For the Wok section, we tried a Peruvian classic that we love which is the Lomo Saltado. Made with pieces of filet mignon, vidalia onions, vine-ripe tomatoes, and chili soy, we can confidently say that this dish is one of the shining stars of POPULAR. The filet mignon bites were so tender and juicy, practically exploding with flavor and then melting in your mouth. The vidalia onions were cooked and then charred leaving a nice bit of texture to it that was accompanied by a beautiful earthy flavor. The tomatoes were a great addition to it adding a nice acidity and fresh sweetness to the dish that married beautifully with the umami notes from the filet. And on top of that, there were also fingerling potatoes in the mix that absorbed all the juices that were spilling out of the filet and packing into a beautiful bite sized piece. This dish was so hearty, meaty, and delicious making it our hands down favorite dish of the night.
Our last dish was dessert and we opted for the Coconut Panna Cotta which was made with chirimoya, poached cranberries, and purple corn. The dish was a different take on the classic panna cotta where there was a sumptuous meringue on the top of the dish that paired with the fluffy panna cotta on the bottom. The meringue itself was sweet and fruity while having this airy texture to it. Paired with the light but more full-formed yogurt flavored panna cotta texture on the bottom offered a nice balance of textures. There were also exciting additions like toasted coconut shavings on top of the panna cotta for a semi-sweet nuttiness and the poached cranberries which offered a burst of tartness to the dish too.
Our lasting thoughts of POPULAR is that this is a restaurant that highlights the beautiful flavors of Peruvian cuisine exceptionally well. Everything we had during this dinner was well thought out, treated well, and incredibly delicious. We will definitely be coming back and we hope to see you there.