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Are you in the mood for a different taste sensation, very delicious, that will take your taste buds WAY south of the border, WAY south of Mexico? Have you ever enjoyed authentic Peruvian cuisine, prepared by natives, who grew up in Lima, the capitol city of Peru? Chicha Peruvian Kitchen and Cafe is the newest Peruvian restaurant in Roseville, and this is an amazing restaurant! As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's just past the 11:30 late morning opening time on Tuesday, December 07, 2021, and I've arrived to enjoy an amazing Peruvian lunch at Chicha Peruvian Kitchen, located in Roseville, CA. Chicha is the second Peruvian restaurant to open in Roseville, and the restaurant opened their doors for dining just a couple of months ago, on Oct 15th of this year. The outside is still quite bare of "branding," as signs are yet to be installed as of this writing. Does this location look familiar? You may remember the Curry Paradise, which closed last year during the pandemic, and will be remembered for fine Indian cuisine they served.
Photo: As you enter the dining room, you'll be greeted by a friendly staff member who will seat you, and give you a menu. You'll feel comfortable in the inviting dining room, as it's large, very clean, with plenty of space between the tables. The decor is pleasant, with a few photos on the wall, and little of Peru here and there.
Photo: At the rear of the dining room there is a desert case, along with a counter, which in previous days served as a buffet counter. The dining room features polished wood floors, pastel painted walls, and the matching furniture is all tables and chairs, as there are no booths. The atmosphere is very modern and inviting.
Photo: This display case presents samples of desert the restaurant sells, including cheesecake, chocolate cake and bread pudding. All deserts are listed on the fourth page of the menu.
Photo: The desert display case, along with a small work area for the staff is located at the rear of the restaurant. There is one television monitor in the restaurant, and it was tuned to what appeared to be a Mexican soap opera, as Peruvian television programs are nonexistent in the United States. I really liked the tasteful, artificial plants, that added a nice touch.
Photo: The lunch page of the menu offers a good selection of Peruvian lunch cuisine, along with beverages, and a couple of lunch-sized appetizers. The menu is a total of four pages, click on this link to see the complete menu, as of this writing. I wondered about the name of the restaurant, "Chicha," as I recall dining at a restaurant near Yosemite National Park, many years ago, that served Columbian cuisine, and was named "Chicha's." I asked my friendly hostess, Jackie, and she told me that "chicha" is a type of beer, popular in Central and South America, made from fermented corn, and dates back to the Inca Empire. Perhaps Chicha Peruvian Kitchen has future plans of serving chicha beer? I'd LOVE to try it!
Photo: After placing my lunch order of "Pollo Saltado," I took a peek inside the small staff counter area to mingle with the friendly staff, and to watch them stock the desert display case. The kitchen is behind the double doors, at the rear of the photo.
Photo: Meet my super friendly hostess Jackeline, as she brings my bowl of "Corn Aguadito" soup to me with a smile. She had already set a plate with two rolls and garlic butter on my table, and my appetizer of soup arrived about ten minutes after placing my order.
Photo: Such an amazing lunch appetizer of a roll, complete with soft garlic butter and a bowl of "Corn Aguadito" soup, to warm me up on this chilly, foggy Tuesday in early December. Rolls and butter come with every lunch.
Photo: My "Menu Lunch" came with one appetizer, and I chose "Corn Aguadito" as my appetizer, rather than a green salad, as I truly wanted to enjoy the taste of Peru. My soup arrived in a medium bowl - about eight ounces - of what the menu describes as a "Lunch-Sized Appetizer." Today was my first time EVER to enjoy "Corn Aguadito" and was I ever in for a surprise, as this soup was simply amazing! Actually, the soup was more like a chowder, as the base was a thick, rich green, which resembled split pea soup. Added to this amazing base of chowder was kernels of fresh corn, diced red bell pepper, chopped green onion, along with diced cilantro. "Corn Aguadito" was not like anything that I've enjoyed before, and a new taste adventure! Simply saying, the soup reminded me of meatless split pea soup, with corn, bell pepper, green onion, and exotic seasoning, for a wonderful, new taste. Such a great bowl of soup!
Photo: Jackeline brings my entree of "Pollo Saltado" to me with a smile. "Jackie" treated me to friendly, attentive service, without being intrusive, and treated me like family. My complete entree arrived about 20 minutes after placing my order, which I consider very fast service for such a delicious lunch.
Photo: I'm a happy guy as Jackie snaps my photo, as I prepare to enjoy a delicious lunch of "Pollo Saltado" at Chicha Peruvian Kitchen.
Photo: From the "Lunch Menu," I went with "Pollo Saltado," and I went with an appetizer of "Corn Aguadito." The rolls and garlic butter are served with every lunch selection. I had already enjoyed two rolls and butter, and when Jackie asked if I wanted seconds, I said "Yes!"
Photo: My lunch entree of "Pollo Saltado," which the menu describes as, "Stir-fried chicken with onion, tomato, cilantro and soy sauce, served with French fries and garlic rice." The menu advertises the chicken as stir fried, but it seemed grilled to me, as it had a nice "coating' on the outside, and was tender and juicy inside. The chicken was marinated in soy sauce - Asian fusion - lightly seasoned, sprinkled with fresh cilantro and was bursting with flavor with every bite. "Stir fry" brings up the connotation of shredded or chopped chicken, which wasn't the case, as each piece of chicken was bite sized. Along with the chicken were strips of onion and tomato, which seemed to be grilled, rather than stir-fried. The chicken, along with the veggies were placed on a bed of French fries, drizzled with soy sauce, and sprinkled with diced, fresh cilantro. The menu states "Garlic Rice," but my lunch arrived with a large scoop of steamed rice. The marinated chicken was juicy, tender and very flavorful and worked well together with the grilled - stir fried? - onion, tomato and cilantro. Each bite was simply amazing! The rice was great with the soy sauce, and to enjoy with bits of the chicken and veggies. As you know, Peru is located in South America, and is a "Latin American" country, but Peruvian cuisine is a fusion of Asian, and European, which is in stark contrast to Mexican cuisine, which many people think of when it comes to dining south of the border. The cuisine of Peru is simply amazing, and the knowledge, expertise and loving care the staff at Chicha Peruvian Kitchen put into their food shows... and everything combines to make for a great dining experience!
Photo: After enjoying my amazing lunch, the owners of the restaurant - who are also the chefs - came out of the kitchen to greet me. The owners are a couple who grew up in Lima, Peru, and have extensive culinary experience, as they owned and operated several restaurants in Lima before migrating to the greater Sacramento area, to be with family who live in the area. The owners are nice people and are very friendly, and welcomed me to their fine restaurant. Too bad I neglected to catch their names... The cuisine is delicious and is authentic Peruvian, lovingly and skillfully prepared for a Peruvian taste sensation. You'll love the food, along with the fast, friendly service, and the comfortable dining. For a true South American taste adventure, plan your next visit to Chicha Peruvian Kitchen and Cafe, located on Sunrise Ave., in Roseville, CA. Chicha Peruvian Kitchen and Cafe Copyright(c) 2021 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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