Pucquio--Oakland (Peruvian cuisine)

When in the mood for good seafood, this is a nice choice. A really small establishment with an open kitchen and pleasant service is this Peruvian place on 5337 College Avenue. The interior is very cozy but comfortable and if you sit at the counter, the humble chefs will smile and talk to you while cooking your meal. I was pleasantly surprised by how upscale the food was at a place that describes its fare as "street food".

Here were some of the things I enjoyed.

http://pucquio.com/


2012 Intipalka, Sauvignon Blac, Ica Valley, Peru. A nice medium-bodied wine that was bright, very light and had a clean finish.

Fried plantains & corn. An interesting starter that's different than the typical bread normally served in restaurants. This was satisfyingly crunchy and salty.

Mixto Ceviche. A beautiful plate of fresh calamari, spot prawn, fish, emulsified Rocoto, and corn. Fantastically tangy from the lime juice and all the seafood was just delicious.

Pulpo al Olivo. Steamed octopus was served with Botija olive emulsion and a Peruvian style "tapenade". A tasty dish with well prepared octopus and nicely complementary toppings.

Lomo Saltado. Stir-fried beef with onion, tomatoes, soy demi glace, with french fries, rice and an optional sunny-side up egg. This was an incredibly savory dish. The meat had so much flavor and was cooked medium so it was very juicy and tender. Meat, rice, potato, egg...I loved everything on this plate. My mouth was very happy.

Ranfanote. A modern twist on a classic dessert. This delightful treat was made with moist genoise cake that was lightly pan fried, vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a sauce made from pisco, raisins, spiced molasses, and sprinkled with grana padano. This combination of flavors and textures sounded a bit strange, but it worked so well. Even the cheese complimented this dish. Everything was balanced, well thought out and well executed. Delicious.

I would not have thought such a nice Peruvian restaurant existed in Oakland. But a bit further down College, past the busy section, is this little gem.