“I’m pretty sure I’m sitting just where I slipped the money into the stripper’s g-string” I whisper to Mr NQN quietly. He looks around. “Yep it sure is” he says.
Allow me to explain. We’re sitting at a table at The Lincoln which is a lovely, stylish restaurant and bar in Kings Cross. What it used to be a few years ago was a strip club called Dancers where my friends Teena, Gina and I were taken to one evening (don’t ask, although I should clarify that we were there as patrons, not as strippers!). Now, years later, we’re stepping into a different sort of establishment and I am greeted by Coral who is the lovely marketing manager of A Taste of Peru and partner to Chef Alejandro Saravia. Every Thursday in October, they hold a special South American themed dinner where diners get to try a 10 course piqueos (like tapas) menu for $65. And unlike their previous events, this menu is more South American than specifically Peruvian.
Santiago Queirolo Pisco Sour
We start with a pisco sour drink made with egg whites and Santiago Queirolo Pisco which is liquor distilled from grapes. It has a slightly sour taste and has three drops of orange bitters but it is actually quite refreshing, like a lemon drink.
Choritos a la chalaca and Ostras a la vinegreata de rocoto
Our first course is two fresh Sydney rock oysters with a spicy Peruvian pepper and jora vinaigrette which again has the slightly sour and peppery flavour. There are also two mussels per person that are topped with a tomato, onion and chilli topping which is fresh, flavoursome and spicy.
Conchias a la Pamesan
Our next course is scallops on the shell grilled with a simple parmesan gratin which contrasts nicely with the clean flavours of the previous dish. It is simple and the scallops are juicy.
Tiraditos de kingfish, tuna y salmon
I know Mr NQN will get excited about this as he loves sashimi as much as I do. There are three types of raw fish here: kingfish cured in pisco and aromatic herbs dressed in lemon oil and aji amarillo (a type of chilli) drops which Alejandro tells us he deliberately served without the herbs on top of it so that their aroma would be a surprise. This is both of our favourite as the unexpected herbs and lemon lend so much to the flavour of the kingfish. Then there are the slices of tuna with little pieces of silver cripsy skin (yum!), corinader and lemon salt and then salmon slices dressed with a tangy smooth garlic and dill sauce.
Croquetas de yuoca y Manchego
We next try the famous croquetas filled with cassava and Manchego cheese. It comes with a spicy aji mayonnaise. The croquetas need a tad more seasoning but the filling has an interesting texture as they have used cassava instead of potato.
Empanadas de aji de gallina y espanaca con ricotta
There are two types of empanadas: one filled with a chicken in a spicy sauce and one with spinach and ricotta. They’re small and baked in a shortcrust pastry until dry and crisp. It’s perhaps a bit too dry for my taste and out of the two I prefer the chicken one.
Chicharron de cerdo con camote crisps
The pork belly is fantastic. Alejandro marinated it in sugar, salt, hora chica (a fermented corn) and then sous vide it overnight at 80C so that it is beautifully tender. It is served on a sweet caramelised onion puree with sweet potato chips. And the tastiest touch? A sprinkle of cumin and star anise on top to give it aroma.
Ensalada verde con huacatay
The pork belly was served with some steamed broccoli, zucchini and sugar snap peas with a very interesting black mint vinaigrette. It reminds me of Thai basil in that it is similar to regular basil but has a slightly different flavour (and it also goes nicely with the caramelised onion puree, I couldn’t let any go to waste on the plate!).
Costillas de res con chimichurri
I love chimichurri, that flavoursome mix of herbs, garlic and oil and the gorgeous smokey marinated beef ribs go perfectly with this. The kitchen here is too small to smoke so Alejandro smokes them in the restaurant. He tells us that it is a month old chimichurri with fresh coriander, parsley, oregano and capsicum, aji chilli and white wine vinegar. It is infused without heat and because it is a month old, the flavours are very developed. The beef ribs are soft and fall off the bone and are accompanied by moreish morsels of semolina tossed, crispy diced potato.
Picarones con tarta de limon
Dessert time! There are two parts to this desert, a delicate frozen lemon agar tart in small cubes dusted with toasted flaked almonds on a layer of biscuits, all very nice but I’m honing in on the picarones. Coral tells us there are a popular street food and these ones are made of pumpkin and sweet potato mousse with cinnamon and they’re doused in a molasses flavoured syrup. They’re so good that when we look mournful when they take the plate away the waitress offers to get us more which we gladly and greedily accept. I know, but some things are just meant to be eaten twice 
So tell me Dear Reader, do you often go for seconds?
Chef Alejandro Saravia
NQN and Mr NQN dined as guests of A Taste of Peru
South American is ON Thursday at The Lincoln
36 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9331 2311
The South American on Thursday menu is on the 21st and 28th of October. Book at A Taste of Peru.
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37 Comments | Add your own
Well, that’s a step up!
The food looks great…and those empanadas are killing me. The picarones are new to me, very fall-like in flavor. Sounds wonderful.
I love pisco sours! The oyster, scallops, and yucca croquettes look great too. I definitely go for seconds, and those desserts look very worthy of it.
I rarely go for seconds but my sister, when offered the opportunity, does go for seconds.
How wonderful. You’ve just brought back memories of when we travelled through Peru many years ago. And that drunken lunch in Lima starting off with pisco sour, moving on to deliciously tender grilled ox heart and then even more pisco sours. Where we all ended up after our 5-hour lunch remains a mystery as we all blacked out from the alcohol. All we have is a bunch of paintings we don’t remember buying!
Sounds amazing – you really had me with the beef ribs description, yum!
Yes I do go back for seconds, many times, a habit I can’t seem (and don’t really want to) break.
All that food looks so delicious!
I wish I had a bigger appetite, but as my nan used to say “your eyes are to big for your belly” she was right, I love food but I get full too quickly. So no seconds for me
It’s weird how the cross is so upmarket now. I live in Brisbane now but years ago I remember the cross very differently!
Looks like an excellent night of decadent food
I love seconds – especially if there is a cheese platter involved
South America is a continent so the cuisines are also a continent in diversity!
I’m at SA and my country has nothing to do compared to neighbours.
The closer to my area are the empanadas and the beef con chimichurri omg! All great
All the best,
Gera
Great tastes deserve seconds.
Oh my goodness that all looked amazing. I think the empanadas and croquetas would be my pick if I could only have a few. Of course I wouldn’t pass on the dessert though!
I love that you have just outed yourself as having been a strip bar patron! Tee hee!
My mouth was watering as I read your post … especially when it came to the scallops and pork belly, my weakness. I rarely go back for seconds these days, even though I would like to, as I am trying to lose weight. I am envious of people like you, who can eat well why staying lovely and slim! xo
I love Pisco SOurs, they are one of my favorite drinks! I fell in love with them a few years ago when I went to Chile…so delicious! Everything else looked so good too…
I only go back for seconds if the dish is truly worthy!! Such as a good dessert – sweet tooth’s need to be satisfied!!
Sounds like a very interesting menu – you are so lucky to be able to try all these wonderful dishes – I’m very envious!!!
I *love* that this was a South American meal that wasn’t incredibly meat-heavy! Brilliant!
Very interesting! Dessert wins my heart, once again. I don’t usualy have seconds because I can’t fit them in.
Everything here looks good, I can’t pick a favourite!
rarely go for seconds. But that, is beside the point. I am still thinking i tis hilarious that you put a note in a strippers g-string! How risque!
That looks great!
I was drooling over the pork belly, but then I saw those little tiny picarones. Oooh, hope you got to take a few home with you. I’d be nibbling those all night.
YumO…, I think I’d love this type of food & I’d definatly go for 2nd’s
But then I rarely know when too much of a good thing is too much.
Wow, what interesting food! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten Peruvian cuisine – nice to know the option exists right here in Sydney!
I choked when I read that this place used to be a – shudders! – strip club! But, my: it’s cleaned up gorgeously.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t into seconds at meals.
I go for seconds if I think no one’s looking! Or just hide extra good stuff under a lettuce leaf where no one can see.
Mmmm I love this! I love when something lovely like raw fish, scallops or oysters are served with unexpected, snappy flavors. The whole meal looks fabulous and I’d gladly ask for seconds. Sadly when I’m at a restaurant with my husband we don’t. But he has started eating dessert more often than he used to so I don’t have to skip it or eat alone.
What a meal, so jealous! I love it all, oysters, mussels, scallops, pork belly, ribs… And yes, if it’s really good I go for seconds.
$65 sounds pretty good
Wow, very impressive, all the yummy seafood! I was at the club a few years ago with my girlfriends too…not as strippers of course =P
I just loved your opening line!
I’m not familiar with South American food but your posts makes me want to change that
As usual i’m desperate for the pork belly but that fish also looks divine!
The first three courses, especially the sashimi made me re-check the top of the post to make sure I was reading about a South American meal hehe! Could have been Japanese! Love the look of the pork belly too and yes, I shamefully pretty much always go for seconds…
Lorraine, everything looks great…would love to take a sip of the pisco sour
This is quite the pretty meal, Lorraine! The scallops look amazingly tender and juicy!
Haha, do I often go for seconds? I always go for seconds
It’s the thirds and fourths that aren’t always a given.
No reenactment of the stripping after the meal?
Whaddya mean we weren’t strippers
I love seconds! Looks fab Lorraine!
We went last night and the food was to die for !! having a Pervian boyfriends whos mother is an amazing cook and hearing all these food being talked about all the time i was blown away!! LOVED Every minute of it !!
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