Lunch Ladies: Se Llama Peru
The Lunch Ladies could not stop raving about their outing to Se Llama Peru in downtown Provo.
Gabby savored her Lomo Mixto, especially in its pool of "Special Sauce". CREDIT: Gabrielle Harris
Sylvia loved her seafood-filled Jalea. CREDIT: Sylvia Abbott
Jennette enjoyed both the Peruvian decor as well as her Lomo Saltado. CREDIT: Jennette Esplin
Lyndsi cleaned her plate of Lomo Pollo. CREDIT: Lyndsi Seltz
Nolan Ryan’s fastball. Elvis Presley’s swiveling hips. Houdini’s Handcuffs. One Tree Hill’s “Leyton” (or Jake Jagielski in my mind.) The Broncos’ Peyton Manning. Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell. OK Go’s one-of-a-kind music videos. Jim Halpert’s sarcasm. K-drama’s Lee Min-ho. Monet’s Japanese Footbridge. And Se Llama Peru’s Special Sauce.
It’s these signature staples that set these people, places and items apart. These recognizable trademarks have helped them achieve greatness, and the world has genuinely benefited; after all, try imagining the world without dancing on treadmills or “bears beets Battlestar Galactica”; now you get the intensity of my point!
And now that my taste buds have had the joy of what we’ll call the “special sauce” found at Se Llama Peru in Provo, they too would feel deprived if they continued on in a world without such wonder.
It was a typical hum-drum day when we decided we needed a bit of an adventure to spice up our work day; so what better way than to go exploring during the lunch hour. We determined we’d venture out to a completely new restaurant that none of the Lunch Ladies had been to. We also wanted to try an ethnicity of food we don’t always readily think of. So we hit up our friendly Google Search for restaurants in Provo.
We found a bunch of restaurants that at least one of us had been to, but sticking to our idea of a completely new place, we had to keep searching. Then we found the hidden gem, Se Llama Peru. Surprised it was on Center Street in Provo, yet untried by the Lunch Ladies, we knew it was the perfect choice.
Ready to gamble on this new venue,we headed downtown to check it out. At first glance of the old, outdated exterior, one might be initially put off and risk missing out on the great food inside. But luckily we crossed the threshold to the interior to find a quaint, Peruvian-decorated-and-themed restaurant that was rather charming.
Our extremely friendly and helpful waitress quickly seated us and began answering any questions we had. If her particular customer service was any reflection on the quality of food we would experience, then we knew we were in for a real delight! We perused the menu, none of us really knowing what exactly we were ordering, but made our choices and eagerly awaited our meals.
Here is our experience:
Jennette: Lomo Saltado $9.49
When I heard that we were going to a Peruvian restaurant today, I was so excited. I have wanted to go to Peru and see the wonders of Machu Picchu my whole life. I haven’t ever experienced Peruvian food before, and I wasn’t disappointed. Lomo Saltado is a mix of strips of steak stir fry, onions and tomatoes over fries covered in a delicious sauce and served with white rice. I’m not sure what the sauce is but it is so good that I think I might be addicted. The best part about visiting a South American restaurant is that they are always playing soccer games if they have a T.V. I was in heaven — good food and soccer. They serve Pepsi from the fountain but you can order Coke products served in a can.
Sylvia: Jalea $13.50
Do not judge this place by its exterior — the food is excellent. I ordered the Jalea, a mix of an almost tempura-type battered fried fish, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, calamari, baby octopus, yuca & corn kernels (yes corn kernels; so tasty) with tomatoes and onions that were kind of pickled in this lime spicy somethin’ something that was drizzled over everything — it was so good.
Lyndsi: Lomo Pollo $9.49
I am so happy we decided to try something new and branch out with our trip to Se Llama Peru for lunch today. It was our first visit but will definitely not be our last. Today I enjoyed the Lomo Pollo which is chicken, tomatoes and onions, all smothered in a special sauce served over fries with rice on the side. So I just have to say special sauce is my new favorite food, and fries covered in it are just that much better. I am not sure what is in the sauce, but it just pulled all the items on my plate together and it was all so good that I cleaned my plate despite being full to the brim. There are many other items on the menu, but when we return I don’t think I could pass up this amazing dish.
Gabby: Lomo Mixto $10.99
Well I would like to just describe my lunch as pure heaven in a special sauce, but perhaps you would like a bit more details than that? My dish came with a combination of seasoned and tender chicken and steak (or I could have asked for shrimp) sautéed in a special Peruvian sauce, served with tomatoes, cilantro, firm, but pliable red onions all on top of French fries, that somehow still managed to be crunchy. How that magic was accomplished is beyond me; crunchy yet wading in a pool of sauce? Delicious! Served with a side of rice, this meal was flavorful, filling and fantastic!
To say our lunch at Se Llama Peru was a surprising success is like saying the Beatles made it big in America … understatement. Because when you’ve got the mojo, you deserve the street cred, and trust me Se Llama Peru has the secret ingredient to make some entrancing entrees!
– Se Llama Peru. 368 W. Center St, Provo. Open Monday to Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. Closed Sundays.