Se Llama Peru brings Peruvian delights to downtown Provo
Se Llama Peru's Papa Rellena, a meat-filled potato.
Se Llama Peru's Lomo Saltado, clockwise from center, Papa a La Huancaina and Papa Rellena are photographed with Peruvian sodas.
Se Llama Peru chef Luis Rodriguez poses for a portrait in his chef jacket at the restaurant on Tuesday.
Se Llama Peru's Papa a La Huancaina, a potato and cheese dish.
Se Llama Peru chef Luis Rodriguez talks with a customer outside the restaurant in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
Se Llama Peru's lomo saltado, a strip steak, pepper, onion and french fry dish, is photographed at the restaurant in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
Se Llama Peru's papa relena, a meat-filled potato, is photographed at the restaurant in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
Se Llama Peru's lomo saltado, a strip steak, pepper, onion and french fry dish, is photographed at the restaurant in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
Se Llama Peru's papa relena, a meat-filled potato, is photographed at the restaurant in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
A customer watches soccer while finishing lunch at Se Llama Peru in Provo on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
Se Llama Peru's Lomo Saltado, clockwise from center, Papa a La Huancaina and Papa Rellena are photographed with Peruvian sodas. Visit heraldextra.com/ticket to read the Herald's review.
Se Llama Peru chef Luis Rodriguez poses for a portrait in his chef jacket at the restaurant.
A group of friends and I hit up Se Llama Peru, a Peruvian restaurant in downtown Provo, for dinner last week. I had been to another Peruvian restaurant, La Carreta in Orem, a couple times, but this was my first trip to Se Llama. Props to them for the excellent, bold new paint job on the storefront — it’s constantly reminded me that I’ve needed to get over there.
*Looks at photos online of Se Llama’s food. Salivates ever so slightly.*
Sorry about that. Let’s get back to the review.
It was a cold night in Provo. It was pretty cold in the restaurant too — we kept our coats on — but we gradually forgot about that after we delved into the delectable food. Our waiter addressed us in Spanish, which I wasn’t expecting. (Everyone else in my group apparently speaks Spanish. Who knew?) He knew English too, though, so no biggie. There are a lot of tempting options on Se Llama’s menu; it was tough to narrow down our choices.
I opted for the Lomo Saltado, which includes strips of stir-fried steak, French fries, special seasonings, sautéed red onions and tomatoes, all served together alongside a bed of white rice.
*Checks online picture of the Lomo Saltado for reference. Gets lost in thought about how good it was. Gazes off into the distance for about five minutes.*
My goodness, where was I? Oh, yes: This might have been my favorite thing we sampled. The flavorful steak was cooked perfectly, retaining a lot of its juices and the right amount of chewiness. The vegetables still had a nice bit of crunch to them even though they’d been sautéed, which was appreciated. The plating was thoughtful and tidy — more aesthetically impressive than what I’d had at La Carreta. You can tell the Se Llama staff takes pride in how the food looks.
The most visually striking dish was the Aji Gallina, a traditional Peruvian dish of shredded chicken, various vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and boiled potatoes served in a yellow sauce. It was flanked on either side by a bed of rice and a large green lettuce leaf, all served on a nice, large square plate. Once again, bonus points for presentation here. “Aji” is Spanish for chili pepper, so we expected the yellow sauce to have a bit more zing. Instead, it was rather smooth and buttery. But hey, that’s good too.
*Looks at picture of the Aji Gallina on phone, makes sure description is accurate. Recalls the mix of flavors, great textures and perfect chicken. Smiles subtly. Leans back in chair. Scrolls through other phone photos from the meal.*
I’m not sure what’s come over me. Can’t seem to focus. Let me just compose myself for a second.
The appetizers are worth your time and taste buds. We ordered the Papa Rellena, an appetizer that was as filling as a full meal. It’s a mix of meat and vegetables encased in mashed potatoes, reshaped to resemble a potato, and deep fried to a beautiful golden brown. Red onions and tomatoes were garnished over top. Another eye-popping dish.
The Tallarin Verde rounded things out. This dish includes linguini sautéed in pesto sauce and served with your choice of beef. We got it with steak. This was a unique dish — I’ve never thought of pesto linguini as Peruvian — but it just wasn’t at the same level as the rest of our dishes. Washing it all down with a pitcher of incredibly tart Maracuya, a passion fruit juice, we finished things up and returned into the cold night.
*Pulls out phone again. Checks calendar. Plans next visit to Se Llama Peru.*
SE LLAMA PERU
Where: 368 W. Center St., Provo
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday
Prices: Entrees $8-$15, appetizers $5-$9, desserts $2-$3, drinks $1.50-$3
Info: Facebook.com/se.l.peru
