I learned on social media about a hidden gem in Virginia Beach: Pisco Paradise.
The Peruvian restaurant is in an industrial area on Central Drive near London Bridge Road. Drive slowly in the parking lot or you’ll miss it. Signage is good but bad eyes might fail you.
Traditional fare includes causa (cold mashed potatoes, Peruvian yellow pepper and lime), lomo saltado (tenderloin pieces, crispy onions and sauteed tomatoes) and anticuchos (beef heart). The spot also offers Peruvian beer, pisco sours (a brandy cocktail) and a nonalcohol purple corn drink called chicha morada.
I’ve visited several times since the restaurant opened in March. Sandra Vidal, who is from Peru, greets me with smiles each time. She owns the business with her friend Maurillio Santiago. Vidal dreamt of having an eatery but she leaves the cooking to Santiago.
The place is cozy with its seven tables and counter seating. Paintings display Peruvian life, giving the white walls pops of orange, red and yellow. My husband, Curtis, and I always sit near the window.
On one of my stops, I was surprised to see pasta dishes and fried Oriental rice on the menu. My server, Flor, explained that Peruvian cuisine was influenced by different cultures including Italian and Chinese.
I made a note to try those later and ordered what has become my go-to meal — pescado a lo macho. Curtis and I can’t get enough of this yumminess. We agreed that Vidal should bottle the creamy seafood sauce — the star —and sell it; I would buy a vat. The sauce smothered a thin, lightly fried piece of tilapia and succulent shrimp. I rarely eat tilapia but it is sensational in this dish. I then swirled in the white rice and the sliced, roasted potatoes — a perfect combination. This entrée convinced me that Pisco Paradise is where crustaceans eat.
A week later, I found the ceviche mixto equally pleasing on a hot summer day. I loved the raw calamari, shrimp and white fish marinated in the lime juice. It allowed me to appreciate each ingredient while the garlic, onions and cilantro added plenty of flavor. Magnificent. The accompanying sweet potatoes eased the acidity and the Peruvian corn gave the dish a hearty texture. Fresh. Simple. Delightful.
I enjoyed one of my Peruvian favorites, pollo a la brasa (rotisserie chicken), on a separate occasion. I tried dish for the first time about a decade ago at a different restaurant. I’ve been a fan ever since. Pisco’s version fell in line with what I loved about the entree: well-seasoned, roasted meat with crispy skin and an addicting spicy green sauce (aji verde) on the side. It never disappoints.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com; on X, @gibsonrekaya
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IF YOU GO
Where: 500 Central Drive, Virginia Beach
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday
Prices: $12 to $20 appetizers, $17 to $24 entrees,
Details: 757-937-1677
