Picca Peruvian Cantina Opens in WLA

After eager anticipation, and much unanticipated development, Ricardo Zarate's newest destination for Peruvian cuisine opened in West LA on Saturday, June 25th. Picca is branded a Peruvian cantina, and represents a new, collaborative vision from Food & Wine's 2011 Chef of the year, Ricardo Zarate and his partners. Occupying the Test Kitchen space on Pico, this permanent alternative to LA's usual suspects for Peruvian comfort food sports a modern re-imagining of classic and esoteric plates. Don't expect the usual belly busting dishes you'll find in Hollywood or South Bay Peruvian joints, rather a thoughtfully slated menu of small plates with explosive and diverse flavors.

Where Mo-Chica elevated its menu selections to cuisine, and offered us a comfortable departure from archetypical Peruvian dishes, Picca makes even more radical choices, while keeping true to the intrinsic fusion flavors of true Peruvian cooking. Zarate's variations may appear familiar with some dishes, though markedly different with others. Still, the experience is equally satisfying, though with a taste of discovery you won't get at your usual Lomo Saltado destinations.

If the intention was to provide a tasting menu that engages the patron to experiment with peruvian cuisine, this menu accomplishes that mission. You can't choose from its neatly divided selections without encountering varied compositions and flavors -- still evocative of the Peruvian cantina experience. From the "Primeras" through "Terceras" -- a varied palette of Anticuchos, including a faithfully classic beef heart with rocoto sauce -- the menu offers countless combinations to satisfy your tastes. Still your curiosity will keep you hungry for more.

While the causas may appear mere miniature versions of the classic, they are painstakingly crafted and as ornate as they are electric in bite. So too with the sushi and sashimi styled ceviches. What might seem an obvious choice of rendering for a raw seafood plate is overshadowed by the classic, refreshing Peruvian flavor that makes the dish indelibly authentic.

It's truly key to the cantina experience that you sample something from every portion of this menu. The "Cuartas" or entrees are smaller platings of classic dishes, some deconstructed and others fused with atypical ingredients, all still faithful to their originating tastes. Where a Bisteck a lo pobre resembles the limeño favorite, the chickpea tacu tacu easily transforms the base of the dish. Similarly, Zarate serves his Carapulcra, Peru's ancient dried potato stew, with a disciplined calming of the key ingredients. The earthy flavor here platforms a decadent roasted Cod, accented by a simple dollop of chimichurri.

We would do Picca an injustice without complimenting its bar. Finally, a bar in a Latin restaurant offering a selection of spirits capable of making perfectly crafted textbook cocktails, as well as it can imagine new and seasonally crafted drinks. While you should sit at the bar for the pisco, you should stay for the tequila, mescal and slew of Latin liquors... and what the hell, you should stay for more pisco, too.

Picca is a long-awaited destination for its diversity, and the comfort flavors offered in Peruvian cuisine. Even more so, we have a rising star talent who deserves the acclaim, as well as the opportunities bestowed to him. Los Angeles is lucky to have this new player both for its cuisine, and for its kitchen leadership. We look forward to more samplings from the menu, and perhaps more openings of its kind in the near future.

Photography by Julie Kent, some images courtesy of Picca.