Treasures are tucked away in the unlikeliest places on the sprawling menu at this Peruvian-Cuban storefront. Take the potage de frijoles, a $4.50 bowl of black beans studded with Spanish sausage, ham, and pork. Technically it’s a side, but it’s worthy of star billing. Another sleeper: monster de lechón, a satisfying sandwich of crisp-skinned roast pork and marinated red onions. Then there are the more obvious pleasures—tart lime-washed ceviches, anticuchos (skewered and grilled organ meats), a beautifully grilled boneless trout, and lomo saltado, that marvelous stir-fry of steak, red onion, red peppers, and fries. Inexpensive.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
