It's fun being at
Los Andes (
903 Chalkstone Avenue 401-649-4911) even before you eat. Why? Because it's alive. It reminds you of dinners out in New York or any other big city where waiting in line is part of the drill. If you want prime-time reservations at
Los Andes,
call days ahead but if you are flexible on either end just show up
early or arrive at 8:30 when the turnover pace is fast and the line
starts to disappear (on weekdays at least).
We
couldn't get the time we wanted the other night but we showed up (per
the advice of the man who answered my call) and were immediately lucky,
getting just enough seats at the bar. For two or three people sitting at
the bar can be the best time. We watched the super hard-working (and
friendly) bartender and the crazy fish in the giant tank. And I savored a
chicken empanada dipped in spicy sauce. What could be better, really?
The
menu has every manner of Bolivian and other Andean specialties. There
are multiple ceviche choices and a standard appetizer is the "ceviche
martini" - mixed seafood in a martini glass. If you're a ceviche fan,
try it. A special the other night was tuna ceviche with a crown of
crispy calamari, all healthy benefits of the tuna cancelled out but a
good treat. There are saltenas (Bolivian chicken pies) and empanadas
(chicken and queso and a special yucca and cheese in a banana leaf) and
other popular Bolivian fare. Here's where you can order grilled
garlic-marinated beef hearts on skewers.
The main menu
is roughly divided among ceviche, other fish, beef and chicken. There
are popular low-cost low-cut beef dishes with posole, fried eggs, etc.,
South American comfort food. Many of the tastes are not familiar flavors
of the northeast U.S. More familiar are the expensive beef offerings, steaks of all types. Ceviche as a main course is popular and
Los Andes
serves it several ways - tuna, calamari, sashimi-cut tilapia. There's
plenty of cooked fish including a simple, aromatic dish of steamed
potatoes with tilapia and soft sauteed red onions on rice. Cheap,
perfect. Next time around we'll do some serious chicken ordering.
A
busy place where people are obviously happy to be, a Pisco sour, an
empanada dipped in spicy sauce and a menu which allows you to spend
freely or frugally. East Siders, go west.
Los Andes is open
seven days a week for lunch and dinner, serving straight through on Saturdays and Sundays.
losandesri.com
