Cheap Eats - Equatorial equation

Peru + Puerto Rico = Salsa con Sabor

Mixing Peruvian and Puerto Rican cuisines at the same restaurant sounds like a stretch. What do the Caribbean island in the Gulf of Mexico and the mountainous country along the Pacific have to do with each other food-wise? Not much. But that hasn’t deterred Jose and Rosa Phon, who sold their popular Peruvian restaurant, Costa Verde, to their daughter and opened Salsa con Sabor. Both of the Phons are Peruvian and vacation in Puerto Rico. And despite the disparity in locales and culture, it’s a marriage that works.

CARIBBEAN CHIC: Walls are covered in hand-painted tropical scenes, travel souvenirs and a hodge-podge of tchotchkes. There’s not much to denote Peru in the decor, but the Inca influence shows up on the menu. Unlike in the Caribbean, no one’s on island time at Salsa con Sabor, so you’ll get prompt, courteous service. The menu — one side Peruvian dishes, the other Puerto Rican — is in both Spanish and English. But if you have a question or want a history lesson, the servers are quick to help. Free salsa lessons are offered some Friday nights.

LUNCH: For $5.99, you get a choice of four daily lunch specials. They range from the simple fricase de pollo (a quarter marinated chicken) to the agi de gallina (shredded chicken in a spicy sauce). The chuleta de puerco en salsa is a beautifully presented pork chop topped with a tangy sauce made from tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs, with sides of beans, rice and salad. All lunch meals also include a bowl of the house chicken soup, its steaming broth brimming with cilantro, hunks of yucca, potato and chicken, and a portion of corn on the cob that requires a little finesse but is worth the trouble.

SI, SEAFOOD: Most of the shrimp and fish entrees are $10 or more. But none go above $12 and are worth it for the amount of food you get. The ensalada de camarones ($12) included at least 15 shrimp in a light oil-and-vinegar dressing over lettuce. A standout was the mofongo con camarones ($12), a bamboo bowl lined with mashed plantains and stuffed with tomatoes, peppers, onions, spices and more than 20 shrimp (you have to shell them). On the Peruvian side, a variety of ceviches include hearty helpings of seafood marinated in lime juice for just $11.

LIKE CHRISTMAS: The server convinced us to try a glass of chicha. Traditionally it’s a Peruvian beer, but the restaurant’s version doesn’t contain alcohol. The concoction is made from purple maize boiled with cinnamon sticks and combined with lime and pineapple juice. “Tastes like Christmas,” my friend commented. The fruity, purple drink has a definite cranberry taste — and spiked with a dose of cinnamon, it conjured up images of conifers.

jerry.portwood@creativeloafing.com