Chalaco's Corner
48 Valentine Street (corner of N. 7th Ave)
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
914-668-6500


The vertical blinds swaying in the windows or the "SORRY NO CHANGE" signs may turn you away, but Chalaco's smiling face behind the counter and in front of the open kitchen compels you to enter anyway. It's always warm in Chalaco's Corner, with a fan blowing in summer, so take-out may be a better option. Even in winter, service is curt and efficient, never teetering towards friendly.

Lunch specials are the real reason to go by: at $5-6 for a large portion, this is the deal that can't be beat. When I'm not low-carbing, my first choice is the lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef dish with tomatoes, onions and french fries, served with a heaping portion of rice. The ceviches (fish and seafood) are both delicious (although I did find a shell in the squid once): tangy, spicy and refreshing on a summer's day. The fried calamari is not greasy at all, and the crispy crust is light while the calamari is perfectly cooked. Other recommended dishes include grilled pork with red beans & rice, where the pork is lightly charred on its edges and sudado du pescado (steamed fish in a light tomato broth). Finally, I can never resist their salad dressing: the incredibly tart, vinegary dressing has a little kick that is light without boring.

Make sure you avoid anything with the imitation crabmeat (seafood fried rice, seafood soup). It's pink and mushy and ruins dishes that had hope. I've never asked if they could just omit it, but perhaps that's a possibility.

While you're waiting for your food to go, enjoy a little Telemundo or Latin pop music videos on the TV played loudly for their primarily local customers. And before you leave, make sure you say hi to Chalaco.