Limon
524 Valencia Street between 16th/17th Streets (Mission)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 252-0918

After driving around and around and around on the hunt for parking remotely near the restaurant (allow some time to find a spot), we walked into the restaurant at 7:30pm on a Friday evening, and the place was packed and bustling.

We were quickly ushered to a cold corner table on the mezzanine level right by a waiters’ station. As we sat down, I eyed a delicious-looking dish at the table next to ours. My mom pointed out some food at another table. We were obviously hungry.

Let me preface this by saying that I am not an expert when it comes to Central/South American food. We chose Limon because Sister#1 (based in San Francisco) had been and highly recommended the restaurant. Plus, whenever we’re in the city, we like to bring my mom somewhere new and different.

We decided on a fairly inexpensive bottle of Grenache and some appetizers, but the waiter suggested we order everything (wines, appetizers and entrees) now, otherwise, we’d expect a long wait between courses.

We chose two ceviches, the ceviche Limon, a mixed seafood and fish ceviche served classic Peruvian style with giant Peruvian corn kernels and yam, and a crème ceviche with mixed seafood and a rocoto cream sauce. Both were good, although the shrimp in both looked limp.

Additional appetizers chosen included the fried calamari and the soup of the day (butternut squash). The soup was garnished with a savory cannoli-esque crouton filled with crème fraiche. Although a touch sweeter than I had hoped, the soup hit the spot in the cold drafty corner of the restaurant. We asked multiple times about the fried calamari and received the same answer each time: “I’ll check, I’m sure it’s on its way.”

When our entrees arrived, the fried calamari appetizer accompanied the lomo saltado (sliced sirloin with onions, tomatoes, French fries and rice) and picante de mariscos (mixed seafood in an Adresso cream sauce). I couldn’t resist the truffled macaroni and cheese that was offered as a side. Lomo saltado is a delicious Peruvian dish, but this one skimped on the meat and flavor. The seafood dish was quite good, served with a side of rice; it reminded me of Thai curry, but creamier. The fried calamari was probably the best of all, crispy, perfectly cooked and drizzled with a delicious chipotle aioli.

Unfortunately, at this point we were all stuffed. I took a couple bites of the not-so-truffled mac & cheese (perhaps Peruvian truffles are much more mild than Italian??), but I thought it best to bring it home and enjoy it the next day.

Despite the waiter’s advice and our proximity to the waiters' station, service was slow, and we obviously had a communication issue (i.e., fried calamari), but the food was decent, albeit pricey for what it was. I would stick with the ceviches and seafood dishes if I were to go back, but chances are… I won’t return.

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.