Sometimes I appreciate Restaurant Week HK a lot as a good induction for me to try some lunch set in the weekdays. The worst part of me is just toooooo lazy while still complaining there's no deadline to clear up my resto-wishing-list. OK, soooo!!! a good reason to try a not-new restaurant in Central and in a good price, good deal :P
Sometimes, the restos are not designed for a sitting-down and serious meal (even not lunch), recently experienced two, and Chicha is one of the two. It is hidden in the Peel Street (a little outside Soho area), so that in the daytime, there's quite few noise. Lone, linen and open-area is the basic dining concept of Chicha; Peruvian is the basic idea behind the Chef and kitchen crew (of course, a special collection of cocktail is available). There are not enough space nor tables indoor, while for a 2-3 persons catching-up drinks & snacks, the space is more than enough, and causally comfortable enough for just friend-friend fun.
ceviche nikkei
seabass, prawn, scallop marinated in nikkei leche de tigre
Raw fish and Fish-featured Sauce, the combination is not a stranger to most Asians. It's a perfect starter with a lot chopped seafood/fish (seabass), everything in raw style while containing enough oil and fat to give the smoothest, softest and richest taste; on the other side, it is marinated with a typical Peruvian source (leche de tigre) with chili, onion, lime juice, and sometimes fish sauce, etc. Literally very similar to Thai sauce.
Squid Causa
Whipped potato, avocado, tobixo, aji limo alioli
To continue, we need some potato but processed to be a super smoothy ball with the chopped and flavored squid topping. It's not outstanding as the first starter, meanwhile the taste whipped potato was not sweet as my expectation.
pan con chicharron
crispy pork, with sweet potato, salsa criolla and creamy aji amarillo
Surprise is always a smart way to over-satisfy your client, TRUE! and the promoted & given-for-free Pan Con chicharron, is really impressive to us. We chose pork instead of chicken or beef as resto's recommendation. It's basically another normal mini-burger, but with onion, two pieces of pork, deep-fried sweet potato and buns. The sauce is not that creamy, a little sweet and sour, and even a little spicy; the pork is just amazing!!! chewy and firmly 'fighting' with my teeth, very juicy and continuously giving out attractive pork aroma; the deep-fried potato is a little over-oily, but still matched well to the overall taste with a small input of potato-sweet.
Coming to the main course and dessert parts, I would say they are not as good as starters; or maybe I insist my old-fashion of steak/rib-eye, and dessert which is just opposite to the ways of Chicha are presenting in the Peruvian way.
rib-eye a la parilla
adobo rub grilled steak, carapulcra
salsa chiolla and aji amarillo crema
picarones
peruvian donut & manjar blanco ice cream
I remember the similar dessert (fried donut with ice cream topping and maple syrup) from Zafran - Torrija and Orange, which is much less oily, interestingly fluffy and airy!! Well, Chicha's is closer to American style with a really oily and greasy donut, an impressive syrup dressing, I would thank a lot to the vanilla ice cream to balance a little to the overall taste.
I like Chicha's design and concept, cool causal place for Peruvian snacks and drinks; believe a great night-out there! On the other side, I would not recommend a serious dinner or lunch there.
* Restaurant Week Lunch Menu $148 and 10% service charge to be added, including 2 courses and dessert or coffee/tea.
Chicha
26 Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
+852 2561 3336
Mon to Sat. 12nn - 3pm & 6pm - 12md
Facebook | Twitter
You can also fine me on other networks through Home Page links.
Chicha
Italian Tomato Café (馬鞍山店)
嘉美軒精細潮州菜
彩晶軒 V Cuisine (荃灣分店)
Fish & Chick (西環店)
欣圖軒 Yan Toh Heen
恆河咖喱屋 Hin Ho Curry Restaurant
大戶屋 Ootoya (太古店)