THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605160046
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BROWN H. CARPENTER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
DURING THE week, the dinner customers at the Village Grill greet the restaurant owner as ``Frank'' when they order a sandwich and beer, then head for the pool tables in the far corner.
It has been that way for years at the Grill, an uncomplicated eatery and nightspot in the Village Square shopping center in Chesapeake. The clientele has always been local.
Until about a year ago.
Now, on weekends, many of the customers greet the owner as ``Francisco'' and speak English with a Spanish accent. Make that a Latin American accent.
The diners sit near the door at tables decorated with flowers and candles. The menu features Causa Rellena, Cebiche de Camaron, Papa a la Huancaina, Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina.
The cuisine is Peruvian. On the weekendmenu, the name of the restaurant reads ``La Parrilla Del Pueblo.'' Eventually, the restaurant will be called ``Amazonas.''
Dr. Francisco Coronel, the 48-year-old assistant dean for the Hampton University School of Business and a native of Peru, decided to venture into the restaurant business last year because he saw a void in the marketplace.
``There was no South American food in this area,'' he explained. ``In New York, there is a variety of food, also Peruvian food. Here, it is becoming more international. You have Japanese, Italian, but no South American restaurants.''
Peru, a country of 17 million people, is on South America's Pacific coast and contains a major chunk of the Andes mountains. Spanish conquistadors subdued the native Incan population in the 16th century, , beginning the country's Latin American heritage.
Coronel had occasionally prepared his native fare for members of the H.U. tennis team with the help of his wife, Rosi Berru, and sister, Jacqueline Ortiz. The compliments he received sent him looking for a vacant building with a kitchen.
Since few people in this area are familiar with the culinary delicacies of Peru, Coronel is easing diners into its delights. His full South American menu - with its stress on potatoes, marinades and chile peppers - is offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. During the week, the bill of fare is basic American: burgers, breaded shrimp, steaks and fried flounder.
(If your heart's set on the Andes, check out No. 37 on the weekday menu: Latin Steak. On weekends, it becomes Lomo Saltado.)
Prices are reasonable when dining Peruvian. The most expensive dish is Seco de Res (Stewed beef with verde sauce) for $6.95. Two chicken dishes, Aji de Gallina and Arroz con Pollo are only $2.99 each.
Peru's traditional dishes,'' writes Raymond Sokolov in his book, ``Why We Eat What We Eat'' (Summit Books, 1991), ``. . . comprise the last great cuisine undiscovered by a world gone mad for new tastes.''
Sokolov's book documents the blending of Old World and New World food when the Spanish and Portuguese began colonizing the Western Hemisphere. The Peruvian culinary tradition is a perfect example of the mix.
The dishes have roots in Spain, the Inca nation, Africa and, more recently, China and Japan.
``The main ingredient is potatoes, with an emphasis on cooking from scratch,'' Coronel says.
Potatoes were native to Peru and taken back to Europe by the conquistadors. Peruvians were also cultivating maize, tomatoes and chile peppers when the Spanish arrived, but the varieties that spread throughout the world were Mexican, not Peruvian, according to Sokolov.
Organ meats are also used in Peru, ``but this is not as popular with Americans,'' Coronel says.
At the Village Grill, diners won't be shocked by the Peruvian entrees. No liver, hearts or kidneys. The biggest surprise on this menu is the Andean tradition of rice and potatoes in the same meal. American moms never served two starches at the same time.
In northern Peru, Coronel says, potatoes and pasta are frequently served together.
The northerners also emphasize spicy chiles, he notes, following the tradition of those who live near the equator, which is north of Peru.
The Peruvian menu contains five appetizers, five entrees and three desserts. Among them:
Cebiche Mixto. Cebiche is a common appetizer throughout Latin America, frequently spelled ``ceviche.'' It is simply raw seafood marinated in lime juice with onion, celery, salt, pepper and spices. Some call it Latin sushi. At the Grill, sliced potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes accompany the fish. This dish contains shrimp and sea trout and could easily become a trend. Cebiche may be requested with more chile peppers.
Causa Rellena. Pieces of tuna fish enveloped in mashed potatoes, fixed with homemade mayonnaise and onions, all marinated in lime juice. It is served as an appetizer with black olives and slices of boiled egg. It is similar to American potato salad.
Papa a la Huancaina. Boiled potatoes topped with a spicy, yellow cheese sauce and cracker crumbs. Also an appetizer on the Peruvian menu.
Lomo Saltado. Slices of sirloin steak, red bell peppers, tomatoes, homemade french fries and onions in a stir-fry-like concoction. This entree is usually prepared with red wine and served with rice. This stuff is addictive and found all over South America.
Adobo de carne. For the diner a little timid over trying something exotic. It is close to a Yankee pot roast that's been marinated in vinegar. Round steak, potatoes and carrots are used.
Ajo de Gallina. This spicy curried chicken, rice and potato mix is Peru's signature dish. Coronel says chefs in France occasionally serve it. The chile pepper is the aji amarillo, native to the Andes.
Arroz con Leche. Latin rice pudding. Flan, a custard familiar to those who dine in Mexican restaurants, is also on the dessert menu.
For homesick South Americans who phone in advance, the Village Grill can prepare Seco de Cabrito (goat stew) or Cau Cau (tripe stew with turmeric).
On Saturday at lunchtime, nostalgic Brazilians come in to sample the traditional Feijoada, a hearty mixture of rice, black beans, pork and dried beef, prepared by Carlos Moreira, who is from Rio de Janiero.
The Grill is a family affair. Coronel manages the restaurant when he's away from Hampton University.,His wife and sister prepare the meals. A third cook is Miriam Heridia, from Ecuador.
Coronel hopes to add Peruvian wines, beers and soft drinks to the menu soon. The restaurant already attracts many Latin diners. Coronel rattled off each South American country whose citizens have eaten at his tables. A single customer from Uruguay and two from Bolivia recently made his list complete. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, The Virginian-Pilot
Rosi and Francisco Coronel, owners of the Village Grill, offer a
taste of Peru
Cebiche Mixto, raw seafood served with rice, is often called "Latin
sushi."
Lomo Saltado, a stir-fry-like combination of sirloin steak, reed
bell peppers and french fries, is found all over South America.
by CNB