🍽️ Chicago's Hidden Gem | $35 Peruvian Brunch at Kayao 🇵🇪✨
When it comes to Peruvian cuisine in Chicago, most people immediately think of Tanta, but let me introduce you to Kayao in Gold Coast - a true hidden treasure! 🏆💎 Their weekend brunch special offers an incredible $35 prix-fixe menu with plenty of options to choose from. Since I was dining with my parents, we ordered two set menus plus one à la carte dish. Let's dive in! 🏊♀️🍴 🥗 Starter Course: The set menu offers either Caesar salad (pictured) or mushroom salad as first course. Interestingly, their online menu listed kale salad with chicken, but they've switched to this spicy Caesar salad with a Lao Gan Ma-style dressing - an unexpected but delicious twist! 🌶️🥬 The lion's mane mushroom option (pic 4) had great seasoning with sunflower seed hummus, though I'm personally not a fan of its soggy texture (parents loved it though!). 🍚 Main Course Showdown: The seafood paella (pic 5) absolutely stunned us with its generous portions of fish, shrimp, and octopus - even my dad was impressed by their generosity! 🦐🐙 The mushroom fried rice (pic 6) won mom's heart with its authentic Asian flavors and crispy maitake mushrooms. Pro tip: These portions are HUGE - perfect for sharing! 👨👩👧💕 🥩 Star of the Show: We couldn't resist adding the 20-hour braised short rib à la carte. The meat literally melted in our mouths! 🤯🍖 Served with ultra-cheesy mashed potatoes that had the perfect stretchy pull, this dish is a must-try for meat lovers. 🍨 Sweet Finale: Dessert options were limited to lucuma ice cream or panna cotta. The lucuma (Peruvian superfruit) ice cream naturally tastes like sweet potato - they've drizzled honey here making it sweeter but still delicious! �🍯 The panna cotta, however, was overwhelmingly sweet - consider yourself warned! ⚠️ 💜 Bonus Drink: Almost forgot to mention their signature purple corn juice (last pic)! While sweeter than authentic versions, it's still refreshing. 💰 Value Verdict: While à la carte items are pricey, the $35 brunch set is an absolute steal with its massive portions and Asian-friendly flavors. Definitely worth the trip! 🚗💨 📍 Kayao: 1252 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610 #ChicagoFoodie #ChicagoEats #PeruvianCuisine #HiddenGems #BrunchGoals #FoodieAdventure #ChicagoRestaurants #GlobalFlavors #BudgetEats #FamilyDining