Canastas Chicken — Restaurant in Durham

Forget Alpaca! Canastas is the real deal when it comes to Peruvian chicken, but there are some issues.

Dined in for the first time, and ambiance looks surprisingly vibrant and warm, spacious area with polished tables, bright menu panels, a television showing some kind of South American noon-time show close to the glass windows, Peruvian arteork, and a kiosk for ordering.

Waiter named Cardo welcomed us gently, and handed the brochure-like menu. He also served the disposable tiny containers of Peruvian chicken sauce and another smaller container of what appears to be lime-based salsa - so small in fact, it looks like coffee creamer pods.

I ordered 1/2 white meat chicken that comes with 2 sides: red potatoes & cole slaw. My girl ordered 1/4 dark meat chicken and her 2 sides were plantains & green beans. We also ordered additional small pinto beans.

Got both meals fast but there were 2 things the waiter forgot: the pinto beans and that I ordered 1/2 chicken, not 1/4. That's why I was a bit surprised at how small my "1/2" order was. When I asked Cardo if the initial serving was 1/2, he said that's 1/4 when I clearly said 1/2. There was no argument though. Cardo quickly added the 2nd half of the 1/2 to complete my chicken serving. Now, time for us to eat.

Our first reaction to the entire meal: Wow, the sides are quite larger than we expected, more generous than Alpaca's servings for sure. Cole slaw was fresh & large enough for us to share. My red potatoes were well-seasoned and well-cooked. My girl enjoyed the plantains - not too sweet and pretty plenty! I was not a big fan of pinto beans; it's probably better mashed.

The rotisserie chicken was tasty but they didn't give us enough sauce and the waiter did not return to ask us if we needed anything or refill our waters. The skin of the chicken was spiced well, but the inside really needs sauce for us to get a satisfying taste, but wish they gave more!

We're Filipinos so we prefer our chicken with gravy rather than Peruvian sauce, but this one is not bad; I prefer Raising Canes' sauce over this but for Rotisserie, this tastes better than Alpaca's Peruvian sauces. I just hope that they would be as generous on giving sauces as they did with their sides. I hope there are other choices for sauces though, like spicier alternatives.

We definitely enjoyed Canastas more than the mediocre Alpaca. Based on the info on their menu, this is the first Canastas location in NC, the first 4 are in VA, and another 1 will open in Raleigh soon.

Overall, Canastas is not bad. As a fairly new restaurant, it clearly needs improvement when it comes to customer service and sauce servings. The generous servings of sides and vibrant ambiance are not enough reasons for us to return, but we'll pick this over Alpaca if ever crave for Peruvian chicken - a rare...

The interior looks like a mall restaurant where you order from a Taco Bell inspired kiosk. There’s no beverage or sauce station, it’s all kept behind the counter. So when your family of 5 wants some water, you need to locate the one English speaking worker and have them refill all your cups and sauce. The ambience was terrible too. No music or anything inviting. Just a quiet empty room. Not a good start.

Now the food: I’ve eaten at dozens of Peruvian restaurants including in Maryland at El Pollo Rico and Sardis, places in Portland, OR, and of course in NC Viva Chicken (Charlotte) and Alpaca. I’ve also been to Peru. I can safely say this is the worst Peruvian food I’ve ever had.

First off, the chicken is about half the size of any other restaurant chickens, so small in fact, that the bones can fit into a small solo cup. We got 1/2 chicken + tostones and arroz chaufa (fried rice), and Chicharron de Pollo + red potatoes and green beans. ALL the food was flavorless. It tasted like some boxed food you’d find in a cafeteria, or nursing home. The chaufa had no visible items in it: it was just this wet brown mess with no discernible egg, vegetables, or chicken. The green beans were just steamed with some micro spec of herbs and no salt. Potatoes too.

The aji verde was devoid of any citrus, cilantro flavor or spice. Just plain blend of something green and mayo. The aji amarillo was barely amarillo, but an off-white. The rocoto was a little better, but still not as spicy as it should have been.

I don’t know how these people have multiple locations with this pathetic display. NC’s Peruvian chicken scene already has some excellent choices (I think Alpaca and Viva are better than anything I’ve had on MD), so Canasta really is no...

WOW!! What an amazing experience! From the time I walked in the door the staff was attentive, courteous and helpful. The quick and prompt service of the food was amazing! I barely had time to was my hands in the bathroom. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean and orderly. They answered any question I had about the menu and made recommendations. I have lived in Durham for years and I have never had chicken that was so moist and tender. Canasta Chicken is an incredible Peruvian experience. The music and atmosphere is great and family friendly. I had the brochetas de pollo and it was enough for 2 meals! The cilantro rice was a great addition to the meal and very tasty. The Inca Cola, also known as the Golden Kola, complimented the food so well. If you are looking for incredible Peruvian food in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Apex or anywhere else look no further than...