Nory's Restaurant — Restaurant in Lake Forest

I came to Nory's twice but only ate there once. During my first visit, I sat down at a booth and the owner was unable to deliver a menu until 10 minutes later. I asked for water and it came in 5 minutes with a small bug inside. The owner was obviously too preoccupied watching the football (soccer) match on the TV with his buddies. It was impossible to get his attention to take my order and replace my insect water. Due to the lack of table service, I anticipated that a lunch at Nory's would require at least 1 hour. Therefore, I walked out and went down the street to Bhan Baitong where I was immediately served.

I hate judging restaurants solely on table service, so I gave Nory's a second chance. This time, the owner took my order promptly, probably because Juventus F.C. had a comfortable three goal lead in the 1st half. Nory's serves a page of lunch specials for $7.75 (chicken) or $8.75 (beef), which are competitive for Peruvian lunches in the area. I ordered the tallarin saltado de pollo.

Like other Peruvian restaurants in the OC, Nory served a soup before the entree. It was a chicken noodle soup. The noodles were spaghetti noodles, the same type that was found in the tallarin saltado de pollo.

Nory also served complimentary bread. Unfortunately, it was a Sara Lee roll. The bread was supposed to be dipped in aji sauce that was not even close to being spicy.

Tallarin saltado de pollo is a Peruvian-Chinese fusion dish that resembles a chicken chow mien but with a "Peruvian flare". Dry slices of chicken breast were used. A lot of salt was applied in addition to the puddle of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and oil. This dish was essentially a chicken chow mien with additions of pepper and spices, and substitution of chow mien noodles with spaghetti (a noodle with harder texture). The noodles were wet and the chicken was dry. The Chinese version is the opposite, the noodles and chicken are both wet from the sauces.

I do not anticipate a return to Nory's due to the slow table service, substandard Peruvian food (particularly the aji sauce and soup), and dingy environment. Delicias Peruanas, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant about 1 mile away, outperforms Nory's in...

Came here on a Sunday as they were opening up. I saw a gentleman bringing out a table and chairs and asked if they were open. He replied, “What do you want?”. I answered, “I would like to eat lunch.”. He again asked me in an extremely brisk manner, “What do you want?”. I said, “I don’t know what I want, can I see a menu?”. The rest of the meal continued like this. Short, harsh toned replies. Never once asked if everything is good. Never once asked if I needed anything. Did not even ask if I wanted any dessert. Just dropped the check on the table and walked away. I ordered an iced tea. It was room temperature with a couple of ice cubes in it. I had to twice ask for more ice. Finally, while I am sitting here waiting to pay the check he comes out and grabs my empty iced tea glass. I thought, “Well, at least he is refilling my iced tea one more time before I go, and that is something positive “. WRONG! He came out, took my glass, and then never returned. If I was writing a script for a comedy movie and wanted to include a scene depicting the worst, rudest, most awful customer/waiter experience, it would be hard to top what I experienced today.

On a positive note, the...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had such an incredible experience at this Peruvian restaurant! From the moment I walked in, I could feel how warm, welcoming, and authentic it was. The food is absolutely amazing and truly traditional — you can tell everything is made with care and passion.

The highlight for me was definitely the rotisserie chicken and fries — perfectly seasoned, juicy, and bursting with flavor. It’s honestly some of the best I’ve ever had! Every dish we tried was delicious and true to authentic Peruvian cuisine.

On top of the fantastic food, the owner is such a kind and gracious man. He was very attentive throughout our visit, making sure we were enjoying everything and felt at home. His hospitality really added to the whole experience.

This place is a gem, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for amazing, traditional Peruvian food and a wonderful atmosphere, this is the...