Chifa 國偉 — Restaurant in Los Angeles

As a Peruvian living in LA, my search for good authentic Peruvian Restaurants has mostly been a disappointment. Most of the time I feel terrible for the people whose only experience with Peruvian food is the messy offerings of most Latino neighborhood Peruvian restaurants that never get close enough to even a home cooked Peruvian meal. Also, I have always been so disappointed that it was so hard to find anything more than a hole-in-the-wall or strip mall based Peruvian restaurant, so I could get an experience closer to what you can get when living in Peru (SF has La Mar and it’s such a shame that LA doesn’t get something like that).

Well, that was until last night when we ate at Chifa. I was jaded due to my prior experiences and didn’t expect much (I was aware of the hype but since it came from Americans I was not taking it seriously lol). We had the pollo a la brasa and the anticuchos (the least fusion dishes on their short menu) and I can confidently say that they came so close to the real thing that it was shocking! A friend of us had the lomo saltado and it also was pretty good (my only note would be that it needed to be saucier). The only thing I didn’t like was the Chicha Morada. It was too tart, definitely not good. But it did not detract from the overall quality.

A separate praise is due to the staff and management. Last night was a weird night because while we were waiting for our order to be taken, a car lit up on fire at the next door gas station, right next to the restaurant’s fence. The staff moved everyone outside (although I would have appreciated a louder warning so we could realize about the danger quicker). Thankfully, the fire department came very quickly to put the fire out averting a potentially catastrophic situation. Definitely, this rattled the staff’s focus and likely messed up their flow because a member of our party got his order completely forgotten. He was understandably upset and cancelled his order because they told him it would take up to 40 min to have it ready. To make up for all the inconveniences of the night they gave us 15% off and delicious alfajores for free!! This was completely unexpected but a great gesture. Our server was very nice and behaved very professionally as well.

We didn’t try the Asian fusion dishes (most look somewhat less authentic than what you would get at an actual Chifa in Peru), but I bet they taste really good.

In summary, Chifa offers authentic Peruvian flavors in a environment that is more elevated than your regular Los Angeles Peruvian restaurant (something Peruvian food definitely deserves), service is good as well. Just keep in mind a few things: it’s busy (deservedly so), dishes will take a long time so plan to share them with your group as they come otherwise you will be waiting too long until everyone gets their food (they warn you about this when ordering), and there’s no parking but you can find plenty...

I really wanted to like this place, in fact I wanted to love it. I’m Peruvian-American (1st gen) and grew up flying to Lima, Peru where I’ve eaten in Chinatown and even the more famous dining like Madam Tusan. I cannot stress this enough, this place is beyond gentrified and is NOT authentic Peruvian-Chinese actual Chifa.

I should have known something was wrong the moment our food came out within minutes of ordering. Sorry, but no “fast working guys” can realistically make food that quick without it being questionable. It was supposed to be a quality dining experience, not a Denny’s.

The anticuchos were terribly chewy (any Peruvian can tell you that it’s not cooked right) and the lomo saltado tasted like it had been bathed in solely black pepper. No wok flavor, tons of onions, CHERRY tomatoes (what?), and absolutely not a taste or dash of soy sauce or aji amarillo.

I am so bummed. I have been dying to have authentic Peruvian food after moving away from home and this was just so sad. Tons of LA folk eating what they think is an authentic cuisine…but what once again isn’t.

I called them after leaving, because I didn’t want to lay it into the super nice waitress. The person I got on the phone was confrontational after I told her we didn’t like the food, her response to me explaining my heritage was “we’re definitely not the place in Lima, Peru”. When I told her the food wasn’t good she rebutted with “yeah, well you ate all of it didn’t you?”. Yeah. We did. Cause there was like 5 pieces of meat in a tub of onions, and like 4 chewy ribs. And we we’re paying $100+ on dinner for 2, on our anniversary, after a long day of work that started at 5am.

After being treated like I was stepping out of line for not diminishing into the crowd of “supposed culturally-versed LA folk” (but actually aren’t besides their experience of eating “fusion elevated” gentrified dining). I was able to get a 50% refund.

Definitely not a place worth recommending. Especially after my interaction with an unapologetic and condescending employee. (The main reason I am writing this review). If I had spoken to someone who was nice and sympathetic, I wouldn’t have taken the time to write this.

P.S. if you aren’t the place in Lima, Peru then maybe don’t say it’s PERUVIAN-Cantonese. America is a cultural melting pot and many of us are wanting a TASTE OF HOME and wanting to share our diversity, culture, and food with others. Thank you for letting me know you weren’t that AFTER we dined at your establishment (even though it’s advertised on the website as traditional). 🤷🏻‍♀️

The saddest part is I spent more time writing this review than eating at Chifa!!! (30min total dining...

Went in while visiting, lots to say about this place.

No parking lot available, must park on the streets, usually full.

Ambiance : Loved the decorations and theme of the restaurant. Designer utensils, themed lanterns, and shaded seating area.

Drinks 2/5: I ordered the Lai Cha and chicha morada. The Lai Cha was subpar with an over-brewed bitter taste and additional sugar to compensate, you're better off trying it at other places. The same can be said about the chicha, so I added a bit of water to balance the ratio.

Food:

I ordered the tiradito and char siu. The tiradito felt like their approach to a traditional Peruvian ceviche. If you've never had Peruvian ceviche before, this place is not the best to go for. Instead, the tiradito has its own merit, own fragrance, but lacks that special kick in spice (4/5).

As for the char siu, the Chinese sauces are definitely homemade with a bit of extra charing to get the caramelized layer over the pork. The taste is great (5/5), but I found a hair in my meal after the first bite, not a pleasant experience since the food itself is not cheap (1/5).

Overall, the portions are definitely not balanced to the price you pay. So this place isn't a budget friendly nor family friendly place for the average LA consumer. You can share each dish with one person, but it's really meant for one serving.

Merchandise:

I loved their merch, as the colors and design are unique and well defined (5/5).

Overall, I enjoyed my visit but will probably not be dining here again. I just hope other places in the area do not begin to buy out the already amazing restaurants...