Café Cusco — Restaurant in Springfield

1st time at this place. 12/15/23 Arrived at 640pm . Host took my name and apologized said it would be 25-30 min wait time. Did not get sat until 730pm Host apologized profusely stating “Customers are camping out “ . Which to be fair. I watched at 4 top sit talking for 25 mins after their table was clear of all dishes . Server was extremely good and nice . We ordered 3 apps Tequenos & Palta fritas Fried Guacamole & Chupe de Rio

The tequenos were out of this world amazing. Crispy , yet gooey cheese and the avocado sauce was delicious.

Fried Guacamole was good but not great. The mango sauce was way over powering. Maybe the cook used to much.

Chupe de Rio reminded me of Gumbo but with a South American flair . I could eat this by the gallon

Entrees included

Chicken Para Rayos Sauteed chicken and shrimp smothered with creamy yellow pepper sauce with tomato and spinach over a bed of garlic rice with grilled pineapple wheels . Tender chicken perfectly plated and the pineapple soooo sweet and juicy

Lomo Saltado Thin sliced steak sautéed with peppers, red onions and roma tomatoes in garlic, white wine and tamari tossed with fries, and fresh cilantro with side rice . Tender steak veggies tender crisp . Flavorful but not over powered

Chicken Pesto Peru “Tallarin Verde” Noodles tossed in traditional spinach, Peruvian basil, and queso fresco sauce, with crushed walnuts and Parmesan cheese. Green pasta with tender chicken. Perfect amount for dinner.

Blackfish Blackened Cobia over bed of yellow pepper mashed potatoes, grilled portobella and spinach drizzled with red pepper mojo and pico de gallo This was arguably the best dish of the night. Watched the cooks make fresh mashed potatoes for this plate. Tender perfectly cooked fish. Spicy 🌶️ but not over spicy . The portobello mushrooms to die for and just enough sauce for entire meal .

We sat right by the kitchen. And of course the teen daughters watched all the desserts in the window . So we ordered

Coconut Tres Leches Angel food cake soaked in a coconut cream milk . So sweet so delicious, so moist the touch of cinnamon on the whipped topping was perfect

Torta de Askinosie chocolate cake soaked with coffee and caramel fudge frosting, whip cream cinnamon and cocoa bits . This was a chocolate lovers delight.

Even though the wait was long. The food was definitely worth it. Server Trevor? Travis? Guy with man bun 😃 was on point. He answered questions regarding the menu with ease and clarity. Took the app order 1st then right before we got apps took our dinner order. Meals came out at perfect time . Seeing the kitchen was entertaining. I myself have ran many different kitchens / restaurants from greasy spoons to up scale. These people definitely know what they are doing.

My family and I will definitely be back. Unfortunately we live 1 hr away . Or else I’d be there...

Reply to Cafe' Cusco: No I wasn't high when I wrote this. I actually decided to write it after learning that the other members of my group were also disappointed in their meals. When I wrote my review I stated that I'm not familiar with Peruvian food and maybe that was my problem. Slop served over French fries isn't appetizing to me. Fries with cheese sauce is an exception. . The fact that you tried to equivocate my statements about me not liking the Peruvian cuisine to me being high when I wrote my review doesn't make much sense to me. If I was high I probably would be watching TV or playing video games, not doing something that would require me to think introspectively. Now I think I'll go get high and play Mario Kart.

I'm just not familiar enough with the flavors of Peruvian Cuisine but I was not impressed. The dish I got (as well as my daughter's choice) brought to mind a bowl full of what would result if a stoner (or a gathering of 2-4 stoners) got super baked and got mad muchies but had hardly any food so they just combined a wrinkly old pepper with cans of whatever they could find in the pantry regardless of their contents. And then they smothered all of it in seasoned salt. Or the other way I might describe it is: exactly the same ingredients and Oreo preo but the person(s) making it were drunk. And then after making it, tasting it, and throwing it away the stoned/and-or drunk people heard a knock and it's the stranger that just moved in across the hall and he's made his own stoner soup salad and fo some reason you are required by law to give him $100 for bringing it to you unsolicited. Our server was ON POINT though and she deserved a generous tip and a shout out. And I would totally shout out now but I forgot to get her name. So if the server who was working on 12/11/23 at around 5 pm happens to see this I want to let you know that we tipped as much as we were able (hope it was adequate) and that's you were everything that anyone could hope for in a server. My son commented couple different times while we were there that you were doing a short good job. I though he might actually propose but he suspected that you would prefer to end up with someone u had known for more than 45 minutes. I'm thinking it was...

9/12/2022 4.5* (out of 5)

Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 5*

Came here while on a business trip as it was a favorite of one of our hosts - and boy was I impressed. On two subsequent trips, we returned to the same location for at least one of our meals. I've been to Peru on a mission trip with my Mom and son and have grown to really love their food.

I've started each of my meals here with a Pisco Sour (see picture) - they are always tasty and Cafe Cusco does a great job making them. While I've had their Ceviche on previous visits, I don't have a picture of it - but do highly recommend it. Lastly, for my meal on two of the trips, I've enjoyed their Spicy Pork Tacos (see pictures). I just absolutely love them - so much food, so juicy and oh so flavorful! This time they were infused with beets to make the shells red and on a previous visit, they were blue resulting from the use of blue corn.

We came here first on the recommendation of a local host who recommends this place as his favorite...and it quickly became my favorite also! You absolutely have to try this place - all of the dishes I've tasted are full of flavor and delicious!

Was recommended by a colleague, so stopped with a work group for dinner tonight. The atmosphere was lively, the waiter had some great recommendations and the food was great.

We started with Ceviche Miami and Tamal with spicy pork (see pictures) and enjoyed both. For dinner, I went with the Seafood Escebeche and a friend ordered the Blackfish (see pictures). While the use of black olives in the escebeche surprised me a little, they weren't overwhelming and I really enjoyed the spices in the dish.

If you've read any of my reviews you know that I'm a big dessert fan and tonight was no different. Since we had a group of 6 people, it worked out great to sample and share a couple of desserts. We went with the waiter's top 2 choices: Torta de Askinosie and Lucuma Cheesecake (see pictures). Both were delicious in their own rite - the chocolate was very rich and the Lucuma was firm with a taste most similar to pumpkin and a hard, thick crust. I definitely recommend that you try both of these.

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