Chef Paz Restaurant — Restaurant in West Allis

You might not an expect to find a top notch Peruvian restaurant in humble West Allis, Wisconsin. I know I didn’t. My good friend discovered this restaurant when he was visiting his grandma at a nearby hospital and when I was visiting him in Milwaukee he insisted that I have to check it out.

Upon arrival, it took a long time to be greeted and seated. There was no host stand so we stood awkwardly by the entrance along with the two parties that arrived before us and the two parties that arrived after us. It was Saturday night, the place was packed and the waitstaff were hustling to take care of their guests. While waiting one thing that I did notice is how beautiful the plates of food were that were being delivered to the guests. This was my first clue that we were in for something special.

Once we were seated, the service was great. After a careful survey of the menu, I decided upon the “escabeche de pescado” and my friend ordered the ever-popular “lomo saltado”, both of which were excellent in both flavor and presentation.

The escabeche de pescado consisted of fried fish (I think it was talapia) served over boiled sweet potatoes covered in a delicious sauce with red peppers and onions. A single black olive and half a boiled egg were served as garnish, and a small cup of light green ahí sauce was also included. The breading on the fish was crisp and the sauce was savory and flavorful.

The lomo saltado that my friend ordered is perhaps their most famous dish. It consists of pieces of beef tenderloin stir fried with peppers and onions served over French fries. I tried a sample from his plate and the meat was tender and nicely seasoned.

All in all, this place was a gem. It was clear that Chef Paz holds her cooking to a high standard and attention to detail. The prices were reasonable ($10-16 per plate) and the portions were fair - enough to fill you up without feeling completely stuffed. Whether you’re a Peruvian food novice or aficionado, you will not be disappointed by the offerings...

I can't recall how I heard about Chef Paz but I'm glad I did and dined there. I never had Peruvian cuisine before and was quite eager to sample it.

The food was delicious and I will be going back to Chef Paz again in the future to try other dishes. I had a chicken empanada as an appetizer. It was served with a green condiment, I believe it was called aji but don't hold me to that. This green condiment had an awesome spicy heat (not overpowering/intense) but substantial with a sweetness to it. For the entree, I had the smoked pork (cecina) that came with salad, yucca and tostones. The tostones (fried plantains) were presented as 1/4" thick chips -- they were fairly bland but with flavor and a little sweetness. Not knowing and still not knowing what yucca is -- to me, is similar to a more dense/fibrous french fry; they were cut similar to french fries and and were a little bland but with a flavor I couldn't/can't describe -- add that green condiment and they went from ok to great. Yes, I said those sides were a little bland -- but that totally complemented the smoked pork, which was so flavorful and well cooked.

Lastly, I also had the chupe de camarones (shrimp chowder) -- just amazing and I'll order this again without fail.

I dined here on a Saturday evening around 7 PM which was fairly busy -- the space is quite small (15-ish tables / less than 50 people) and was full. The waitress was understandably busy but still provided adequate service.

I'm going back to try...

A wonderful little place offering an impressively sized menu of Peruvian-centric cuisine. The maracuya (passion fruit juice) is very refreshing and doesn't go overboard with the sweetness - something that's easy to do with passion fruit.

The Columbian empanada was one of the few menu items that, while delicious, was perhaps just a little underwhelming compared to like-minded restaurants serving empanadas. The papa a la huancaina was good; thick, boiled potato slices covered in a mild creamy sauce.

The star of the show, for me, was the smoked pork "cecina". The meat was just so incredibly flavorful and full of savory notes. Hints of bacon but not as smoky. Perfect chew and texture - as someone adverse to more rare-cooked, fatty, thick cuts of meat, this was honestly a revelation to have. Seasoned perfectly as well. I could have that over and over again.

The chicken pot gratin was extremely rich, and reminiscent, of course, of a pot pie. There is no pie component, though, and it is served instead in a small cast iron pan. The cheese only added to the fatty element, and I wonder if the traditional preparation wouldn't be even more balanced and flavorful. Either way, a very 'buttery' rich sauce.

Very friendly and helpful service....