Gabbys Peruvian Restaurant — Restaurant in Wichita

It's like being welcomed into Gabby's home; comfort food that feels familiar but like nothing else we've had in Wichita!

On our first lunch visit, we tried the aji gallina, papa rellena, lomo saltado, & fried fish. All the dishes had lovely savory flavors, weren't overly seasoned, & came in ample portions. Highlights: Aji gallina is a mildly spicy shredded chicken in a rich gravy, served over potato slices, with steamed rice on the side - like the best chicken & rice I've had (sorry, Gram). Three of us shared the papa rellena as an appetizer, a fluffy mashed potato dumpling filled with seasoned ground beef/raisin/egg. The condiments were all great, especially the green sauce, which added wonderfully bright, freshness & spiciness that elevated each dish. The cinnamony, fruity chicha drink was unexpected & super tasty - similar to cider spices, but on a whole other level. Yum!

It was so good, I came back for dinner the next day with my husband - we shared: papa rellena, aji gallina, & chicharron. The chicharron sandwich was a ciabatta bun overflowing with tender pork, with nice caramelized flavor from sweet potato & a citrus kick from thin red onions seasoned with lime juice. Again, the condiments were a welcome addition. More than enough food for two, but we had room for an alfajore cookie: mild dulce de leche sandwiched between melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies, dusted in powdered sugar for just the right sweetness level. We couldn't resist, & got a chicha & a flan to go. The flan was smooth & creamy with the deep caramel top/sauce we expected - very good!

We've since been back for more and tried some new items. A recent highlight was the picarones, traditionally made with sweet potatoes and squash. The freshly fried, pillowy rings of dough, are slightly sweet and served with molasses syrup with a faint hint of anise.

These folks are so friendly & appreciative, & the food is what I'd imagine Peruvian home-cooking is all about. Don't mistake this for Mexican fare - it's become a stop in our roster of Wichita's unique eats. We'll be back soon to try...

Peruvian in Wichita??? Here's your chance, and you don't have to travel to NYC or LA. Certainly had my interest, as did the very high online ratings. Check it out: Couple blocks south of Kellogg, off Seneca. Quaint and clean. For dinner, we started with an appetizer, Yuca Frita, which had the look, feel, and texture of steak fries, but with a slightly different flavor. FYI... yuca, a root, is known in other parts of the world as cassava. It came with 2 dipping sauces, green (fire) and yellow (mild). I'm partial to potatoes, but it was something different. Wife's entree, was Lomo a lo Macho, which was basically beef tenderloin with mixed seafood served on top (in a sauce), along with plantains, yuca, and rice. Huge serving. Personally, I'm not crazy about a seafood assortment on top my steak, but my wife absolutely loved this dish!! She's Asian, so there's that. Our guest ordered a Garden Salad and Lomo Saltado (beef tenderloin w/onions & tomato), fries and rice. He devoured it - described as terrific. I had the - get this - Aruz con Pollo y Papa a la Huancaino (the choice was slightly incented by reviews). Marinated chicken served with a sauce, atop this Peruvian rice. The chicken was great, but what impressed me most was that rice! Truly excellent! Moist, not sticky, mushy, or crunchy... smack in the middle, where rice ought to be. There were a few peas and diced carrots in there, plus some magic seasoning. If, for no other reason, go to Gabby's and try that rice. Killer! Hate to go on about it, but seriously, I could eat that rice as a main course. We had a native Peruvian ice cream dessert, which was subtlely flavored with a native fruit, lucuma. Good-different, is the way I would describe it. In sum, all portions were appropriate, service was good, prices were moderate, and there's plenty of parking space. Ambiance is casual/relaxed. Very clean. So there you have it. I would recommend trying Gabby's - step...

Gabby‘s Peruvian restaurant is a true gem amongst the locally owned restaurants in Wichita. It’s a little place off of Seneca just south of Kellogg. The atmosphere is very comfortable, with fun oldies music playing and they have Peruvian art on the walls, as well as two TVs displaying video footage of Peru- which is really fun to watch.

Our waitress was actually from Peru and she was fun to talk to and very friendly. The menu is definitely unlike anything I’ve seen before, but our waitress was happy to answer any questions we had about the food and she even gave us a free drink sample of their Peruvian juice.

The food was quite delicious and a new experience for me! I had an appetizer that was potatoes and chicken salad, then a dish that was shredded chicken in yellow sauce over potatoes with rice. I don’t remember the names. The potato and chicken salad dish was tart, very lemony. The shredded chicken in yellow sauce dish was like a comfort food type meal, that was my favorite. My partner had the yuca fries which was very good with the green sauce. He is vegetarian, and they have a full vegetarian/vegan menu. Like at least 6 different dishes and several appetizers to choose from. There are gluten sensitive options as well.

The prices were reasonable, the restaurant was quiet, and the food was delicious! I would definitely return again...