Red Wine Sangria ($30 pitcher)
Ceviche Mixto ($12.95)
Kyoko’s Palate
Limón Rotisserie is a rare San Francisco gem that you can enjoy an incredible experience with a date or friends without burning a hole in your wallet, which is exactly my kind of digs! The restaurant has a sophisticated energy and an immediate sense of warmness and culture that makes you feel as though you are part of the restaurant – an ambiance that executive Chef Martin Castillo wanted to create. I first fell in love with Peruvian food when I lived in Japan (of all places), because there was a wonderful presence of Peruvians and Brazilians in the city that I lived. The influence from immigrants from Europe, Asia, and Africa fused with the traditions and culture of the indigenous people, give Peruvian cuisine a synergy of delicious flavors and uniqueness that coexist and make it one of my absolute favorites.
“One of the best foods I’ve had since I moved to the U.S.” – Clément
On this crumby adventure, we brought our friends Clém and Graeham with us who are roommates and basically a dream team if you ask me. Clém is from France so naturally, he has a very refined palate unlike my hooligan ways. It’s also great to have him around when I need a humble reminder that no matter how much us Californians rave about Napa or Sonoma wineries, the grapes are always better in France (despite him really loving the sangria).
The moment we were seated, our waiter Erik was very amiable and treated us to the finest service the whole night. If you fancy seafood like myself, the ceviche is an absolute MUST. Our waiter recommended the Ceviche Mixto, which was mouthwatering. The fusion of flavors, citrus, and freshness was a symphony of perfection that I never wanted to end. And when I didn’t think it could get any better, the waiter brought us the bowl of Camote Fritos (sweet potato chips) and it gave it the perfect crunch to put a dollop of the cured fish atop. We also ordered the Picante de Marisco, which was heavenly. It was a medley of seafood and potatoes cooked in this cream sauce that comes with a side of rice and it was the most terrific combination.
Trio of aji sauces that come with the rotisserie chicken
Pollo a la Brasa ($13.95 half-order)
Alright, enough about the seafood, let’s talk about the restaurant’s biggest celebrity: the marinated free-range rotisserie chicken. This chicken is slowly roasted over open flame giving it a subtle smoky flavor and arrives at your table with a trio of aji sauces that vary in heat. The meat was moist and seasoned to perfection. Just as a precaution, it will most likely put any other rotisserie chicken that you have after this to utter shame! We also ordered the Carne a la Parilla, which is another one of their specialties. It is a marinated skirt steak over roasted chimichurry baby yukon potatoes, and finished with a red wine & demi glaze. It was a marvelous combination of salty and sweet.
When I asked our waiter Erik what was one of the best aspects of working at Limón, he replied instantaneously, “The diversity. Because the restaurant is Peruvian, it brings a lot of different people here and it’s great.” His remark was absolutely spot-on. Just taking a glance around our table, that consisted of a French guy, a Vietnamese-American, a British-American, and a Japanese-American, I couldn’t help but feel extremely grateful to not only be surrounded by a diversity of great friends but also to live in such a beautiful place that is rich in color and experiences.
In the words of our waiter Erik Vega who has worked at the restaurant for over a year, Limón can be described as a place to “live, love, and relax.” Until soon… xx, Kyoko
Picante de Mariscos ($16.95)
Angie’s Take
The Mission has easily become one of my favorite neighborhoods to eat and play. Among many great restaurants, Limon Rotisserie does not disappoint because it has great service and equally great Peruvian food.
On this adventure we decided to bring Gramz (who also joined us at Wayfare Tavern – see previous post) and our French friend, Clement, pronounced Clee-moh, or as I like to call him, “Cement” or “Clemmy-Bear” because it drives him up the walls. He was a great asset in this tasting (and will also be a great asset in future tastings) because he is a self proclaimed food critic, being French and all.
Now let’s get to business. I asked Erik V., my favorite waiter by far, to help us order because we wanted to try some of his favorites. Here’s what he suggested and its corresponding verdict: Ceviche Mixto, Arroz con Mariscos, Carne a la Parrilla, and Pollo a la Brasa with veggies and a salad as sides.
Ceviche: Came highly recommended by Erik. It’s made with all types of perfectly cooked seafood in a mildly citrus juice. The first person to comment out loud about the food was my favorite Frenchie, who exclaimed it was delicious! For once we agreed on something! It was so delicious that for a minute we uncharacteristically didn’t have anything to say to each other, focusing on more important things.
Ceviche atop a sweet potato chip
The next plate was the Arroz con Mariscos, a Peruvian style paella. It was made with various types of seafood in a mildly spicy and creamy “sauce”, which I think was more like a thick broth. The white rice came on the side, separate from the seafood. This dish was so tasty, the sauce reminded me of Mom’s and Grandma’s Thai curry, a compliment which is highest of highs! Anytime a dish brings me back home, I’m donezo, it has me.
Carne a la Parilla, a perfectly grilled skirt steak with a sweet-ish glaze served with potatoes. I mean, c’mon, judging by the previous two dishes I wouldn’t have expected anything less. If you are a red meat type of person, you will love this.
Carne a la Parilla ($16.95)
Yukon potatoes
The Pollo a la Brasa, number 56 on the 7×7 list, and the reason for visiting this restaurant, was a knock-out. It was exactly like how I imagine a delicious rotisserie to taste like: tender and fatty and all the other delicious things in life. You can order a whole, half, or quarter and it’s served with two sides. We picked the veggies and salad, our futile attempt to slip something nutritious into the meal. If I had it my way I would have ordered the fries. But hey, you win some you lose some.
Like I mentioned, our waiter Erik V. was my favorite waiter by far because he was so attentive, talkative, and seemed happy to be there! Don’t you just love waiters like that? They make the dining experience so much more fun. Erik, if you are reading this, thank you for everything! I asked him a series of questions about Limon and here are two of my favorite answers:
1. If you had to sum up the experience here in a few words, what are they? “Live, love, and relax.”
2. Would you bring your family here? He smiled and responded with a very genuine “of course”.
So if you are looking for a fun and trendy place to eat yummy delicious food in the Mission, Limon Rotisserie is a must-try. Also, if you can help it, ask for Erik V.
Thank you again for reading, we have been LOVING the encouragement and positive feedback! We are so excited that some of you have been visiting these places after our posts. It motivates us to keep the information flowing!
Until next time! xx, A.
