Mario's Restaurant: LA's Best Peruvian

Mario's restaurant, featuring Peruvian food and seafood, is the ideal case in point to prove that appearances can be misleading. Just look at it! Its a piece of crap, excuse the language, wedged between a RadioShack and an empty storefront (it was a Popeye's until recently) in a lousy little strip mall by a busy intersection. Just looking at it you'd have no desire or reason to go inside. And when you do, it doesn't get much better... yet. The interior is plain and cheap looking too. Yet, all this understatement of appearance does not possibly prepare you for how good the food is!

We hadn't even tried Peruvian food up until about 10 years ago. But since getting turned on to Mario's restaurant we've tried out a handful of other Peruvian places in the LA area. None have come close! El Pollo Inka is pretty good, but given the choice, we'd choose Mario's Peruvian over it every time. We'd choose it over most restaurants, regarless of type of cuisine, almost every time!

For starters, its inexpensive. With the no-frills location and interior decorating, they can keep their costs down. You are greated with packaged, warmed up, soft bread rolls. Kinda seems tacky and pointless. Until you try the green sauce in the squeeze bottle! Squeezed onto the simple rolls, this condiment, called aji is spicy and simply addictive.

We have ordered many things off the menu and just about everything is good. A few of our favorites... The Chicharron de Calamares (fried squid), served with a heavenly onion salad with a sumptuous dressing, is one of the best friend calamares we've had anywhere.

The classic saltados (roughly translating to "stir fried") are delicious. They are a sauteed mix of onions, tomatoes, french fried potatoes and your choice of meat/fish, served with rice. They have a rich, slightly spicy flavor and are quite addictive. Most of our friends like the Lomo Saltado (beef strips) while we prefer the Saltado de Mariscos (mixed seafood with shrimp, squid and octopus).

One of Josh's personal favorites is the Parihuela soup. Almost like a Peruvian version of Bouillabaisse, this spicy tomato soup with fish, shrimp, squid, mussels, octopus and crab is heady and supremely satisfying.

Although we don't order them often, the arroz chaufa (fried rice) and tallarins (stir fried noodles) are also delicious. The only thing we have yet to try on the menu that we didn't love is the ceviche which always just seems a bit simple and bland.

Check out the hours, its not open that late, so don't miss it. If you go right in the middle of the lunch or dinner hour, prepare to wait a while as locals line up for this inexpensive goodness. But it is well worth the wait!

Mario's Peruvian & Seafood
5786 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 466-4181

Hours:
Monday - Thursday 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sunday 9:30 am - 8:00 pm

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