Peruvian pleasure at Andina

As much as we get into eating and drinking, if we can do both for less it is even sweeter. Hence our fascination with happy hours around town. At dinner the other night our enabling friends D&K were mentioning the HH at Andina, PDX's bastion of Peruvian cuisine, where not only are all the fabulously fresh house cocktails just $5 every day from 4-6, but certain apps are also to be had on the cheap. We hit it this past Sunday. I hadn't hung out in the Andina bar much, but I have to say it is really cool. Great lighting, comfy bar stools, very friendly and more importantly competent bartenders, plus some of the best happy hour grub in town. Here's what we got ourselves into.....

Of course we have to start with the national drink of Peru,

a couple of perfectly foamy Pisco Sours

Incredibly delicious Anticucho de Pulpo, skewered and grilled octopus, perfectly cooked, with perhaps the most kick ass mashers ever, which are potatoes smushed up with olives, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Freakish!!

Oysters on the half shell for a buck each? Can you say "Hell yeah"??!

This was one of their Causas, which the menu describes as "a traditional preparation of fresh lime-flavored potato mixture pressed into a cake with assorted fillings, served with avocado." Your reporter will simply describe it as "one of the best fucking things I've ever put into my mouth!!" They do three different versions. We had the Mixta Nikkei, which was crispy shrimp on top of spicy raw tuna, which was on top of fresh crab salad which was stuffed inside of the potatoes........do I really need to say any more? SERIOUS swoon here.
Not on the happy hour menu, but so damn worth every freaking penny!

Normally I wouldn't get too geeked over Hemingway's favorite drink, but this was their Daiquiri Natural, which is what all others should aspire to be. Although I have to say my home version rocks it pretty hard, too!

w also had their Ron-Yki-On cocktail which she loved and was made with roasted ginger infused
silver rum with fresh citrus juice. I'll also be back soon for not only more pulpo and potatoes, but their gin-based Tortuga cocktail, which I somehow overlooked. There is so much good to be had here at such a great price, you can't afford not to get your Happy Hour groove on here!

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one year ago today at E.D.T.: Tagliatelle with Sausage, Basil, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pianos, Pisco, and Peru!

Date night. With a little culture thrown in courtesy of the Portland International Piano festival and a recital by Paul Roberts, who w has informed me is a world renowned DeBussy scholar. I have to say I have never heard DeBussy played better. Of course I had never heard DeBussy played at all, but still, to my rock-addled ears, he was pretty damn good. Anyway, this was all prelude to the main point of date night (at least for me!), which is dinner out. Tonight w had in her head to go to our local outpost of Peruvian cuisine, Andina Restaurant in northwest Portland.

Going native with a refreshing Pisco Sour





Andina is a place here in PDX where they explore the amazing mix of influences that is Peruvian food. Spanish, Asian, South American...all bases are covered, and after our excellent meal here, Andina is absolutely back on our radar. I started out with a traditional Peruvian cocktail, a Pisco Sour (recipe to follow), which is the national drink of Peru and Chile. Pisco is a grape based brandy common in South America, shaken with lemon juice, sugar, and an egg white then served up in a martini glass. Delicious, with that refreshing sweet/tart balance I love in a well made libation and also what makes this a perfect summer sipper. I’m already planning tomorrow’s trip to the liquor store!

Yucca Rellena: fried+creamy= happiness!





Appetite firmly whetted, we dove in with starters of Yucca Rellana, a cheese-stuffed yuca that is then deep fried and served on an aji amarilla and ricotta cheese sauce. This was really nice, satisfying my cravings for all things fried and creamy. We also had an outstanding dish of Conchas a la Parilla, which are grilled diver scallops with a garlic-lime butter sauce and crispy fried onions. Wow! Really fresh, and the sauce set off the scallops perfectly.

Mixto Chorrillano Cebiche




Next up was one of Andina’s signature Cebiches, ours a mix of five different fish and shellfish, which was incredibly fresh, the lime cure clearing your palates and the occasional habanero bit adding that eye bulging touch of heat.

Aroz con Pato




For entrees, w had the Halibut al Ricoto y Kion, which was a nicely roasted piece of fish set in a bowl with a shiitake mushroom, smoked bacon, and bok choy broth. Very tasty but a bit too much broth. The best thing was the side of asparagus-quinoa fried rice. I had a sensational dish of grilled duck breast and crisp confit duck leg served over cilantro-infused rice and fresh vegetables. The simple name of Arroz con Pato doesn't do justice to the complexity of flavors and the tender, savory duck meat that had me swooning.

We finally finished with a chocolate mousse dish topped with an espresso cookie...you can see me hovering in anticipation in the background.....
Culture, cocktails, and killer Peruvian cuisine. I couldn't ask for more!!
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Pisco Sour

2 oz. Gran Pisco
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. superfine sugar
1 egg white
dash of bitters
Shake all ingreients well and strain into martini glass. Prepare for feelings of well being!