Mamacita is a fast casual concept located at the Hollywood and Highland Entertainment Complex. This is home to the world famous Dolby Theater. This location is also Ground Zero for tourists.
Fans of Ricardo Zarate (Mochica, Paiche, Picca) have anxiously been waiting for him to open Rosaliné. What caught me by surprise was the fact that he opened a fast casual concept restaurant in Hollywood before opening Rosaliné.
As I walked up to the counter, I found it interesting to see “starters / appetizers” listed on the menu sign mounted to the wall. I’m used to seeing “starters” printed on a menu that is handed to you.
Peruvian cuisine has been impacted by the Japanese people who have emigrated there. Raw seafood with common items that Peruvians enjoy such as limes, corn and sweet potatoes resulted in Peruvian specialties such as tiradito and ceviche.
Fresh salmon, ponzu sauce, rocoto leche de tigre, sesame oil, and crispy quinoa.
Mamacita’s Peruvian tiradito is made with fresh salmon, ponzu sauce, rocoto leche de tigre, sesame oil, and crispy quinoa. The salmon was velvet-like in texture and it was extremely fresh. Unlike Japanese sashimi, this was accompanied in a tangy sauce and due to the crispy quinoa, gave it a slight crunchy experience.
Ceviche Criollo – fresh yellowtail mixed in a leche de tigre sauce.
The Ceviche Criollo was made with fresh yellowtail and mixed in a leche de tigre sauce. Rocoto chile paste gave this a nice amount of heat. I prefer this sauce over the Hawaiian version of poke which uses soy sauce and sesame oil as a base. It was accompanied by traditional Peruvian ingredients: roasted sweet potato, corn and choclo rice.
Estofado – short ribs, steamed and combined with cannellini beans, a sunny side up egg, and huancaina sauce over choclo rice.
I thought the short ribs were braised because they were extremely tender and separated from the bone without a knife. Named “Estofado”, these were steamed and combined with cannellini beans, a sunny side up egg, and huancaina sauce over choclo rice.
Brasa marinaed grilled chicken, and fresh vegetables were placed on top of choclo rice
The Pollada or chicken bowl was marinated brasa style. Grilled chicken and fresh vegetables were placed on top of choclo rice. Huancaina and salsa de rocoto gave it the authentic Peruvian experience by adding some spiciness and flavor.
Parrillada wrap filled with prime skirt steak
Because we were curious about their wraps, we ordered the Parrillada wrap to go. Prime skirt steak, brown rice, mushroom, tomato sofritos, cannellini beans, salsa verde picante were wrapped inside a flour tortilla. To me, it was more like a burrito.
Vegetarians can enjoy the kale salad starter, the portobello mushroom wrap or the portobello bowl. Brown rice is also available.
While Mamacita serves their food quickly, this is not fast food. It is obvious that there is a lot of advance preparation to provide quality Peruvian food in a fast casual concept. I applaud Ricardo Zarate for establishing a restaurant that serves delicious Peruvian food using this concept.
Mamacita Cantina, 6801 Hollywood Blvd #418, Hollywood, CA 90028
http://www.mamacitacantina.com/