Aji Picante

This place was great — the environment and service were awesome!
The reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is because I thought the ceviche tasting was small. I also got the «lomo satado» which is stir fry iron steak which was unbelievable!!! The steak was tender, marinated, and delicious. Overall good experience

We do a «dinner club» each month, so that we’re able to try Pittsburgh’s new and locally based restaurants. There were only 7 of us Sunday… but it was by far the BEST food we’ve had! The phrase «oh my god, try this!» was uttered by all 7 of us at each stage of the meal. The apps are good (shrimp, octopus), but the dinners were spectacular. Between 7, we tried all of the protein entrees. The pork shank confit was great as it fell off the bone. The Corn pudding with bacon was a lucky order – after I tasted it, and passed it around – 3 more were ordered-​and there was no sharing lol! The Tuna, the grouper and flat iron steak didn’t last long on the plates. Dessert – I think a couple of our female guests no longer needed a man after the Crème Brulee. I had some cinnamon concoction that was also flat out amazing.
Service was sharp. Uncorked each of our bottles of wine as soon as needed. No corkage fee! We wanted to give the chef a round of applause. Absolutely great meal.

Great great food! I’ve been here three times and it was aaaaalways good. My favorite one is causa de langostinos… soooooo delicious!!! No doubt my favorite Latin American Restaurant in town.

I am always ready to try something new but being vegetarian my options are limited
Me and my wife started with the mushroom appetizer and the small plate of corn fritters. They turned out to be really good, and then we ordered one more small plate so we can try more rather then eat the only vegetarian entrée.
We also tried their peruvian drink mixed with cinnamon and cloves, even that was really good
Last wetried their crème desert with chocolate and strawberry-​lime chutney and it was heaven to mouth.
In all I would recommend this restaurant with the portions being decent as per the price.

I’ve walked past Aji Picante for the last year or so always telling myself that I should give it a try. Finally, last Saturday we made reservations and weren’t disappointed. I don’t know if you need reservations or not, but when we arrived at 7 the place was packed so I was happy I made them.
The atmosphere is nice, a good balance between intimate and casual. Candles on the small tables which are located close to one another, but not packed so tight that it is uncomfortable. The restaurant size is relatively small, but that being said it is not overly noisy or people running into each other.
Our server was really nice and immediately opened our bottle of wine as soon as we sat down. Keep in mind Aji Picante is BYOB with no corkage fee. Soon after she went over some of the highlights of the menu which included 6 different civeches, numerous «small plate» appetizers and sides, and 8 – 10 entrees. Our waitress informed us that the menu had recently been expended in the last two weeks and that the best way to try different things is to order a bunch of plates and and entrée to share.
We ordered:
Grouper Civeche $ 8 (really nice. Small portion but fresh)
Parmesan Scallops $ 9 (They are the small scallops and my only complaint was that this dish could have come out a little warmer and, as sometimes is the case with small scallops, a few were a little chewy. But the Parmesan sauce was amazing)
Corn Fritters $ 6 (Nice appetizer that comes with two dipping sauces, the red one being my favorite and having a nice bite to it.)
Roasted pork shank with cilantro beer sauce $ 18 (This was amazing. Crispy flavorful skin and tender meat beneath. Best part of our meal)
For a side we got the wok fried green beans with sesame oil $ 4 (Good if you like green beans, but didn’t really stand out from the green beans I’ve had at other restaurants.
The final bill was somewhere between $ 40 – 50 and we left feeling full and satisfied with the amount of food and choices we got for the price.

I was really impressed by the food. I started with the Tacu-​Tacu (rice and beans cake) and they were delicious. I also tried the Lomo saltado, which was very good. The menu has a lot of great dishes to choose from, and the specials were also enticing. Attentive service. Reasonable prices. Nice décor. I especially like that the restaurant is BYOB and no corkage.

The place has picked up in terms of atmosphere. They have a lot more customers, a lot more interesting things on the menu including tostones (fried plantains).
They were very accommodating for our 8-​people party even though we had initially made a reservation only for 6.

A group of 10 of us went to dinner this past Saturday. Our server was very friendly and quite knowledgeable about the menu. For my dinner, I ordered three appetizers, as I couldn’t really find any entrée that seemed to entice me. I ordered the mushroom and cheese empenadas, the shrimp skewers and the pork belly with sweet potatoes. All of them were very good, but nothing really wowed me. For dessert I ordered the Chocolate Crème Brulee. Although it was amazing and very rich, I have a hard time calling it a Crème Brulee. It was much thicker than the traditional custard and I think the only reason they refer to it as a crème brûlée is because they crystallized the sugar on top. Bottom line, it was a nice experience with tasty food, but I probably would not go back.

Last time I was here I had an absolutely AMAZING dish (- some kind of pumpkin bake), but unfortunately it was a special and was not available on my most recent visit. However, I was still very happy with my order.
To start, we had the Torrejas de Choclo. These are corn fritters, and I highly recommend them. They are served with 4 toppings, all of which are tasty (especially the guacamole), but the fritters themselves are so good you can eat them plain. For my entrée, I had the Quinotto. I enjoyed it, but would have liked a little more flavor. On the other hand, the Sudado, a fish entrée which my boyfriend ordered, was full of flavor. The leeks added a nice touch.
Service was good, and it is BYOB! I don’t think the menu has changed much since they opened though, but hopefully they will have some new options soon!

Was obsessed with this place when it first opened in Squirrel Hill, and was happy that there was finally something new to try around Murray.
The food is consistently good, but the service is dodgy at times. First time we went, we got the best service from a really personable waitress, who was Peruvian herself. Another time, we waited forever to get a table, while being put on three different lists by three different waitresses/​hostesses.
Love the fact that they’re BYOB.
Our favorites are the: Ceviche, Causa de Langostinos, Sudado, Paella, and Seco de Cerdo.
One gripe is that since the menu is so limited, and unchanging, after a few times, there isn’t a reason to go back anymore, since there’s nothing new to try.

A cute looking place in a nice neighborhood with outdoor seating too. From the reviews we weren’t expecting much to begin with. We had some PASSION FRUIT JUICE which was almost indistinguishable from the orange juice in my fridge. Our main courses:
CHUPE, a large seafood peruvian stew which I thought was tasty though I could taste the seafood was not that fresh
SECO DE CERDO, dry meat on dry potatoes
Overall, pleasant service and okay décor BUT not fabulous food for what it costs and the fact that my date said «well we’re not going to peru if the food is like this!” – we likely won’t be returning

My husband and I have been here twice now, and even though we wished that we could give this place higher marks, the reality is that our initial impression still stands: reasonable food that is too expensive, given other options available right now in the Burgh. The service is very nice though.
We tried the corn fritters both times, and liked them better the second time. My husband had a squash casserole of some sort (it was served in the squash itself, a nice touch) and I had a ravioli dish. The sheer fact that I can’t remember what I had makes this an OK place, rather than a good or great place.
If their prices came down about $ 5 in the entrée range, I think we’d come here more often. But, at this price range, we’ll take our business to Verde or Salt.

Just got home from our third visit to Aji Picante. The firat two visits were really very good. We especially like (d) the BYOB with NO Corkage. The food was fresh, interesting and well, maybe just seemed better because we just wanted it to be.
This evening’s experience left us with a salty and disappointing taste.
It all started well. We were very well attanded to by our server who came over and described the specials and explained the menu. While she described the specials, she exclaimed that the «scallop entrée was amazing». We ordered appetizers and she opened and poured our wine.
As she was getting ready to take our entrée order, one of the other servers came over to our table and told her that they were out of the scallops and parmesan over pasta special.
Three of us were truly disappointed as they were going to order this as their entrée. I amused that I’d be glad to go down to Giant Eagle to pick up the scallops if they still had the pasta, cream and cheese. She retorted that «sorry, we’re really out. It’s been a popular selection tonight.» Having been so gloriously described as «amazing», my wife and our friends (who were there on our recommendation and was their first visit to Aji) had to go back to the drawing board, adjust their taste bud profile, and choose something else which would, of course, never measure up.
The appetizers came and we gladly devoured them in short order. My wife and I had ordered the pork shank, and our friends had the chicken and the paella. At about the time that our entrees came, we noticed that three young and attractive women were being seated a few tables away. We noticed them because they were indeed attractive and they proceeded to take a number of pictures of one another and as a group.
We picked at our entrees for a while and none were particularily outstanding. In fact, we all took over half our meals home. When our server came over to take away the leftover food, my eyes looked at her and then were diverted beyond her to the table containing these three women. Lo and Behold, two of the three were digging into, yes, the scallop and pasta special that must have ‘amazingly’ re-​appeared on the menu.
Being the curious type, I queried our server «Is that indeed the scallop special that was sold out 45 minutes earlier?» She looked around and exclaimed, «They must have taken them off for a while while they prepared a new batch!» To I replied,
«But they were really sold out. I offered to go to the store for you».
She took our a small dessert/​coffee order and sheepishly walked away.
When she came back to the table, she told us that the dessert (one item) and the coffee (only coffeee for our friends) were on the house for the inconvenience, and that:
«Pam will be coming over to talk to you.»
The four of us shared the single dessert and our friends drank their coffee. We waited around talking for 30 minutes and, needless to say, Pam never showed up to smooth over the gaffe. She didn’t think it important enough to fess up to the screw up or to at least have the fortitude to apologize in person. Truly disappointing and, for me, a restaurant death sentence.
The whole experience could have been handled so easily, but it wasn’t. Too bad.
Obviously, the four of us won’t be back.
As an aside, I also can’t stop drinking enough water for the last 2 hours. It started after the entrees.

This review represents many «firsts»…a) my first post as Unilocal Elite (in San Francisco such a status requires much relationship building, review writing, and general hobnobbing whereas in Cleveland you’re invited to be Unilocal Elite just by friending the right Unilocaler… oh, Cleveland), and b) my first post back home on the East Coast. Living in Cleveland, I get to spend one or two days a week with my mom back home in Pittsburgh, where I’m discovering the foodie scene is pretty. damn. awesome.
Take Aji Picante, for example. We walked in post Bikram Yoga Squirrel Hill class around 8pm on a Friday night, no reservation, clutching a bottle of Trader Joes wine I’d brought with me, and they were able to squeeze us in. And the experience was PERFECT from start to finish. Our half-​Peruvian waitress was just the right amount of attentive, genuine, and friendly… she provided the sort of service where you wonder if a 22% tip is enough. The ambiance was warm and inviting and only a little loud.
And the food… oh, the food. The Causa de Langostinos was strange and spicy and delicious, a mushy blend of mashed potatoes, avocados and shrimp that somehow works perfectly. We devoured our Torrejas de Choclo and scooped out every last bit of that minty sauce. But the highlight was the special of the evening, a squash and vegetable stew that came served in a little pumpkin. The perfect dish to warm up your insides on a cold night.
And because it’s BYO, with two appetizers, an entrée and a dessert (the rustic crème brûlée, not too sweet and very, very rich) the total cost was not bad at all. I’m starting to think that the food snobbery I’ve built up after years in the fine dining industry in Philadelphia, and years eating my way through San Francisco, will be well satiated in Pittsburgh. Cleveland better step it up!

Dishes I have had at Aji Picante and loved:
— Causa de Lagostinos
–Seco de Cerdo
–Pollo ala Plancha
–Purple Potato Ravioli
–Squash Stew
–Suspiro de Limena
Dishes I have had at Aji Picante and hated or been disappointed with:
…
Aji is a wonderful place that deserves your business. You will thoroughly enjoy the food and experience. Try the cerdo over all else though!

Squirrel Hill really could use more charming neighborhood eateries like this. Aji Picante took over half of what used to be a Panera and remade the space into an inviting dining room.
The menu is not long, but they prepare their dishes well and with care. From the appetizer section, I highly recommend the fritter — the dipping sauces are all great. I’ve tried their ceviche as well; it’s an interesting dish with some very strong flavors and textures, but it didn’t speak to me as much as the fritters. I’ve tried two main dishes so far, and both have been very satisfying. The first time, I ordered the tilapia, which was tender and moist. It was accompanied by some potatoes and a light broth. The balance was just right. The second time I ate at Aji, I got the pork shank. It was almost like a cassoulet — except that you have a big hunk of pork shank (crispy on the outside, tender on the inside) instead of bits of duck. The dish was hearty and comforting, great for a wintry evening. Finally, the desserts are pretty good too.
Extremely friendly service.
The average price is perhaps a tad on the high side, but I think it’s worth it.

DH literally dragged me here, ALMOST kicking & screaming. I had read over their menu several times, and then read it over once again: P. Nothing jumped out at me or grabbed my attention, not like Alma Pan. I kept insisting that if he wanted to have Peruvian food that we go there instead, but he insisted. So off we went on a late Friday evening with a bottle of Spanish wine in tow. They are BYOB with NO corkage fee to my delight, I thought if the food was bad at least I could drown out the taste in my mouth. I was delightfully surprised. We ordered two appetizers, the «Torrejas de Choclo» & «Causa de Langostinos». Both were bursting with flavor, and beautifully presented. We were thrilled with the appetizers. DH & I however shared an entrée, which we did not like. We got the «Paella Latina» which was bland bland bland, and oily! Why the four stars? Their appetizers were exquisite and I’m sure their other entrees are good, and I’ll definitely be back to try them. We finished off the meal with an amazing dessert «Port Wine Whipped Cream» on top of dulche de leche. I could have inhaled it, and well I sort of did :).
I also have to say the service is a huge plus here. Our waitress was extremely friendly and talkative. She explained the menu well and gave us suggestions. We even got a free glass of chico morade on the house, which was refreshingly good. It did not taste like it came from a mix at all. I would highly recommend it!

We have finally made it to Aji! I have been looking forward to eating here for quite some time now. JB and arrived for dinner, the restaurant had a few tables seated both inside and out, it was not crowded by any sense of the word. The décor is warm and inviting and the wait staff is both courteous and helpful.
For starters, we were offered some wine on the house… since wine makes me loopy I declined, for starters we ordered the corn fritters which were good and served with delightfully delicious sauces, unfortunately as stated in a previous review they spent maybe a little too much time in the frying pan but the condiments managed to mask the charred taste.
For dinner I had the purple potato and wild mushroom ravioli with cream sauce. When my plate came out I must admit, I was a little disappointed, I only had 4 ravioli! But, to my pleasant surprise, these tiny pillows actually had a lot of filling inside and the sauce was so delicious I had to refrain from licking my plate (good thing I passed on the wine). JB chose the Lomo Saltado, a Chinese inspired dish. The garlic rice was a nice touch, but I found the fries were a bit too crispy for my liking.
Alas, time for dessert which we usually pass on, but not this time. We ordered the Dulce de leche to share which was a very tasty way to end our meal. I thought it was a little too sweet but I don’t really have much of a sweet tooth to begin with. I could only take a few bites but JB was more than happy to finish it off.
Long story short, great service, fantastic meal from start to finish, reasonable prices, and warm, comfortable décor. We would recommend it too friends and return without hesitation.

After a failed attempt to use a Groupon at Phở Van on Friday night (they were closed for renovations for a few days), we were hungry and lugging around some bottles of beer. We needed dinner, and it needed to be BYOB. And preferably delicious. So we came all the way back home to Squirrel Hill, parked in front of our own apartment, and walked half a block to the new BYOB Peruvian joint — Aji Picante.
The tables on the patio were all full with happy, chatty people enjoying bottles of wine. We went inside and were impressed by the minimalist but sleek décor. Several very friendly servers agreed that it would only be a short wait for an outside table, so they seated us at an indoor table and brought over water and menus. We placed our order, and waited about 10 minutes for an outside table, at which point we were graciously transplanted to the prime people-​watching location on Murray Ave.
First to arrive was our appetizer of corn fritters (Torrejas de Choclo). They were crispy, hot, and flavorful — served with wonderful sauces like guacamole, creamy mint sauce, and hot pepper sauce. It was a great size too — four fritters — so we both got plenty of food.
Then we waited for our entrees. And waited. And waited. We really don’t mind waiting, especially when our server was so cheery and apologetic, but it was like… maybe 30 minutes between courses. Our server actually offered us complementary glasses of red wine to make the time more bearable. They don’t SELL wine, so don’t ask for it, but it was a nice way to make up for the slow kitchen. Not sure if the kitchen just got backed up with large parties — they were pretty busy — or if they are just working the new-​restaurant kinks out.
But, when the food did come out, it was worth the wait. My boyfriend’s Seco de Cerdo (crispy pork shank) was HUGE — «caveman» size, if you will. The meat was juicy and flavorful, and I loved the crispy coating. I enjoyed the Chupe (Peruvian fish stew) which was brimming with shellfish — and a poached egg! — floating in a savory, rich broth. The portions were large; it’s true, the prices are between $ 17 – 25 or so for an entrée, but you really will get full here. And the food was clearly fresh and well-​prepared. Somebody in the kitchen absolutely knows what they’re doing! If only they could do it faster…
We are thrilled to have this place in our neighborhood, and we will certainly be back. Go on a leisurely night, bring a bottle of wine, bask in the friendly service, and order with confidence. Welcome to Squirrel Hill!

My wife and I went here and our overall feeling was, meh.
We had the corn fritters and some kind of salad to start. The former was bland and the latter consisted of «spring mix» from Giant Eagle with some added veggies. For an entrée, we shared the tilapia, which was beautifully prepared, but not very tasty. And it cost $ 20+…for tilapia? I can get 5lbs of the stuff for $ 20 at Whole Foods.
Anyway, the atmosphere is nice and the staff were very friendly, but for the price, it’s not worth it at all. I can spend the same at, say Dinette, and get a MUCH better meal.
The truth is, that we’re really sad about this. We love La Ferria in Shadyside and since we live i Squirrel Hill we were very excited to have something like it within walking distance. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. I think we’ll give them a few months to work things out and try it again. If it’s as bland then as it was now, we’ll be skipping this eatery.