Nazca Peruvian Cuisine

Apparently this place is under new management and is still open! Wandered into this place by accident and thought the interior looked pretty decent — it seemed newly remodeled. It was Friday night, and there were three other people besides us in there. We asked a couple walking out of the restaurant if the food was decent and they praised it! So we thought to give it a try.
Somewhat of a fancy menu but the waitress couldn’t explain it properly when we asked for some clarification on the menu. Weird flavors, definitely not Peruvian. My Vegetales con Arroz tasted like an Asian stir fry. Papa a la Huancaina sauce tasted like Indian turmeric curry. Just not what I was expecting from Peruvian cuisine. The Fried Plantains were pretty good though but no sauce or anything just came by itself.
Over-​priced hyped items. Service was not great, waitress was not able to communicate clearly to us. Not going back to this place again.

We were very excited to have some Peruvian food with my boyfriend’s sister and her partner. We wanted to have a going away dinner with them at Nazca since they were going to spend a month in South America. We arrived at 10minutes till 9pm (they close at 9) the waiter still took us in. We were pleasantly surprised as we got ready to have pizza next door.
We walk in, sit down, and get our menus. The waiter rushes our order telling us we have 5 minutes to put the order in. Once we put the order we got beers and just waited. There were about 12 other people in the restaurant. After sometime we saw the dishes come out of the kitchen.. and miss. They were for the other people. After one hour we asked the waiter what was going on with our order. He told us that they did not have enough ingredients and cooks and they were calling someone over to the restaurant. He told us they had not even STARTED on our food!!!
It was very disappointing and disheartening, we were salivating for our meals after the tasty descriptions and we were furious at the indecency of the waiter to tell us ONE HOUR LATER after waiting that they had NOT EVEN STARTED on our food. Also he only told us this because we demanded to know what was going on.
I’m very sad that we were not able to taste the raved about food from Nazca, and now I have no intentions of returning (which is unfair to the food) just based on the quality of service we were met with.
Never again.

My husband and I stopped in for a late lunch randomly today (the restaurant only opens at 4pm).
We ordered two appetizers and two entrees (we were hungry!). Our appetizers were the tuna tartar and the causitas — both were delicious. Our entrees were Aji de Gallina and the vegetarian Saltado de Setas — again, both were delicious.
Service was decent as well.
I think the ambience is simple but nice for a pleasant evening.
Overall a great choice!

This is a great place to have dinner! my wife and I try to go there at least once a month! We already have our favorite dishes, and I must tell you, almost everything on the menu is delicious!
The atmosphere is great, and the service is very good! It’s almost like a family there! You should go there and check it out!!!
And always leave room for dessert!!!

I love to try different foods as it is. What people have to understand is that all Latin countries cook food differently. Being Costa Rican, the cuisine there is completely different than Mexican food! People assume that all latin cuisine taste like mexican food. BIG MISTAKE. That being said, this was my first time trying Peruvian food. I took my parents, that have actually visited Peru. They as well as my self enjoyed our meal very much so! I had arroz con mariscos, only issue was that the shrimp that they placed on top was bad. It wasn’t that big a deal to me honestly because the rest of the plate was delicious! I would come back again!

First time eating Peruvian food in my life. I came here because Lisa M. was craving ceviche, something completely native to me; never in a million years did I think I would like it, but I LOVED it! I wasn’t big on the squid (or was it Octopus?) and the shrimp was alright, but what did it for me was the fish (not sure what kind of fish it was). So juicy and limey/​salty. Highly recommend it to anyone, or just get the ceviche sampler which was them all so you can see what does it for you.
I can’t remember what alcoholic drink I ordered but it had orange juice and pomegranate and it was delicious. Lisa let me try her Pisco Sour and it was so strong but I loved it. There was even a stronger version of it but she opted for the regular one.
My entrée was Lomo Saltado and it was PERFECT!!! «Stir fry fillet Mignon tenders with tomatoes, red onions and French fries seasoned with soy sauce and a pinch of garlic served white rice.» There’s no way you’re not drooling right now. Just look at the picture I posted! Lisa got Aji de Gallina: «Pulled chicken in a creamy „aji Amarillo“ and nuts sauce, served with white rice, yellow potatoes and garnished with black olives and hard boiled eggs.» The dish was incredibly creamy, but we both expected a little more flavor; it was a bit plain. Once we started reaching the potatoes mixed inside, the dish became much better — way to go on those potatoes!
In general service was great and the atmosphere was very relaxing and calm, even when the restaurant started picking up towards the end of our dinner. I cannot wait to come back here. Be sure to see my pictures of everything.

Ordered:
The lomo saltado (³⁄₅) too salty!
Aji de Gallina (³⁄₅) – typical; tasted like curry
Ceviche Sampler (³⁄₅) I would’ve given it a 4/​5, but it was $ 26!
Definitely must get Peruvian drink: Pisco Sour!
Overall, it was pretty good. We had a party of 6, and it was about $ 30/​person, including tip and taxes.

Rounding UP for food presentation ;-)
Because we had popcorn earlier (San Jose Cinequest Film Festival), we thought the best way to try more dishes was to order from the appetizers menu, so we went for the Papas Rellenas, Conchitas al Fuego, and of course a ceviche dish… Ceviche de Camarones (shrimp).
The presentation was great! (sorry for eating 2 papas rellenas b4 we took the pic) and the food was pretty tasty. I especially liked the Conchitas al Fuego which was presented in flaming plate with shells on sea salt. The ceviche was ok, but I’m definitely coming back to try their entrées.

3.5 Stars
I distinctly remember the first time I attempted to try Nazca. I mistakenly overlooked the hours of the restaurant and came on a Monday. Sadly, my coworker and I walked up to a locked door with a hungry stomach. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Since then, I’ve come more prepared.
The interior of Nazca is dimly lit so it creates a really intimate ambiance. The tables are nicely laid out so it’s a step up from the casual restaurant.
If this is your first time trying Peruvian food I highly suggest trying the traditional dishes like the Lomo Saltado or the Aji de Gallina. If you can handle eating raw fish I recommend getting the Ceviche de Pescado as a starter.
Ceviche de Pescado
*Diced fresh fish of the day marinated in lime juice, «aji limo», cilantro and red onions served with glazed sweet potato and Peruvian corn kernels.
*The fish of the day was Halibut and it was just plain delicious!
*The marinade was not over powering and it accentuated the flavor of the fresh fish.
*The glazed sweet potato has a cinnamon-​y flavor.
*The dish comes with two different types of Peruvian corn. The smaller kernel is roasted (think Corn Nuts) and the other larger one is raw. The larger kernel has a very starchy flavor to it and it doesn’t taste like your typical corn kernel.
Lomo Saltado
*Stir fry fillet Mignon tenders with tomatoes, red onions and French fries seasoned with soy sauce and a pinch of garlic served with white rice.
*I found the Lomo Saltao here to be way TOO SALTY. I had to take half of it to go and added my own plain white rice to it to tone down the saltiness.
*The meat was very tender and not chewy at all.
*Don’t wait too long to eat this dish or else the fries get soggy from the sauce. The fries were not as good the next day when I finished the rest of my meal.
Seco de Cordero
*Lamb slow cooked in a cilantro & beer sauce served with tacu-​tacu and yuca (cassava)
*After reading many reviews about the lamb shank being tender and falling off the bone, I was sadly disappointed at my dish. The lamb was really chewy and had a lot of tendons. I really think they could have cooked this a little longer.
*I was amazed at the tacu-​tacu and it was really tasty. Apparently, it was rice and beans combined together into fried pancake. It somehow reminded me of a hash brown patty, but without the potatoes.
If you like to try different hot sauces, the server can bring you a sauce tray with 3 different sauces: a green, a yellow, and a red sauce. Each has their own unique flavor and I really liked the red sauce.
Looking back on the different dishes I tried, I would give the ceviche 4.5 stars, but the other dishes get 3 stars.

This was my first introduction to Peruvian cuisine, and I loved it! We had a seafood paella type dish with red sauce — totally creamy, flavorful (without being overly salty), and definitely a large enough portion to share and still have some to take home. The seafood in the paella dish is generous as well, lots of shrimp, mussels, a big prawn on top, etc.
We also had an appetizer trio of tuna, crab and some other seafood item, creatively placed on potato purée and shaped into a lovely design. They were really great as well! Prices are moderate, so this is a good place to take a date (esp. with the lighting in the restaurant).
Try the red sangria if you want to have a drink! It’s sweet with lots of fruit bits in it. You won’t be disappointed if you like fruity drinks like me! Nazca definitely gets asolid 4 stars for quality of food and friendly staff!

I came here a couple of months ago, so I’m going to try and write this review from memory. I sure am glad I took pictures, because that brings the flavor back in a jiffy.
I dined here on a Saturday night with a group of 6 other people. The restaurant didn’t seem too full, so the service was pretty quick from what I remember. Even though my dad is always the one to ask the most obvious questions, the waiter was still very courteous and explained everything to us.
This is what we ordered (or at least the ones I took pictures of hehe):
— Parihuela Soup: a Creole soup with a mix of fish and seafood, similar to the French Bouillabaisse. I’ve never tried Bouillabaisse, but my dad said this was as close as it gets to what he had in France. This soup was just packed with all kinds of seafood, including a good 7 pieces of extremely large shrimp. It has a very strong flavor that might take some getting used to, but once you do, it’s out of this world.
— Causitas: 3 mashed potato cakes seasoned with lemon juice and «aji Amarillo» topped with a choice of tuna tartar, crab meat, shrimp, chicken salad or vegetables. The dish was crunchy on the outside yet soft on the inside, just how I like it. Nothing too extraordinary about this one, just a new concept.
— Anticuchos de Corazon: Grilled cow heart served over grilled potatoes. Mmm the heart is one of my favorite parts of the cow now that I’ve tried this. It was marinated and grilled perfectly, and had a very tender consistency. Loved it!
— Lenguado Meunier: Halibut, potatoes, asparagus, and rice. The halibut came with a very tasty sauce and was grilled to perfection. Didn’t really get to try the rest of the dishes, but loved the halibut itself!
— Seco de Cordero: Lamb shank cooked in cilanto & beer sauce. My ordered this one, and it was one of the best lamb shanks I’ve had! Very tender and slowly cooked so that all the meat gets thoroughly prepared. Had a lot of flavor in it and comes with a nice side of yuca potatoes.
— Arroz Chaufa de Mariscos (!!!): Seafood fried rice with scallops, calamari, shrimp, fish, mussels. This was unlike any fried rice I’ve ever tried before. Like the soup, it was just covered in all kinds of seafood, unlike anywhere else. The portion was huge for the price, and cooked very well. Most of the people around the table kind of wished they got this after trying it.
— Profiteroles: Simple profiteroles served with vanilla ice cream and berries. The profiteroles tasted almost like the ones from Costco, so not really worth getting unless you really want dessert.
Nazca opened my mind up to new foods I’ve never tried, such as the seafood soup. Doing that and making everything delicious is what deserves them a 5 star review!

First Peruvian food experience and a delicious one! I recommend getting:
— Lomo Saltado — flavorful fillet mignon strips with stir fried tomatoes and red onions, soy sauce seasoned fries with white rice — so freakin’ GOOD! This dish definitely packs a lot of flavors and spices.
— Seco de Cordero — slow cooked lamb in cilantro & beer sauce with tacu-​tacu and yuca (which looked like plantains but tasted like nothing?) — really, really good! Cooked just right and tender.
— Ceviche Mixto — mixed seafood of fish, calamari, shrimp, octopus and scallops marinated in lime juice, cilantro and onions with glazed sweet potato and corn kernels — good seafood (and if you’re down with it being cold/​raw)! Citrusy and reminded of the lime juice and onions marinade used for Vietnamese cold beef salad, mmMm…
Dishes range between $ 15 – 20 but the portions are HUGE. Definitely a great place to take someone who loves meat or likes trying new ethnic foods.

What a fantastic find! Who knew there was such a high quality restaurant in our very own downtown? The server, bartender, and staff are all fantastic and super friendly.
The portions are gigantic… so consider splitting entrees. Their cerviche is great as well.
Will definitely visit again!

Wow! What a great find! Driving by on W. San Fernando St. I screamed «Pull over! I wanna try this Peruvian restaurant!» The host/​waiter was most gracious. He took time to explain the dishes and specialties. My friend and I had a few pisco sours which were delicious. We ordered the Causitas as an appetizer, which were out of this world! Our entrees were Seco de Cordero and Arroz con Mariscos — both dishes were prepared perfectly, filling and plentiful. This place is awesome-I’ll be back to try the desserts and have more pisco sours!

I loved this place. I went there with my boyfriend and another couple. Walking in, the place was mildly lit. Combined with its décor, it seemed chic and homely (i.e. comfortable) at the same time.
The four of us all love wine so we ordered a bottle of Peruvian tempranillo. A pleasant, jammy wine at a very reasonable price. It was wonderful stand-​alone and with the food that I will describe shortly.
The menu was interesting. Many dishes are Latin American with Asian influences, which I am told is due to the relatively high Asian population in Peru. I opted to order what appeared to have less Asian influences and what I had not seen at other Latin-​American restaurants before.
For appetizer, we ordered the Pastel de Choclo, a Peruvian cornbread dish with moist bread and a tender meat filling. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. My mouth is watering right now remembering it.
The main dish I ordered was the Aji de Gallina, tender pulled chicken in a creamy sauce that was to die for. I preciously packed away what I couldn’t finish for lunch the next day. It was THAT GOOD.
My boyfriend ordered the Pollo Saltado, which tasted good, but had a heavy Asian influence, so it wasn’t what I was looking for in a Peruvian restaurant. My boyfriend also liked my Aji de Gallina better.
Alas we were too full to have any dessert (they give decent portions there), it will be an experience I will have to reserve for my next visit.
Overall, I loved my experience here and I can’t wait to return again for another glass of tempranillo and their Aji de Gallina!

First date material for sure.
The white sangria. A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G!. I am becoming more familiar with South American/​Peruvian Cuisine the more I go to these restaurants, and also the more we have such knowledgeable & hot waitresses. Home girl broke down everything on the menu in English and Spanish (well sounded like Spanish). I ordered the arroz con maricos or something like that. It was the paella dish with seafood and red sauce. So good! I also liked how all the seafood was at the bottom of the dish. It was like opening a present with every bite. When were you gonna get the shrimp lol. It was moderately priced and a bite of heaven in your mouth. Please go here. and try the White sangria that has champagne and strawberries in it. YUMMY!

Delightful looking restaurant inside and very close to the Performing Arts Building. However, the service was questionable until we got our server. A young girl (mid-​teens) was bussing and she didn’t get the waters, take our drink orders, get a server for us… and it seems that the front of house staff were slightly unorganized in general. Our waiter continually apologized, had a great personality, but his busser was pouring water all over our table (when she actually was helping us). Now… let’s talk about the food.
Tartar de Atun: Tuna Tartar served with avocado salad,
capers, sesame oil & toasted bread (5 stars — Very good. And great price!)
Chef Salad: Mixed lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers,
avocado, corn kernels, black beans, cheddar cheese in a cilantro and lemon vinaigrette (5 stars — Very good. I gobbled it up!)
Arroz con Mariscos: Seafood «aji panca» infused rice with red
pepper and topped with a seafood medley prepared with clams, octopus, calamary (this is how it is spelled on the menu), scallops and mussels. (4 stars — my friend said she’d order it again, but wouldn’t feel the need to order it like she would the tuna tartar. Also, I didn’t ask her, but I didn’t notice anything besides mussels and one large prawn.)
Seco de Cordero: Lamb slow cooked in a cilantro & beer sauce served with tacu-​tacu and yuca (cassava) (4 stars — lamb was cooked perfectly and was tastey, but the sides were super heavy)
I would definitely come back, but to get a higher rating, they need to get a little more organized or have better support for the servers. I am also curious about trying more stuff there as the food was really good.

A celebration of improved health, a birthday and old friendships brought S, P, and me here for a late Sunday lunch. The restaurant was almost empty when we sat down. With all the interesting dishes on the menu it was hard for us to decide what we wanted. After much hemming and hawing we finally made our decisions.
I had the Picante de Mariscos, a medley of seafood in rocoto sauce, (a rich creamy hot pepper sauce) over white rice it was quite good.
Both S and P had arroz con mariscos (a Paella) and agreed it was excellent, almost as good as one we all had many years ago in a small restaurant in Acapulco.
We shared a dessert to finish are celebration. We ordered the Fondante de Chocolate with fruits of the forest. It included a shot of a vanilla berries sauce and vanilla ice cream. It was very rich, very good, it takes 15 minutes to prepare, and is worth the wait.

We came here for our anniversary on a Friday night for an early dinner. The place was almost completely empty when we arrived, but it was only 6pm. We were greeted instantly by our waitress, Nancy. She was very attentive and offered many recommendations and details about the types of food. In all we had:
— Papa a la Huancaina
— Pollo Saltado
— Fettuccini a la Huancaina
— grilled sea bass (fish of the day)
— Fried Yucca
and of course, Sangria.
There was not a single thing that we didn’t love! We were surprised by how yummy the Papa a la Huancaina as we had never had anything quite like it, my mother in law said the sea bass was fantastic, and my husband loved the fettucini. I would have devoured all of the pollo saltado if it weren’t for the amazing hot dipping sauces we had prior to our meals. And of course we had to save room for dessert…
We finished off our meals with the Fondante de Chocolate and Profiteroles. Y… U…M!!! We were fighting to clean off the plates. Diets were thrown out the window.
The combination of excellent service and delicious food was terrific. We would come back in a heartbeat, and are looking forward to bringing friends to try this place out. I’ve been on the hunt for some good Peruvian food in the South Bay and this was it!

Personally I am not a huge proponent of Latin food.
Nazca had all the components of the cuisine:
–Peruvian corn
–Yuca
–Paella
–Fish
–Ceviche
–Latin wine
Service was slightly off cuff and a little awkward. The décor needs some serious help-​there is none.
To me, cooking fish with acid is just wrong, but the fish in the ceviche was just not fresh, I did enjoy the Peruvian corn and the crunchy kernel contrast.
The Paella was a bit dry, but was priced right and loaded with seafood. A favorite of the evening was the red snapper, so buttery and flavorful. The lamb was a okay, not enough flavor and I would have liked more moistness and FAT. LOVED the potato cake underneath and the pan fried yuca spears.
Nazca is probably a good choice for lunch w/​the colleagues, not enough pizazz or energy for dinner.