Details

El Pollo Rico - Arlington

932 N. Kenmore Street
Arlington, VA 22201

703-522-3220

Neighborhood: Arlington, Clarendon/Courthouse, Arlington

Cuisines: South American, Peruvian

Opening Hours:
Open daily 11 to 10.

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Nearby Metro Stops: Clarendon

Price Range: Inexpensive

Dress: Informal

Noise Level: Chatty

Reservations: Not Needed

Best Dishes:
Peruvian chicken; French fries; rum cake; alfajores; mayo-yellow mustard sauce and cilantro-lime sauce.

Price Details:
Quarter chicken with sides $3.90; half chicken with sides $6.30; whole chicken with sides $11.70.

Special Features: Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly

El Pollo Rico, Arlington

These Peruvian rotisseries put out a terrific bird.

From June 2006 Cheap Eats

Some of the area's worst traffic jams occur at these chicken joints come dinner time. The smoky perfume drifting up from the grill draws passersby, and lines spill out the door as the counter staff struggles to fill orders and keep dozens of chickens swirling on the spit.

None of the Peruvian rotisserie places that have cropped up in the area turns out a bird with as much flavor. Tender, juicy, succulent--this is a chicken to rhapsodize over. Ask for extra sauce--both the mayo-yellow mustard and spicy cilantro-lime, which come in tiny plastic containers, are addictive. Don't miss the crisp (albeit frozen) fries. The mayo-logged slaw has never been a strong suit.

In Maryland try the moist rum cake, soaked with enough liquor to make you tipsy; alfajores, those Latin sandwich cookies with a slather of dulce de leche, are the sweet of choice in Virginia.