You smell it from the parking lot: the heady aroma of meat
grilling over charcoal. That’s the first good sign at these chicken
emporiums. The second is the line of customers—a happy sight when it comes
to Peruvian rotisserie chicken, the ultimate in slow-cooked fast food; it
means the chickens aren’t likely to sit for long in their warming
trays.
The white meat is juicier than most dark meat, and you’re
likely to spend much of your meal licking spices from your fingers. Good
as the rotisserie is, the best thing here is a half chicken marinated with
garlic and citrus, butterflied, then set atop a grill. Pollo Ever, it’s
called. Our name for it: instant picnic.
Also good: Ceviche mixto; black
beans; rice; fried yuca.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
