100 Very Best Restaurants 2017: China Chilcano

Cost:

Photo by Scott Suchman

About China Chilcano

Cost:

cuisines
Peruvian

Fusion fare gets a bad rap as a mishmash of random ingredients. Not so at China Chilcano, which embraces the influence of Chinese and Japanese immigrants on Peruvian cuisine—all with José Andrés’s modern flair. Some of the Asian/South American hybrids don’t feel particularly special, but dumplings and ceviches tend to be hits. A few dishes come with a tableside show. One worthy of applause: slow-poached red snapper in a clear parchment bubble, tied up with ribbon. A server unwraps it, unleashing an aromatic waft of seafood, then tops the fish with leche de tigre (the citrus marinade that cures ceviche), fresh herbs, and edible flowers. Moderate.

Also great: Tuna ceviche; “dorado” pork-and-shrimp dumplings; lamb pot stickers; parihuela (seafood soup); concolón (crispy fried-rice pot); pisco sour; shaved purple-corn ice.


Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

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.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.

Kristen Hinman
Articles Editor

Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.