100 Very Best 2017
100 Very Best 2019Peruvian cuisine, a nexus of Andean, Japanese, and Chinese flavors, is seen through the lens of José Andrés—and distilled into small plates—at this loud, colorful dining room. The kitchen handles all facets of the cuisine with ease. There may be no better rendition of har gao (translucent-skinned shrimp dumplings) in the area, and ceviches are small masterpieces. Build up to at least one bigger finish, whether a veggie-packed fried rice, a classic lomo saltado, or the plump Maestro Wong shrimp, glazed in a hauntingly complex, black-bean-tinted sauce. Moderate.
Also great: Lamb pot stickers; steamed buns with pork belly; king-salmon ceviche and tiradito; condensed-milk custard with passionfruit.
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.
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 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.
