Although Mo-Chica is merely a small stand (one of four) in the Mercado, it's gained a lot of buzz in the food community. Just yesterday, EaterLA reported that Zarate is planning to open up a more upscale Peruvian restaurant by LA Live. The menu is simple with a handful of dishes and daily specials. They also offer a tasting menu once a month. The only MAJOR downfall is that they do not serve booze, and it's not a BYOB joint either.
I was expecting a potato salad that looked like one you would find at a BBQ. This dish was so much more elegant. The mash potato sat atop the mixture of crab. They didn't skimp on the crab and added a bit of spice to it.
Nice portion of lamb. The part I got was tender and fatty but apparently there was another portion that was tough and drier. What a pity. I also thought there were too many beans. I felt like I was eating a cassoulet without the duck/goose/sausage (yum). The salsa with onions were a nice addition and cut through the heavy meat and sauce. The sauce was delicious. I kept scooping it all over the plain rice and it made me forget for a second that CARBS ARE BAD not!
I liked the way the cod was cooked with a nice crispy skin attached to the meat, however the cod was lacking in seasoning. The braised green beans were salty and had a lot of flavor so perhaps we had to eat it together with the fish. The risotto had an odd taste, perhaps barley does not pair well with Parmesan cheese.
I've only had quinoa once (at Akasha) but have been quite intrigued by it lately and have been looking up on some recipes. I really enjoyed the quinotto. It had the richness of a risotto, the flavors were concentrated and there was a generous amount of mushrooms in the dish. I liked the texture of quinoa and that it tasted less starchy than a traditional risotto.
The food was tasty except for the fish dish and a 1/4 of a dry lamb. I liked that the dishes was casual yet modern. The ingredients and preparation were finer than what I had expected. The service was friendly although there was definitely a communication barrier. The Mercardo closes at 8pm on Mondays. No wonder our waitress came by to ask us if we wanted dessert when we were still eating our entrees. Mo-chica is also a great dining deal. The bill totalled $50 including tip for three people (after a 30% Blackboard Eats discount). Even without a discount, the bill would have been less than $70. Mo-Chica is the type of place that you hope succeeds because the food is simple, rustic, exotic yet affordable. In a city where a lot of dinners can cost a minimum of $50 per person, it's refreshing to throw down a $20 and still get change!
Hits: ceviche, quinotto, prices
Misses: no booze
Rating: ***
Mo-Chica
3655 S. Grand Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 747-2141
www.mo-chica.com
4 comments:
Really liked the lamb shank; ours was tender thru-out, and had a bit of marrow. the quinoa risotto was all kinds of foul. The causa, no doubt, was the BEST bargain. Ceviches here continue to dominant my favorites basket. (PS,check your email)
I really need to check this place out - should have gotten that blackboard eats special when I had the chance!
Bummer about the dry lamb/fish. They both look so great in the pictures!
SinoSoul- jealous! Ours didn't have marrow!! yeah the ceviche really was the highlight of dinner, guess J Gold got it right!
Diana- You should still go even sands BBE discount. It's still VERY affordable!
NicolaSigel and Aron Arendt - thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll get a chance to get this spot out.. if you live in LA
oh man i need to eat here. i love a good ceviche!
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