Restaurant of the Month: El Pollo Inka

South Bay Events presents its pick of the month for March 2012!

The sounds and smells of Peru heat the entrance way while a hazy glaze of aroma greet guests walking in to this rotisserie palace. The food here is infused with cuisine that hallmarks a South American coastal country with high mountain peaks and a colonial past. El Pollo Inka cooks with a common rotation of poultry, beef, seafood, potatoes, and rice. There’s also a condiment at every table that casually goes by the name of “green sauce.” The ingredients to this infamous Peruvian hybrid are a mystery… Light green, medium-hot, creamy, salty, tangy, a hint of cilantro, and oh-so addictive. Every meal at El Pollo Inka starts with some bread and a little green sauce.

Rotisserie style chicken headlines the menu here and is a safe order as there’s nothing more predictable than chicken, a side salad, and some rice & beans. But the treasure of El Pollo Inka is buried deep in their menu, a dizzying array of what appears to be the same dish repeated over in their signature vegetarian, carne, pollo, and mariscos categories. Some key flavor words to know before ordering at El Pollo Inka are: chaufa, saltado, and tallarin. Chaufa de Pollo is basically chicken fried rice and requires a healthy dollop of green sauce to counteract its salty goodness. Carne enthusiasts must sample some Lomo Saltado, which loosely translates to a Peruvian style beef stir fry with red onions, tomatoes, French fries, and some rice. The genius of this dish is the addition of the French fry, any restaurant can sauté meat and vegetables but accenting a meal with fried tubers weaves together a delicious harmony that only needs a little green sauce. Tallarin means spaghetti and is a foundation piece that can be substituted for rice in any chaufa or saltado dish.

Most dishes at El Pollo Inka are either sauteed or deep fried so the dining experience can be a touch on the greasy side. No one walks away feeling hungry as the portions are gigantic and try to leave room for some flan. Some of the best homemade sweet custard sits in every El Pollo Inka kitchen and besides the green sauce, it´s one of the best kept secrets that surround this Peruvian delight.

Obviously, Peruvian food has undertaken some culinary influence from Asia and Italy. El Pollo Inka is a tasty option for either lunch or dinner and can be accomplished in quick fashion because the kitchen moves fast and the prices are reasonable. Expect to pay between $10 - $16 per person and on most weekend nights there’s a small band that plays Peruvian music. Thankfully, El Pollo Inka is a small chain with locations in Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Gardena, and Lawndale.

El Pollo Inka in Hermosa Beach is located at 1100 Pacific Coast Highway and the telephone number is 310-372-1433.