We Chicagoans are fortunate when it comes to food. We’ve got celebrity chefs whipping up inspired meals in fabulously decorated restaurants all over town. As much as I love all of our stylish hot spots, some of the best food in this city is served at the offbeat places — the ones with funny-looking signs in front, outdated décor on the inside and a grandmother rather than a celebrity chef running the kitchen. Machu Picchu, a Peruvian steakhouse in Lakeview, is exactly that kind of oddball place that will make you remember why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
If you’re in the mood for an evening of culinary show boating, tiny shared plates of delicacies like veal sweetbread and foie gras butter and cleverly-named craft cocktails made with stuff like lavender and rye, then don’t go to Machu Picchu. But, if you want to sink your teeth into a juicy steak that is seasoned to perfection and linger over a bottle of red that you brought from home, then this is your place.
The cuisine at Machu Picchu is no frills comfort food at its finest, but zesty Peruvian spices and unusual South American ingredients save it from feeling ordinary. The papa rellena appetizer, for example, takes two of the most basic foods (mashed potatoes and ground beef) and makes them special by stuffing the spicy beef into the mashed potatoes and then deep-frying the whole delicious concoction. For a lighter starter, try the ceviche mixto, a generous portion of fresh seafood prepared simply with tangy limejuice and Peruvian chiles that give the fish some kick.
My favorite appetizer was the fried yuca, which is similar to a potato, but fluffier and with a richer flavor. The strips of fried yuca were like a cross between thick-cut French fries and baked polenta. They were fried perfectly crisp and golden, and served with a flavorful but not too spicy chili dipping sauce. Regular old French fries with ketchup will seem like a giant snooze fest after you try fried yuca.
Adventurous carnivores won’t want to miss the anticuchos brochettes, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef heart marinated in Peruvian vinaigrette with sun-dried red chili. The tantalizing aroma of these beautifully cooked pieces of tender beef will tempt you — and give you a glimpse of what’s to come.
There are a couple of chicken dishes and several delicious-sounding seafood entrées like fried tilapia and sautéed shrimp with garlic sauce. But, I can’t mince my words here: order a steak. The folks at Machu Picchu know what to do with a piece of beef, and you will not be disappointed. The thick and juicy cuts of meat would probably be pretty darn tasty with just a sprinkle of salt and a few minutes on the grill. But, when you slather them in Peruvian spices and cook them to absolute perfection, the result is one of the best steaks in town. Add to that a scoop of Machu Picchu’s super creamy garlic mashed potatoes, and you’ve got a spectacular version of a tried and true meal for a fraction of what you’d pay at an upscale steakhouse.
Machu Picchu is located at 3856 N. Ashland Ave.; call 773-472-0471 or visit www.machupicchuchicago.com.
Do you need some more Sugar & Spice in your life? Follow me on Twitter @SugarAndSpiceMS for inside scoop and commentary on Chicago’s dining scene.