Maido embraces nikkei techniques and culinary traditions of the Japanese diaspora, with flavors from every corner of Peru-fish from the waters of the Peruvian Amazon; chilis dried in the Andean sun; and fermented beverages made with endemic fruits that pair perfectly with ingredients like bluefin tuna, carved tableside like a Spanish jamón.
Pollos El Brasero, a decades-old Peruvian rotisserie restaurant in Pico-Union, slings rotisserie chicken good enough to convert devotees of other perennially packed chicken joints. Wood-fired chicken is the star here, especially when paired with piquant aji verde, the latter good enough to eat on its own. In the simple dining room, where the smell of flames and chicken hangs heavy in the air, rotisserie lovers can find fowl bliss between bites of crispy skin and juicy thighs.
After their concert last Thursday at Chase Center, the Jonas Brothers stayed another day in San Francisco to feast on Peruvian nigiri and grilled meat skewers. The iconic boy band consisting of brothers Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas and Kevin Jonas made a surprise visit to La Mar Cebichería Peruana for lunch along the city's waterfront on Friday, Sept. 26. "Honestly, they were relatively discreet," general manager Jason Wiles told SFGATE. "They just came in looking for a table. They were a party of seven, and we were happy to accommodate them. They didn't really create a scene or anything like that."
Every fall, I return when the skies clear and the weather turns golden, and each time, I am met with familiar, flavorful, and fun surprises. The capital is home to some of the most celebrated restaurants on the planet- Central, Maido, Kjolle, to start-but my favorite way to experience the city is by seeking out quiet standouts, local obsessions, and neighborhood haunts that reflect the true spirit of Peru 's wildly layered culinary culture.
