You Gotta Eat: Inka Si Senor Peruvian Grill

Way south of the border: Inka serves up the subtle flavors of Peru

By Dave Surratt

Last week, four of us hit Binion's downtown for a promotional event of some kind--one of those only-in-Vegas mini-spectacles, fortunately as brief as it was incomprehensible. The less said about it here, the better, but it involved a boom box, three lip-synching women in the campiest of cowgirl attire and an astroturfed golf cart sporting a plastic flower and one sickly hay bale. We decided to go far away for dinner, settling ultimately on south-of-the-border cuisine--way south--past the Sahara Avenue equator to Inka Peruvian Grill. Inka is the sole U.S. franchise of Lima, Peru-based Si Señor Restaurantes.

Perusal of the menu revealed a leaning toward the pricey, but hey, if it's worth it, it's worth it. We started with the Papa a la Huancaina appetizer ($6.50), an intentionally tepid dish of boiled potatoes in a mild "Aji" and cottage sauce (very like Hollandaise) and served with boiled egg, olive and lettuce. A humble arrangement, and quite tasty. You gotta savor the simplicity of an appetizer like this to really enjoy it.

We were divided in our enjoyment of the entrees. The Champiñones Saltados ($10.95) consists of sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes and onions--all served over french fries...not quite as tasty.

There was a scallop fiend among us. She ordered the Picante de Mariscos ($12.95): shrimp, scallops and calamari served with boiled potatoes and rice. This one, according to the menu, incorporates a spicier version of the same aforementioned Aji sauce, although it was hard to tell the difference, and the scallop fiend wound up a little nonplussed. True, Peruvian cuisine is known for its mildness compared to Mexican. Such was certainly the case here, so it may be no surprise that palates used to spicier fare were disappointed.

The most carnivorous member of our party did find happiness in his Lomo del Inka ($12.95), a cut of grilled beef tenderloin with red sauce and malted cheese with rice and beans. Then again, this guy is known for ordering bread-and-meat subs without condiments. The last one of us had already eaten at home, but he braved cooties and shared a bit of his Pisco Sour ($5.50), a milky Peruvian margarita and a good one at that. Inka offers a full bar, as well as Flamenco or Andean music every Friday night.

This restaurant has garnered some good reviews since its opening three years ago, and the menu does claim, "Our food is so homemade that it never tastes the same." Fair enough. I'll probably come back, but only because of the enormous-footed Heckle 'n Jeckle cartoon magpie things painted high on the wall. They put me at ease.