Peruvian food is not as popular as you would find as BBQ, Sushi, Pizza, etc. Some flavors will taste familiar as Peruvian food has been heavily influenced from different cuisines such as Spanish, Italian, & Asian.

Casa Inka in Fountain Valley does a wonderful job, the food is always delicious, fresh, and consistent. All Peruvian restaurants offer an “Aji Sauce”, which is typically served with bread and to pair along with your dishes. Aji sauce is a spicy sauce that often contains chili’s, cilantro, onions, etc, and becomes very addicting! Here at Casa Inka, they offer an their Aji sauce, as well as their Aji Roja, which is the one I favor, a definite spicy addicting kick. To top it off they serve their sauces with buttery garlic bread.

To start, besides their delicious bread and sauces, we decided to go with their  Jalea, which is fresh calamari, fish, shrimp, mussels, & scallops, lightly battered and fried golden. This is served with a house made tartar sauce, topped with their salsa criolla, which is a lightly pickled onion salad. Along the sides will be lime, make sure to add this over the dish as it helps break the richness of the fried items. An onion salad may not sound appetizing, but be rest assured this pairs perfectly with the tartar sauce and fresh fried seafood goodies.

Lomo Saltado, this is the known Peruvian entrée at any Peruvian restaurant and a must order. Steak slices cooked in a wok with onions & tomatoes, finished with a vinegar soy reduction, topped with French fries. You’re thinking French fries, really, yes … really.

You mix everything together and eat this with a side of rice and it just works, trust me, a must order as the steak is cooked perfectly and tender, along with the right crisp from the fries.

Golden Garlic is a lightly breaded white fish, served with roasted potatoes & rice, topped with a red wine, white wine, butter garlic reduction. The fish is flakey, with the right light crunchy bite on the outside from the batter. If you love garlic you will enjoy this as the butter garlic has quite the kick, nonetheless great.

Portions are very generous so if you have a sweet’s tooth make sure to not overload on bread as that’s my main issue, I’m so addicted to their Aji Roja sauce that my basket of garlic bread becomes endless. Other options I would suggest are their fresh Ceviches, it’s not your typical Mexican style ceviche serviced with tons of tomatoes and onions, rather they focus more on the seafood item itself. It is more tart but the quality of the fish is so fresh. Also if the Lomo Salado French fries & rice is throwing you off, they do offer a variation with pasta called Tallarin Saltado, cooked the same just no French fries or rice. One of my go to places and hopefully becomes yours.

Casa Inka – 8610 Warner Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 – Contact- 714.847.7555