Come for the Causa, Stay for the Churrasco

  

Los Andes Restaurant

903 Chalkstone Ave.
Providence, RI

401-649-4911

            Although it’s exterior appearance may not show it, Los Andes has one of the most unique and enticing atmospheres of any restaurant I’ve been too. Immediately when you walk in you are greeted with the aromas of South American spices and a multitude of varying cultural decor. Though the restaurant itself isn’t large, the owners have done a tremendous job incorporating a bar and dinning room with the space available.  The liveliness of the staff and diners helps set the overall hospitable ambiance and familial tone of Los Andes. The restaurant and staff’s overall cleanliness and uniformity was spot on, and made the experience all the more enjoyable. Throughout the duration of my meal, the waitress was extremely polite and delightful. I was seated immediately, the food came out quickly, and my glass was never empty. What more could you ask for? Los Andes has perfected the art of atmosphere and service.

            More diverse then the décor is the selection of food. A plethora of indigenous South American classics composed the very dynamic menu, and I found myself being indecisive in what to get. After skimming the menu for many minutes I found that the Causa Limena was the appetizer of choice. Causa, a staple in Peruvian cuisine, is chilled whipped potatoes filled with an avocado puree and shredded chicken. It is then topped with garlic butter, a slice of hard-boiled egg and a creamy huancaina sauce. The presentation of the Causa was fantastic. It allowed this usually heavily portioned dish to be transformed into one perfect taste. The balance between the creaminess of the potatoes and the chew of the shredded chicken, in my mind, is what made this dish. The huancaina, on the other hand, tied every flavor together to create a delicious Peruvian classic. After devouring the appetizer, I quickly moved to the main course. The Churrasco del Gaucho, a personal favorite of mine, caught my eye and I felt obligated to order it. Churrasco, a traditional Southern Bolivian and Argentinian dish, is simply a term used for grilled meat. Although it may sound very straightforward, the Churrasco at Los Andes is so much more. Cilantro rice, a chef salad, fried yucca and a traditional chimichurri sauce accompany this enormous 16-ounce rib eye. Although I found the normally flavorful chimichurri sauce to be a bit underwhelming, the steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and had a good amount of char. The tenderness of the steak and the crunch of the yucca provided great texture contrast while the vegetables in the salad gave the necessary acidity to the dish. All together, the Churrasco was delicious but as far as presentation, it was lacking. Lastly, I ordered the Majadito de Charque. How cured shredded beef mixed with rice and caramelized onions, topped with sweet plantains and two fried eggs. I think the description says it all. This was amazing! The salty notes in the beef, mixed with the sweetness of the plantains and the richness of the perfectly cooked egg yolk made for a perfect South American classic. The plating of this was good, but there isn’t much you can do with a heaping mound of food on a plate. Over all, this dish was by far the best thing I ordered. Even though there was fantastic color contrast, the plate seemed to be very scattered and there was no height to the dish. Despite the minor errors in plating and seasoning, the food was outstanding and Los Andes has secured a spot on my “Favorites” list.

For a college student, Los Andes may not be the most affordable option. An entrée can run you anywhere from 10 to 27 dollars. This may seem a little steep but the quality of food and portion size cannot be beat. Any of the entrée selections could easily be spilt into two portions. I even found myself struggling to finish even half of my Churrasco. In my opinion, the price is fair but maybe not on a typical college budget.

From the food to the service to the ambiance, Los Andes has met and exceeded my expectations. Los Andes has created a very welcoming and vibrant environment, true to the culture of South America. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone craving “El sabor de Los Andes”.

Cost: $$$

Star rating: 4/5