Pollo ala Brasa

polloallabrasa
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

you think you've had good chicken? i challenge you to try the pollo at this peruvian hole-in-the-wall joint and tell me you've had better. pollo ala brasa is the name, and juicy, tender and smoky-flavored rotisseried chicken is the game at this odd-little shack, which shares a tiny triangle-shaped island in the middle of koreatown with a car wash. one look at the humongous pile of wood stacked against the outside wall and you know these people mean business when they're firing up their grill.

the place is apparently run by japanese-peruvians (not so uncommon -- think alberto fujimori), demonstrated by the ubiquitous cat with its paw in the air behind the counter and the freewheeling spanish spoken by the japanese-looking people running the cash register.

i love to get the half or whole chicken combo -- comes with fries and a salad (with beets -- love 'em!) to split w/ one or two other people, depending on how hungry we are. on this day, grant and i were famished and we nearly finished the whole chicken combo (pictured above) before we gave up. the green chili sauce that comes with your food is lethal, but oh-so-good with the chicken and an icy, cold horchata is the perfect milky-sweet antidote to the heat. i can't wait 'til my next visit.