My friend, Laurene, and I were starving, so we decided to look for something to eat in Bernal Heights. After a short deliberation (Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack was the other contender), we walked into Inkas. I’m not very familiar with Peruvian food, since I tried it for the first time when I moved up to the Bay for college. Mexican was pretty much the only Latin American cuisine that I had tried extensively. Based on my few experiences ceviche, fried chicken, and lots of potatoes seem to be the motifs of Peruvian cuisine. I’m definitely not complaining about that. Anyway, Inkas was an interesting experience, definitely one worth sharing.

The place was empty when we sat, but we had the luxury of some very personal service. Our waitress brought out a complementary glass of this purple drink, known as chicha morada. My weak Spanish skills helped here a bit, as I remembered that morada is purple maize, but the drink looked daunting. The drink itself was strong in flavor and very sweet; cloves and cinnamon give the drink a very spicy kick. I can’t say I was the greatest fan, but it was interesting and definitely an acquired taste. The waitress kept refilling the cup, so I had to drink it, since Laurene was definitely not feeling it as much, haha.

We started with the ceviche mixto, which had fish, shrimp, calamari, and mussels. This one was a winner. The lime dressing was just right and was easily one of the better ceviches I’ve had. Even came with a bit of corn and potatoes. Good stuff.

Next up was the pollo ala brasa. We ordered the half, which was more than enough for us. Nothing particularly spectacular about the chicken; it was a good piece of rotisserie chicken, with a lot of flavor in the skin. The meat itself was lacking a bit, but it was moist. The fries were run-of-the-mill flavor-wise, but they were deep-fried perfectly (soft inside, crispy outside), so they were pretty good.

I was not enthralled with this dish at all. This was the picante de mariscos, which was basically the same seafood components as the ceviche, but in a spicy chile onion cream sauce. Tasted like a Chinese dish, which isn’t bad, but not what I expected or wanted. The rice on the side just increased the Asian-ness. I think I was disappointed because I wanted something more exotic or different, but my palate associated the dish with Chinese cuisine as opposed to something more stereotypically Latin American or more specifically, Peruvian. In retrospect, I realize that I tend to categorize food into specific flavor profiles and tend to disregard anything that remotely resembles fusion cuisine as completely inauthentic. However, Peruvian cuisine is just that.. a fusion of South American, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian flavors that reflect its diverse cultural heritage. I think I have to learn to be a bit more open to flavors that crossover into unexpected places. Thanks Inkas for teaching me a gastronomic lesson, haha. Not some of the best or trendiest Peruvian food here (I think Fresca and Limon take that title in the city), but a good spot with a very friendly staff.

Inkas
3299 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
415-648-0111
They seriously have to get a real sign. Canvas just doesn’t cut it, especially if it’s over a year old.