Mochikas Peruvian Cafe

The place is very easy to miss as it's located on the corner of W. 5th and Pine inside a large auto spa called Platinum Touch. The signage outside the building is not very noticeable, such as the small banner near the modest entrance and the signboard hidden around the corner. The cafe is not very big with around 5 tables and a couple of stool seats. In addition to cafe fare, there is a small area near the food counter with Peruvian grocery items like olive oil, sauces, and random snacks.

One item we were interested in was the chupe de mariscos (L: $14), a spicy soup with seafood and rice. It was very creamy because one of the ingredients was cream. There was a lot of seafood including mussels, shrimp, fish, clams and calamari, so the soup was rich in flavour. The spiciness came from aji panca, a chili pepper commonly used in Peruvian cuisine, but it was very mild with a fruity fragrance.

We also tried the seco de cordero ($12), a stewed lamb dish with rice and beans. Even though the presentation was not particularly appealing, the lamb was really tender and the thick cilantro sauce was savoury and tasty.

I was surprised at how tasty the food was despite the place being a hole-in-the-wall establishment. But of course other aspects such as ambiance and service were not so good. The server was definitely friendly but lacked experience. Another issue was that the water tasted funny... There was a particular flavour that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I didn't know if it was accidental or done on purpose, so I didn't drink much of it just to be safe. Then again, these are things I would be willing to overlook for the sake of good food at reasonable prices.