We decided to grab dinner at the newly opened restaurant, Surco, to celebrate M's survival after his near death experience today. Surco started out as a food cart in downtown Madison but the owners opened a restaurant on the east side of town. The interior was clean but seemed unfinished. M ordered the Aji de Gallina and I ordered Lomo Saltado with a Chicha Morada drink.
Before the food arrived, we received two rolls with a yellow pepper butter and my chicha morada. I don't know if the bread was old or if it had been warmed in an oven for a while, but it was overly crusty and tasted stale. On top of the bread being crusty and stale, it was a sweet Hawaiian roll which did not pair well with the butter. The butter was palatable but there was no hint of peppers in it. The chicha morada smelled like chicha morada but tasted more like pomegranate or a watered down and sweetened cranberry drink. It was not worth the $3.
We waited a while before the food came out and when it did, our plates looked promising. However, food is seldom based on looks alone. The lomo saltado was bland though it proved to be the best dish. The seasoned beef was under-cooked and tasted like it was flavored with only a spritz of soy sauce. The fries were unseasoned, but the rice was satisfactory. The aji de gallina was unimpressive and disappointing. The shredded chicken was over-cooked, dry, and covered in a sauce that closely resembled Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup in taste and color.
I like the family that owns Surco and I really wanted to like their food, but $17 for the lomo saltado and $16 for the aji de gallina was overpriced to say the least. Even if the menu was reasonably priced, I don't think I would go back. Food cart, maybe, but restaurant, no. If you want Peruvian cuisine, please go to
Inka Heritage.
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| Chicha morada on the left, pepper butter on the right with the crusty rolls wrapped up and out of sight |
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| Aji de gallina |
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| Lomo saltado |
I've travelled to Peru and enjoyed authentic Peruvian cuisine. Surco's food is rather bland and poorly executed for a "fine dining" restaurant. Inka Heritage is a better choice.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Inka Heritage and was not satisfied with their food at all. But at least I don't talk shit about them, unlike other people who just find enjoyment at writing bullshit blogs. I know that family and this is their first time opening a restaurant. So I understand they are doing their best.
DeleteIt's obvious that you're taking this review personally and not looking objectively at the issues addressed. Since this is their first time opening a restaurant, Sucro should acknowledge these issues and use the review to grow otherwise they're bound to leave their customers unsatisfied.
DeleteWell said. If you hold yourself out to the public as a restaurateur then you need to be able to take honest critisism from your customers.
DeleteI went to Surco and had the lomo slatato and my experience was totally different. I do agree restauranteurs need to take criticism, but i did not find this blog as a constructive criticism. you're basically people telling people to go to a different restaurant, what does one place got to do with another!
ReplyDelete