Tanta isn’t the only Peruvian restaurant in Chicago—Macchu Picchu and Taste of Peru are two that come quickly to mind—but it is certainly the most high profile, and in my mind, the tastiest and most interesting.
Chef Gaston Acurio, arguably Peru’s most famous restaurateur and its foremost food ambassador, has partnered with the VBD Group to create what he calls a “family-style casual concept.” But let’s be clear. “Family style” means shareable plates rather than bring your young kids. It’s not THAT casual. And it skews young, but not THAT young. Think hip and urban. It is in River North, after all.
Chef de Cuisine Jesus Delgado was brought in from Acurio’s La Mar in San Francisco to run the kitchen at Tanta, and it’s obvious from the first bite of fried plantain chip that he knows his way around these ingredients.
And those drinks…can we talk about the drinks? Let’s start with pisco, the grape brandy made in Peru’s wine regions. Going beyond the classic Pisco Sour, Tanta is serving up numerous craft cocktails ($12) with the alluring spirit.
Some are made to order, like La Guapa, with City of London Gin, rhubarb, lavender, lemon juice and Cremant de Bourgogne, a sparkling rosé. It’s light and refreshing and addictive. Or opt for one of the drinks on tap, like the Lima Llama, a Peruvian Mule with Barsol Quebarta Pisco, lime and ginger beer, a little spicy and a lot of delish. You could also run the table with an infused pisco tasting ($16). You’ve got options.
Staples of Peruvian food include corn, quinoa, potatoes and chiles, all represented in force on the Tanta menu. You’ll notice a distinct Japanese influence as well, especially in the Niguris Nikei ($9), the Peruvian version of sushi, here with skirt steak and quail egg, mahi and avocado, or smoky beef and bay scallops.
A variety of Cebiches (small $12, large $18) are offered. The Nikei (ahi tuna, avocado, cucumber and tamarind) was terrific, while we found the Criollo (mahi, squid, shrimp, aji amarillo and Peruvian corn) to be underseasoned, with too much corn and too little fish.
Causitas ($9) are little rectangles of whipped, golden Peruvian potato topped with various ingredients, like crab or ahi tuna. We tried the Limena, which sported a small scoop of super yummy chicken salad and a hard-boiled quail egg.
The Empanadas ($9 for two) were fine examples of this Latin staple, deep-fried rather than baked, and featured a beef filling with a sweet and sour tang. Drizzled with an aji amarillo cream and sprinkled with chopped onions and peppers, they were a crowd pleaser.
The do-not-miss entrée is the Pollo a la Brasa ($19 for a half chicken, $32 for a whole). The locally sourced Amish chicken is cooked Peruvian style and served with stewed cannellini beans, rice, mixed green salad, thick-cut fried potatoes and several aji sauces. Even the half size is a meal for two with some appetizers. It’s fabulous, juicy, smoky and oh-so-tasty.
We found the Chupe ($22), a traditional Peruvian stew with prawns and potatoes, delicious but very rich; the Seco de Cordero ($32), a massive braised lamb shank with stewed cannellini beans and veggies, had good flavor and fell off the bone.
Be smarter than us and remember to order the Los Picarones ($9), warm pumpkin and sweet-potato fritters with spiced cane sugar syrup; they take a little longer. But we were perfectly content with the Alfajor ($8), soft dulce de leche caramel sandwiched by thin shortbread cookies and topped with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla-bean ice cream. Dessert nirvana can also be achieved with the Mazamorra Crumble ($8), the unlikely pairing of purple Peruvian corn and fruit, covered with an oat-almond crust and more vanilla-bean ice cream.
An excursion to Tanta, while not inexpensive, is certainly cheaper than a tour of Peru, and much easier to visit on the spur of the moment. It’s a happy trip to take!
3.5 out of 5 stars (B+)
Tanta
118 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago
312-222-9700
All photos by Anjali Pinto.
