LAReview
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Mario's Peruvian & Seafood
Mario’s Peruvian And Seafood is a Hollywood spot that specializes in, you guessed it, delicious seafood. Their ceviche mixto is a heaping mix of white fish, shrimp, and squid that gets lightly cured in fresh lemon juice. As per tradition, this all comes with boiled potatoes, steamed corn, and fresh red onion, making it a perfect size for sharing. Mario’s also has a fantastic chicharron de calamares (crispy fried squid) served with tartar sauce and pickled red onion salsa. It’s served hot and fresh from the fryer and goes great with either a fresh spritz of lemon or their ají salsa. Expect to see people hoarding to-go cups of this green sauce in their bags because it’s seriously delicious, spicy, and tart from the chili’s sharp citrus flavor.
Sign up for our newsletter.
Be the first to get expert restaurant recommendations for every situation right in your inbox.
Food Rundown
Ceviche Mixto
This squid, octopus, and shrimp ceviche is incredibly light with plenty of lemony flavor from its fragrant aji amarillo marinade. The cilantro and red onion also bring some bitterness and texture to this chewy dish, but the cooked potatoes and corn cob don’t do much for us.
Chicharrón de Calamares
This is some of the crispiest, most golden-brown calamari we’ve come across, and we’d happily eat this pile of squid by ourselves in one sitting. Everything is fried to perfection, but the dish comes with a spicy fresh tomato and pickled red onion salsa that brings tons of brightness to this savory fry-up.
Tallarín Saltado de Carne
Not only is this addictively salty, but we love how it solves our problems when we can’t decide between Italian or Chinese for dinner. The thick noodles mop up all the soy and vinegar beautifully, and the big chunks of beef release their own drippings to marinate everything else.
