Jonathan Gold Reviews Mo-Chica Downtown

Jonathan Gold was one of Mo-Chica chef Ricardo Zarate's first fans. Years ago he raved about Zarate's tiny Mercado La Paloma stall, helping to catapult the chef into the Los Angeles food blogosphere and beyond. Naturally, Gold is a fan of the relocated and matured Mo-Chica, deciding that Zarate's traditional Peruvian plates finally live in the home they deserve:

Ricardo Zarate's Peruvian restaurant seems to define the downtown thing at the moment: It's a high-style warren on 7th Street, down the block from Bottega Louie, where the scene is as important as the drinks, and the drinks are as vital as the food.

Zarate's signature quinotto, a rich, intensely flavored "risotto" made with quinoa and wild mushrooms, is finally prepared with the finesse it deserves. His aesthetic of elevating Peruvian recipes with modern techniques and fine ingredients clearly deserves its stage.

[Photo: Elizabeth Daniels]

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