If you're like me, you have a method to your eating out plan. For example, I have favorites I'll go to when I'm out and about and suddenly feel like I can't go one more second without eating. Some places are a bit higher on the food chain than the places I go when eating out with others. These places are usually upscale casual. Then, some places are fine dining at the level right before "get your name on the reservation list weeks ahead of time" fine dining.

So one Saturday for lunch, my cousin and I decided to try a new restaurant that would match the "let's treat ourselves to a great experience that includes creative food and a refined ambiance." That's how we landed on Chicha Peruvian Kitchen. I'll say this much (actually, I'll say much more), our choice was excellent! My cousin lives in the Sacramento area, and I live in the foothills of Placer County. We both agreed that this restaurant is worth driving to eat at, no matter where you live. Read on to learn why you'll feel the same way.

Setting the Stage

Chicha Peruvian Kitchen is beautiful. While it's located in one of the most unassuming areas of Roseville, Chicha Peruvian Kitchen is by no means a casual place to dine. When you enter the front door, you get that feeling you're about to spice up your routine. I first noticed that the ambiance is sophisticated and modern and pays tribute to the Peruvian culture beautifully.

The energy in the restaurant is set to be both relaxing and engaging. The seating space is all open but intimate. Everything is so well placed, including the alternating white and red linen napkins at each setting, and each centerpiece is a lovely wine bottle. Not one detail was overlooked to create a comfortable, upscale ambiance. This is a place where form does follow function. The food was superior in every way!

Vibrant, Diverse, Fresh

When we landed on Chicha Peruvian Kitchen, it wasn't because we had loads of experience in this style of food. Okay, I'll admit, being Portuguese and raised on food that leans heavily on bold spices, hardy seafood, and various potatoes. So Peruvian food, for my cousin and I, had to meet or beat a powerful presence in the culinary world.

Peruvian cuisine, like that of Portugal, is influenced by access to an ocean. As a South American country, Peru's territorial waters reach 200 miles into the Pacific Ocean. Knowing the geography, my cousin and I knew having seafood for our meals was a no-brainer. I had the Chupe de Camaron, and my cousin chose the Arroz con Mariscos. All I can say is we both went a bit crazy when we saw our plates. The food was not only artistically plated but smelled otherworldly. I appreciate it when food is prepared in a way that has variety in each bite. My meal consisted of a creamy chowder that hinted at milk but with enough bold spices to set it apart from the typical white chowder. It was creamy, with aromatics prepared in a way that blended in yet retained their contribution to the flavor. I had to ask what pepper was used to give the dish its excellent heat. I learned it's a paste made from Aji Amarillo. This paste is a blend of the best Peruvian peppers with mild heat, leaving plenty of room to appreciate the sweet undertones. I ate every bite and would have licked the bowl, but I was in public! My cousin was more than happy with her Arroz con Mariscos, which pays tribute to the Spanish Paella. But what's a great meal with the topper called dessert?

Dessert at Chicha Peruvian Kitchen meets the high standards of the restaurant's cuisine. There are several freshly made desserts to satisfy all dessert categories. For those who love chocolate, the Torta de Chocolate looked like a dark chocolate lover's dream. If cheesecake is the thing, a version of it highlights passion fruit. If you want to try something more traditional, the Alfajores is a sandwich-style cookie filled with dulce de leche. I couldn't resist trying something new and will give this treat a big two thumbs up! The cookie was buttery and soft enough on the outside to allow for the mildly sweet caramel to hold its own. Here's an insider tip. There's flan but not every day so you have to be ready to choose the right day for it. Unfortunately, we didn't choose the right day, but we were thrilled because it gave us a built-in excuse to return to Chicha Peruvian Kitchen sooner rather than later! If you're a fan of Peruvian cuisine, you won't be disappointed with Chicha Peruvian Kitchen. If you haven't tried it yet, prepare to be in for a true treat.

True treats like Chicha Peruvian Kitchen are part of what makes the Roseville community such a great place. As your neighborhood self-storage facility, Roseville Self Storage is proud to be a member of the Roseville community. We strive to provide an excellent self-storage service because the community deserves nothing less. One of the things we do is make sure our valued customers know where to dine, recreate, shop, and find reliable services. We take the time to learn about great places like Chicha Peruvian Kitchen so that we can acclimate our customers to a community that may be new to them. Please come see us at Roseville Self Storage and share what you'd like others in the community to try.

Chicha Peruvian Kitchen
1079 Sunrise Ave, Suite O
Roseville, CA 95661
916-666-7998
Open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm, Saturday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, and Sunday from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm.
chichaperuviankitchens.com