Top Tickets: February 21–27
Taste ancient drinks, celebrate Black History Month, listen to great tunes, and more this week in the East Bay.
This Peruvian hot spot has it all. The background beat of the music amplifies the menu’s bold, spicy flavors. Vivid presentations—typified by the lustrous yellows of the ají amarillo chile—echo Parada’s high-energy dining room. (The serene patio stands in stark relief to the tight interior.) Owner and chef Carlos Altamirano uses contrast to remarkable effect: Mashed blue potatoes underlie sublime chewy grilled Spanish octopus. A chilled slice of vibrant yam mellows lime-and-chile-spiked ceviche. Lush and lightning-hot mushroom chicharrónes come with a cool and creamy dip. Portions are also impressive: Skewers of spice-rubbed pork belly are offset with a grilled mint-spiked potato, while a gorgeous hunk of pork adobo is paired with a handsomely presented potato gratin. Start with refined sangria and wind down with a toasted quinoa–flecked flan: It was only a little less sweet than the server on our visit. Lunch and dinner daily.
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