Ethnic Fusion’s Best New Friend: Causita

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Ricardo Zarate’s Causita Restaurant in Silverlake, translates into “little friend,” perfect for the congenial Ricardo. Chef Ricardo serves his beloved Nikkei Peruvian food, refined Japanese-influenced Peruvian dishes.  Culminating a decade-old career in Los Angeles, breathtaking Causita does the neighborhood proud.

The parade of splendid dishes, as tasty as they are picture-perfect, on the inviting patio combine the best of Peru’s ridiculous abundance of potatoes and seafood: Octopus – with goat cheese-chorizo mousse, gotija olive aioli, ceviche aioli, and peewee potatoes; Ceviche with leche de tigre (Peruvian ceviche sauce), sweet potato and fried calamari; Roasted artichokes with avocado with a spark of radish and popped quinoa; Little Gem Caesar salad – creamy dressing, Parmesan, lightly cured anchovies and popped quinoa.

Larger plates includes Soba noodles with asparagus, mixed with Peruvian mint and fresh herbs, garlic, popped quinoa and plum soy dressing with aji (Peruvian chiles); Roasted chicken with almond sun-dried tomato pesto, roasted bell peppers and Parmesan; Spicy seabass tamal – with mushroom-coffee jus, masa made from Peruvian choclo corn, and aioli made with Peruvian chiles

And for house-made desserts, welcome even after the satisfying parade of light, satisfying dishes: Churro donuts filled with soft caramel, served with raspberry sauce and Matcha (green tea) cake accompanied by passion fruit ice cream.

Hokkaido scallops bites sit on yellow potato beds atop curved slices of cooling cucumber. These are very special Mini causas, a traditional Peruvian potato dish. There are over 400 kinds of potatoes in Peru! Each has a different topping: crab with wasabi and tobiko, sun dried tomato, tuna and scallop

Crispy wisps of calamari topped a bowl of mixed ceviche. The Little Gem Caesar features classic crispy romaine lettuce with popped quinoa and lightly cured anchovies, ever so lightly coated with a creamy dressing.

Sea bass steamed in a banana leaf, sharing its bed with soft corn masa, seasoned with mushroom jus with coffee.

Roasted chicken with Almond pesto, roasted peppers and Parmesan, crispy on the outside and tender inside.

Pretty as a picture Tapas with olive aioli, a garland of octopus ceviche the famous Peruvian potatoes, along with feta cheese and chorizo mousse.

Dessert at Causita, Silverlake is remarkably welcome even after the glorious procession of casitas because they are so satisfying yet so light. The first is an elevated street food and the second the second a representative tea cake flavored with matcha tea.

Two of Andrea’s “finds” she championed to stardom are Chefs Kimmy Tang & Ricardo Zarate. Vietnamese Kimmy has been chef-owner of a number of fast-food noodle concepts and a fine dining restaurant. Ricardo has opened restaurants across the city. Both are cookbook authors and both are as kind as they are talented.

See our LocalFoodEater.com chef spotlights on each of them.

Causita, 3709 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, (323) 546-0505. Open 5PM · Monday – Saturday, More hours and menu: Menu: causita-la.com