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This Issue 02/26/2009

• Guilty Pleasures: Taylor Swift, "Love Story" (2008)
• Los Angeles, We Have a Problem
• Se Habla Cantonese
• Cuban Rhythms
• Keeping An Eye On Watchmen
• From the Editor: 2.26.09
• Chippin' In
• Mob Rules

During a five-hour layover in Lima, I had my first encounter with a chifa — the term for the ubiquitous Chinese restaurants of Peru. While it may seem like a strange concept, Peru boasts some of the best Chinese food outside of China, due to a huge influx of Chinese immigrants and a wide variety of fresh seafood from the country’s coast. Jose Garces — Philadelphia’s rising star chef and owner of Amada, Tinto and Distrito — recently brought the concept of Peruvian-Chinese fusion to the City of Brotherly Love.

Stepping into the dimly lit space marked by delicate blue porcelain vases, oriental lanterns, dramatic red walls and black lacquer ornamentation, it's clear that Chifa is a glorified version of its namesake. Misty photographs of Machu Picchu adorn the restaurant’s main booths, evoking an ethereal image of Peru.

Located not far from Chinatown at 7th and Chestnut, Chifa offers a wide selection of Peruvian and Asian-inspired dishes. As in Garces’ other restaurants, most items on the menu are tapas-style small plates. In the center of the dining room, a long communal table dotted with lazy susans suggests that the menu is meant for sharing. The décor at Chifa may be much more lavish than any chifa in the Southern hemisphere, but it is clear that each dish was created with careful observation of Peruvian and Peruvian-Chinese cuisine. While the menu is split between Asian-inspired categories — dim sum, noodles and rice — and Peruvian specialties — ceviche, ensaladas, bocatas and carne — each plate combines elements from the two vastly different culinary traditions.

As we perused the drink menu, our meal began with deliciously chewy rolls made from yuca flour and manchego cheese, served alongside sweet and tangy guava butter. To drink, I ordered the classic Peruvian specialty, a pisco sour ($6). Topped with egg white foam and drizzled with bitters, this sugary drink remains true to its origins. Another traditional cocktail option — served by the glass ($8) or pitcher ($32) — is the chicha morada, a spiced punch brewed in house from imported Peruvian purple corn flavored with cloves, cinnamon and pineapple.