Pollo El Rey
Stopped in for lunch and was a bit disappointed. I love roast chicken and the Peruvian version is up there on my list (although the grilled Mexican kind is king in my book when it comes to ethnic chickens). Somehow, the texture of their chicken is off — more like boiled instead of roasted. Weird. The papas fritas (fries) were the usual frozen variety but the salad was really, really fresh. Their aji verde (green chile) sauce, however, is divine and I wish they bottled it because I’d be ordering it by the crate every month. It’s the best I’ve had anywhere, with the perfect consistency and spot on taste.
I also ordered my favorite, the chicha morada, a cold drink made by boiling purple maize with pineapple rind, cinnamon and cloves then sweetened with sugar. Unlike at other places, theirs was a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Overall, I am not too keen about this place. I much prefer Contigo Peru on Peachtree Industrial Blvd or Mambo’s in Alpharetta.
By the way, did I mention that I saw my server go out and come back with 2 grocery bags full of half chickens brought from the grocery next door? Hmmm.
Insider tip:
Located inside the International Plaza on BuHi near the North Druid Hills intersection.
The scoop:
Pollo El Rey
3337 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 327-8819
Technorati Tags: Peruvian cuisine, roast chicken, pollo a la brasa, chicha morado, Buford Hwy
