El Chalan

My wife's birthday weekend back in late February continued (following attendance of the play On Your Feet! the day before) with a late lunch the next day at El Chalan, a Peruvian restaurant in west Miami on Bird Road in an unassuming strip shopping center.  A bustling, friendly joint that sported a very diverse mix of patrons, some of whom had gigantic meals and others who just popped in for an entrada.  My father-in-law's girlfriend is a longtime fan.  We became new ones.

To begin, we shared the causa limena, a sort of chicken salad dish (you can opt for tuna instead) topped with a yellow potato mash.  My entree was the shrimp picante - shrimp smothered along with hard boiled eggs, olives, and diced potatoes in a red bechamel sauce.  Just spicy enough.  I did not make it a Picante de Mariscos - calamari and octopus on the side, but I'll bet it's fabulous.  FIL's gf had the Aji de Gallina - shredded chicken in a yellow chili cheese sauce.  This was my second choice and will be my first next time.  The influence of other cuisines around the world (Asian, European, African) is evident.  There is an extensive selection of cerviche.  I heard the smoothies are good, too. 

El Chalan has been around for over 35 years, along with a second location on Miami Beach.   Check them out!

El Chalan

7971 Bird Road

Miami, FL  33155

305-266-0212