La Mar Cebicheria Peruano- Pleasure on Pier 1 1/2

Will and I were on the move bright and early in the Fillmore where we discovered that San Francisco really likes to sleep in! We grabbed coffee but had to wait until the Curbside Cafe opened at 9am... I am used to diners and cafes opening for the early Saturday risers (which is never Will and I). We were intrigued by the Crab Festival happening all around the city so Will order the Crab Benedict special. I ordered the Pesto, Ham, and Ricotta omelet which was a excellent flavor combo and savory treat for breakfast. Ricotta cheese is my favorite but I had never thought to pair it with my eggs!

Saturday Night Peruvian Fever: La Mar

So our culinary tour of the city continued later that evening when we all reconvened for dinner at La Mar Cebicheria Peruana. Located on Pier 1 1/2, La Mar proved to be a sensual and savory delight. We started with.... well cocktails of course... Pisco Sours, Pisco Punch, and a 'Beso de Angel' which were on the house (they must've caught wind of this review ;). The 'Beso' had pisco acholado, tequila infused hibiscus, sherry fino, and agave nectar. Naan-tucket and Karlitas had dined at La Mar before so they guided us through the menu. I will most likely leave out a dish or two but here are a few that really stood out:

Cebiche Classico- with Halibut, red onion, habanero, and Peruvian corn and yam marinated in 'leche de tigre' (yes, tigers milk) which is lime infused with peppers. Light and fresh flavor with great texture from the corn.

Cebiche Nikei- with Ahi tuna, cucumber, daikon, avocado in a tamarind leche de tigre. YUM!The marinade in this is what really made it stand out from the more traditional Mexican ceviches I crave.

Cebiche special- We ordered the special cebiche of the evening which had Mahi Mahi and sea urchin. I'll admit I was hesitant about the sea urchin since it always makes me think of my first day in Sicily visiting a family who insisted on pulling over on the beach in the first hour of my arrival and offering me a freshly cracked open (raw and yellow-ew!) sea urchin. I wasn't adventurous back then so have never been prone to ordering sea urchin. But, this cebiche was my absolute favorite of all 3! It had a rich and creamy taste that you usually don't find in a ceviche marinated in citrus. I was blown away and ready for more!

Anticuchos de Pulpo- Octopus. One of the fruits of the sea I just won't eat. So I have Naan-tucket to thank since he ordered and encouraged me to try this dish. He said 'if you don't like octopus, you'll reconsider after trying this!'. I couldn't resist and was pleasantly surprised at the smokey flavor and meaty texture.

Causea Limena- Peru is best known for their unbelievable variety of potatoes so we had to dive in and try a traditional whipped potato dish. We chose one with Dungeness Crab, avocado puree, quail egg, cherry tomatoes, and a traditional aji amarillo Huancaina sauce with basil cilantro oil. It was served in three canapes which we all split to enjoy. It tasted like... the best potato salad you've ever wrapped your lips around! At least that was the rave review the table consented on! The flavor in the potato is really what brought the creamy richness to the dish- the other ingredients only enhanced the natural flavor.

Cau Cau- Roasted scallops and clams, potatoes, sweet pea and corn risotto with aji amarillo mint broth. Great main dish that provided the perfect balance of seafood, starch, and flavor. If this is what they serve in Peru I definitely need to book my next trip there!

There wasn't anything that we ordered that I wasn't blown away by and since we had a good size group of 7- there was a lot to try!It was a pleasurable experience to have so many foreign spices and sauces introduced to my palate. Coming from Santa Barbara where we have great dining options- the one area I feel we lack is the ethnic variety. You can find exquisite Mexican, Italian, French, and Japanese... but Peruvian? I will have to return to San Francisco to scratch that itch!