OK, DEAR READERS, everyone who has had authentic Peruvian food here in New Jersey, raise your hand. Let’s see, that makes four of you!
Well, neither had we until we got a hot tip to try Runa, a six-month-old gem of a place on Monmouth Street across from the Count Basie Theatre, at the site of the former Earthly Delights.
We’d like to keep this place our little secret, but that would be unfair to you and Marita Lynn, the incredibly talented Peruvian chef, and her small, hardworking team, who help her put out food that will divert your conversation away from the trivialities of the day and demand that you give your full attention. You can feel the love in every authentic dish. Having trained at the Institute of Culinary Education, Chef Lynn elevates her family recipes to create a unique and rewarding dining experience.
We were in new territory with this food, but it is so good, and the wait staff so helpful, that we could have chosen virtually anything from the expansive menu and been happy. This is a BYO, and one of our guests surprised us with a mason jar of her homemade Pisco Sour for us to imbibe with the Ceviches a perfect pairing. While we perused the menu, we were served a basket with some killer homemade potato chips and a dipping sauce of Peruvian Botija olives and olive oil that was flat-out delicious. This sauce was the first of many to follow that showcased Chef Lynn’s expertise as a serious saucier.
We started with Ceviche con Camaron y Alcachofas ($19): thinly sliced shrimp and artichokes mixed with aji amarillo, a subtly spicy yellow pepper, and Leche de tigre, or tiger’s milk, a Peruvian citrus-based marinade that cures seafood in a ceviche. Garnished with crunchy Peruvian corn, white hominy, and sweet potato slices, it was utterly captivating. So much so, that we rushed to order all of the other ceviches and a Tiradito (thinly sliced catch of the day fluke, that night) with a creamy version of that aji amarillo. The other ceviches were excellent, but plated with similar saucing and condiments, so we suggest that our readers savor one or two, and save room for the authentic and delicious small plates.
La Huancaina ($9) was a deceptively simple plate of room-temperature, cooked, sliced potatoes with a creamy cheese sauce, sliced egg, and Botija olives. Simplicity, honesty, and lushness all in one dish!
The Anticucho de Pollo ($10) were chicken skewers marinated in Aji Panca, a smoky and fruity, hot, but not fiery, Peruvian pepper, with some very crispy potatoes, and Huacatay (black mint) sauce an elegant and richly flavored appetizer.
Runa Empanada ($8), a fresh-made vegetarian version, had a crisp crust surrounding quinoa, potato, aji amarillo, and queso fresco stuffing savory comfort food!
Aguadito Soup ($9) was shredded chicken and cooked rice in a light but complex and soul-satisfying green broth of cilantro and yellow pepper. The Lomo Saltado ($23), a traditional beef stir-fry reflecting the Chinese influence in Peruvian cuisine, was piled high on the plate with red onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, and as is true to custom, thick french fries and white rice. Once again, great depth of flavor in the sauce made this dish memorable. \
The outstanding chicken entrée was the Pollo a la Brasa (full $24, half $16), a local organic, roasted chicken, marinated in Peruvian spices, with those amazing roasted potatoes, some Ajisauces, and a refreshing side dish of cool mixed salad. It was crispy on the outside, and moist and juicy inside excellent!
A thick piece of seared mahi-mahi ($25) sat atop a pool of vibrant orange mango/aji Amarillo sauce, was topped with roasted seasonal vegetables, and looked as gorgeous as it tasted.
We thought the Jalea ($24) was a contender for DOTN (dish of the night) – a mix of catch of the day, shrimp, calamari, and mussels, very lightly battered and fried, with yucca and salsa criolla. A clean, crisp coating shimmered on the fish and seafood, imparting just the right degree of seasoning and texture.
Somehow, we found room for two desserts: a deeply flavored Quinoa Flan ($7) with dark sugar cane; a bit more textured and less silky than the usual flan, and Bread Pudding ($7) a sweet, rich dish, encircled with caramel, and topped with lucuma mousse (a subtropical fruit with flavors of maple and sweet potato); one serving was more than enough for our foursome. We brought a variety of wines to see which pairings worked best, and decided that very crisp, citrus-driven whites (Sancerre or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) would mirror the taste of the seafood dishes, or sweeter German Rieslings would be a fine contrast. For reds, we struck out with a corked 2005 Granges de Peres Syrah, a too soft 2007 Pax Obsidian Syrah, and a good, but not exciting, 2005 Heredia Rioja Crianza. We plan to return with some rich Malbecs from South America, some fruity Cali cabs, and maybe a beer or two, now that we have cali- brated the flavor profiles of the menu.
You need only to visit Red Bank to taste classic Peruvian cuisine, a delicious fusion of Incan food with Spanish, African, Asian, French, and Italian influ- ences, which the immigrants brought with them.
The Two Bobs rate Runa: Excellent.
RUNA 110 Monmouth St., Red Bank 732-758-8904
Bob Sacks, wine aficionado, and Bob Sickles, owner and operator of Sickles Market, will be reviewing restaurants in this bimonthly column.
