My first Peruvian expedition

So this kid I know that sometimes goes by "Marz", whom I got Pho'ed recently, hails from Peru. Well, really he hails from Long Island originally, but his parents are from Peru. So he knows some stuff about his native food....as well as Peruvian food. My friends Frank and Aimee from Toms River wanted to try something different (we got Kabobs a few weeks back), so I called Marz to get some advice regarding what to order at the Peruvian spot in Toms River called Chim Pum Callao. He dropped some knowledge on me, because I didn't know what I was in for. The weather sucked, and the mood was kinda dim. My last food adventure was rather weak, which hit me where it hurt, and I needed a success to get me back on the horse, so to speak. We rolled into the EMPTY restaurant armed with a few things to look for on the menu and a complete lack of experience eating Peruvian food.

We started with some Escabeche de pollo as an appetizer, as Marz had suggested we try. WOW. Tangy and flavorful, slightly crispy, with awesome fried potatoes and onions. Amazing. I got a steak meal with rice, fried plantains, a fried egg, and french fries on the side. The steak was well-marinated and thin, but tender. Everything was presented expertly. Frank got a braised pork dish in a tomato-based sauce. Aimee got some arroz con pollo that was green in color, and packed with flavor. Everything had spices that I couldn't completely figure out. It was unpredictable in the BEST way. I then went ahead and researched Peruvian food and found that it's among the most diverse and multi-faceted in the world, pulling from influences reaching all over the globe. I wish I could tell you exactly what flavors tickled my tongue tonight, but I literallly don't know! That fact makes tonight's meal the most exciting one I've eaten in a while.

I feel like I need more visits to this fine establishment to better explore the menu and pick the brains of the friendly staff, as well as my Peruvian comrade. If you want in, let me know. Here's a few pictures of the things we tried tonight. There will be a follow-up visit, for sure.