Los Balcones del Peru: Last Supper Before Detox

I'll just come out and say it: I am going to do a detox.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear your groans and your, "That is dumb and weird"s. And they are duly noted. But I'm not doing one of those water-lemon-cayenne-pepper things. That really is wack, and I cannot afford to spend that much time trying to pretend that I'm not friggin starving.

In fact, I won't even call it a detox; I'll just say that my little friend Lizzard and I are starting a "28-day Extravaganza of Delicious Wellness and FUN." It's more of an eat-tons-of-produce-and-nuts kind of a thing.

My reason? Well, the ol' Von Scrumptious moneymaker is always poppin', but the ol' caboose is not. I'm always tired, I feel gross, I'm all yucked out from eating cupcakes and corndogs at various school functions, and I just don't feel as well as I could. Obviously, I should be feeling fierce with my bad self.

So detox it is. I'm actually really excited about it, which is promising. And I will whip up some health-o packed recipes during that time, so never fear.

However, to send me off into my detoxical journey, my boo and I had my last supper out on Friday. Naturally, the best place to have a farewell dinner like this is at a restaurant that serves many of its dishes over a bed of french fries: Los Balcones del Peru!
I ordered Saltado de Mariscos (pictured above), which is listed as a combination of "shrimp, squid, octopus, and scallops sauteed with onions, tomatoes, and french fries." I was excited about this because I love me some squid and octopus, especially when they're not fried beyond recognition. However, upon receiving the dish, it only contained squid and shrimp: no octopus or scallops. Hm. So, that was disappointing, but the remaining ingredients were perfectly cooked, exquisitely spiced, and oddly enough, the french fries underneath were a delicious complement to the seafood.
My boyfriend ordered Pescado Sudado (pictured above) on the recommendation of our server (who I believe was also the owner). This "fillet of fish cooked slowly in our own fish stock with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and Peruvian peppers" was served with a side of steamed rice and Yucca. The fish was extremely tender and juicy and had a spicy little kick to it.

The service is personable and friendly, if not a little slow, and the location is sort of perfect-- it's on Vine, right near the Arclight, so you can go watch a $14 movie while you digest.

We were stuffed to the brim with protein and carb-y goodness, which was a great farewell before my entrance into a diet of rabbit food.