Manka Peruvian Kitchen review

Although Boris Torres grew up working in his parents' Queens Peruvian restaurant, he chose a career in architecture, not gastronomy. It took some time before he realized his true passion. After getting a culinary degree and cooking at some of Manhattan's top dining destinations, now Torres has opened a restaurant of his own, Manka Peruvian Kitchen -- an unpretentious little strip mall spot that pays homage to the land of his birth.

His training as both architect and chef comes through in a tiradito of grilled shrimp and calamari, the cool marinated seafood as prettily plated as it is refreshing. An appetizer of cold green mussels topped with a bright Peruvian relish is arranged with art and flair -- and tastes even better than it looks. One day, at lunch, a generous, colorful octopus salad steals the show with its interplay of color, texture and flavor.

To sip with such fare: one of Manka's fine Peruvian cocktails. Consider a pisco sour, topped with whipped egg whites. Or a sassy pisco caliente, with mango, mint and rocoto peppers.

On the homey side is a tamal (the Peruvian version of a tamale), a savory union of a Peruvian corn masa and chicken. Chicken, in fact, is a specialty here, coming off the rotisserie bronze and juicy, its nuanced marinade penetrating every fiber. At both lunch and dinner, you'll often see families sitting down to well-priced rotisserie combination platters.

Reflecting the polyglot nature of Peruvian cuisine is a comforting dish called aeropuerto, which brings together chaufa, the Peruvian version of Chinese fried rice with lo mein noodles and seafood. If you're after something more eye-opening, try the cool, lustrous, flawlessly fresh mixed seafood ceviche, raw fish and seafood "cooked" by its citrus marinade. But a cooked seafood dish -- pan-seared corvina (a firm white fish) al ajillo -- is rather dull, its creamy sauce devoid of even a hint of the promised garlic. Much better is the classic Peruvian stirfy called lomo saltado featuring smoky strips of steak, vegetables and French fries -- which somehow works. For vegetarians: a flavor-intense "risotto" of quinoa and mushrooms.

Rice pudding, though, is overwhelmed by cloves, the custard called leche asada is pretty humdrum and what's described as a pastry filled with caramel turns out to be just a cookie sandwich.

After a meal such as Torres is capable of putting out, who needs dessert anyway?