(Overall: A+) - Llama San is a restaurant that I feel does a great job highlighting the beauty of seafood through the harmonious marriage of Peruvian and Japanese flavors in a way that is complementary and depth building. This parallels to the kitchen's command of cooking, able to consistently deliver a course set of perfectly cooked proteins that are mostly beautifully plated as well. I love the intimate vibe of this West Village establishment, with top notch staff carefully explaining each course and thoughtfully checking in to ensure the quality of their food. Highly recommend Llama San and their pre-fixe option.(Octopus: A+) - A dish that is a masterclass on how to cook octopus, it is delicately tender and paired well with both the plantain and rice that it blended beautifully in. The aioli added a creamy citrus that helped complement the already impressive flavor building on the octopus.(Lobster: A+) - This unassuming bite masterfully balances the delicate sweetness of the lobster and the flavorful intensity of the curry. The lobster was tender and worked well as an elevated version of shrimp toast or a potato croquette.(Lucid Dreams: A) - I love the quirky infusing of the japanese shiso and green tea into what would be an otherwise kicker cocktail, while still keeping the alcoholic backbone of it. The drink is also naturally elegant on the rocks.--(Clams: S) - This fun dish serves clams in the style of raw oysters, adding their own Peruvian Japanese twist with the herb oil and creamy foam as flavor boosters that is truly preferable to just the pure vinegar and tobasco combo. The crispy nori was a smart play for textural development too.(Tuna Tataki: B) - The flavors coming from this dish is impressive -- I love the tuna, chili, and orange combo, especially with that beautifully seared tuna on the outside and a mostly-raw interior. (Veal: A) - I love this elevated take on beef and potatoes. The veal was incredibly tender and tasted like it had been slow cooked to let the spices infuse through the meat. The chives added a rustic color, and the parsnip puree paired beautifully with that lightened gravy.--(Rock Shrimp: B) - The rice tastes like it was beautifully cooked in a broth for some nice flavor development, and the herbs and spices used paired well to give the rice backbone. I liked how they kept the integrity of the uni, that way diners can actually taste it. My only complaint is the rock shrimp were small, so they really did not shine throughout the dish. (Tres Leches Cake: D) - The cake does embody the tres leches concept, but the simplicity option was not a choice I would make as a final bite. I feel like there was a missed opportunity for the chefs to showcase their mastery the same way the savory dishes did.(Peanut Butter Parfait: B) - I was impressed by the levity of this dish as nut based dishes are usually quite heavy. The parfait was very skillfully executed given the choice of ingredients, but I felt that the dessert could be improved by taking a showstopping rather than an unassuming stance to its presentation.Food: +1Presentation: +1Price: EAtmosphere: +1Service: +2Menu: +2Overall: +7 A+Insta/Beli/TikTok: @amei_eats
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