Casa Zoraya

Having been to Peru a few years back, we were excited to try Casa Zoraya in North Portland. It's in a very unsuspecting location and the signage out front is not very ostentatious, so it's easy to miss. But, to be clear, nobody should miss out on Casa Zoraya! a must-visit and we would be delighted to come back.Restaurant:There's two front doors, the first enters to a counter to the kitchen and the door on the left is to a modest dining room. We were seated out on the back patio, which is definitely an all-season patio with a roof covering for the rainy season and the addition of fans and misters for warmer seasons. It's quite a casual atmosphere, but inviting with bright colors and touches of Peru scattered across the premises.Service: The wait staff was attentive and friendly. They proactively took our empanadas off our bill because we'd waited for a while to receive them, which was a very thoughtful but unnecessary gesture. We never went without water or drinks and felt that our needs were met from start to finish.Appetizers: Papa Rellena- order comes with 2 perfectly cripsy croquettes with a lovely sauce to complement them.Empanada de Ají de Gallina- order comes with 2 empanadas. Being a big fan of Ají de Gallina, I was nervous that the empanada would not do it justice. But, I was wrong; it was a perfect way to enjoy it.Entrees: Ceviche de Pescado- our fish of the day was Hawaiian ono, which came with a complex mezcla, including 2 types of inca corn.Arroz con Mariscos- this was accurately described to us as their "paella-like" dish. It came with clams and fried ono. Not bad but not our favorite.Arroz Chaufa- a Chinese-Peruvian dish that was the table favorite. The pork belly and rice were both cooked to perfection.Dessert:Alfajor: a very unique dish, with many different flavors. A nice way to end our dinner but not something I would order again.Drinks:Classic Pisco Sour- can't go wrong with a pisco sour, and they do it right.Chica Morada Batida- a favorite of the evening. so very unique with the addition of the purple corn-based drink, chica morada. Chilca-jito- fresh, crisp and ginger-forward.

Outstanding menu that perfectly straddles the line between comfort food and high end cuisine. We came here for father's day with a toddler and infant. I am convinced that the chill ambience and excellent food is what got us a full hour and a half dinner without any fuss from the littles. Been in Portland for 7 years and this is easily a top 5 restaurant in town.

Sit on the patio!! It is absolutely gorgeous and feels so homey - I adore the fairy lights and the hanging plants. Of course the service and food was wonderful too! The Chicago Morada Batista cocktail was spectacular! This was a great first introduction to Peruvian food - highly recommend for a fun night out.

Great food but a poor experience made me drop couple stars. FOODWe got the anticucho de corazon (beef heart skewer) and it's the most tenderest thing I've ever had. Flavor and decoration are both on point. Causa de Camerones (shrimp with potatoes) is another must try from me. The sauces on it is to die for. The main dish is the ceviche carretillio. Another phenomenal dish and my partner and I CLEARED the plate SERVICEFriendly staff and was sat quickly without a reservation. The lowered rating was due to a service mishap. When we checked out, we were presented with one amount. But later on my card statement, they charged us way more than the original amount (in print the day of) amount + tips and fees. Not accusing, but seems like they charged us additional items after we closed the bill. Customers beware. ALL IN ALL, solid restaurant and great taste. Make sure to double or triple check your bill on your card to ensure it's correct. (Not just here but anywhere for that matter). Cute and chill restaurant ambiance nonetheless.

My husband and I had a giftcard but had never been before and I left knowing I would think about this meal for a while. It was one of the best meals that I have had in a while. Not to mention that the vibe and service were stand out! I made reservations but there were spots open for walk in. They are located off North Lombard and easy to miss if you arent looking for it. Even as a person who lives in NE, I have passed by multiple times without knowing. We started off with drinks. My husband got the Pisco Punch and I go the Pisco Passionfruit sour. Both were delicious and well balanced. We started off with the Empanada de Ají de Gallina (shredded chicken empanadas) and the Papa Rellena (potato croquetas). They come two per order. I am not usually super into shredded chicken but almost ordered another set of these bad boys because they were so good. The potato croquetas were also delicious. They were perfectly fried on the outside and well seasoned mashed potato on the inside. I am not a fan of olives and was informed (after) that olives are apart of the ground beef mixture, though that wasnt listed in the ingredients under the item. But no worries, I ate my husbands empanada and handed my husband my croqueta. We then ordered the Chicharron de Puerco, Fried pork with sweet potatoes and it was really well done. Lastly, my favorite dish of the night, the Arroz Chaufa. It is pork belly and shrimp, stir-fried rice with egg, oyster sauce, passion fruit & rocoto sauce. The portion is huge and we split this dish. The first bite was mind blowing and the egg was perfectly cook. This is a must order! Overall, gift card or not, we will be back! We are excited to bring our friends and try other parts of the menu. This could also be a great date night spot, with low lighting and great drinks!

My first venture into Peruvian cuisine was something I had been looking forward to, and this place certainly lived up to my expectations. While the menu wasn't extensive, the dishes we tried were absolutely delightful. We ordered a variety of items, including ceviche de pescado, arroz con mariscos, aji de gallina, arroz chaufa, and empanada de aji de gallina. The standout dishes for me were the two rice-based options; one with seafood and the other with pork belly. They were bursting with flavors that really wowed my taste buds.I also want to give a shout-out to the delicious chicken empanada, which left a great impression on me. I appreciate that the restaurant encourages a family-style dining experience, as that's exactly how I like to enjoy my meals with friends and loved ones.One small word of caution, though: the dessert portions were quite petite, and it felt a bit underwhelming in comparison to the rest of the meal. That aside, I'm definitely inclined to return to this place for another taste of the fantastic Peruvian cuisine they offer.

I had never been to a Peruvian restaurant before and wasn't sure what to expect, so I didn't really have any expectations for Casa Zoraya except that it came highly recommended. Oh. My. Gosh. What a delightful place! The staff was among the most friendly and welcoming/helpful in recent memory. Every dish we ordered was excellent, and I enjoyed my "pisco manhattan" The veggie empanadas, ceviche, chicharrones and picante hongos (mushroom entree) were so flavorful and delicious. This is one of those places that you'll be thinking about for a while. It was a bit of a trek from our neighborhood but was absolutely worth the trip. The space was surprisingly large - there's a good sized indoor space and the enclosed/heated back porch/patio area is so cozy and inviting. If you're in the mood for a new experience, give Casa Zoraya a try!

I've been here twice now & second time just as good as the first! A bit hard to find, small inside but patio is spacious. Food & service is excellent. A great non-alcoholic drink is their chicha morada, made from red corn and pineapple juice. Very different & refreshing!

The highlight of our Portland trip, we happened across Casa Zoraya while looking for dinner. Everything that we ordered was delicious but the beef corazón was the star. Our eyes widened simultaneously as we tasted it. It was so incredibly tender and flavourful. Even the roasted potato was amazing. We even scraped the sauce off the plates because they were that good. This is definitely one of the places I'll visit again if I'm in the area.

This is another one of those instances where I have no idea how I haven't left a review before! This is on our list of recommendations we give to guests visiting from out of town if that tells you how much we love this place! We've enjoyed pretty much everything we've gotten here, but the chaufa is our favorite. The passion fruit glaze is so charmingly delicious! Service is friendly, there is a super cute outdoor patio, and an intimate seating area inside. Street parking only!