The Unvegan

Nino’s Place in Gardena is one of the many Peruvian holes in the wall that seem to dominate the food scene in that part of LA. Yet, the place remains unique in that it offers just about the biggest Peruvian menu I have ever seen. In fact, I think the only things missing at Nino’s were alpaca and cuy. On the outside, Nino’s claimed to also offer up Mexican food, but these seemed no more than an attempt to get people through the door.

After an extensive look at the menu on the wall and the menu on the table, I decided to stick with the classic Lomo Saltado, a stir-fry of steak, fries and onions. Ordinarily an unvegan like me would order onion-free, but even I must admit that the onion adds flavor to the stir-fry and are worth it even though I am forced to eat around them when the dish actually arrives.

The order turned out to be a great choice and some of the best lomo saltado I’ve ever taken down. And not surprisingly, it came at a very reasonable price for lunch. For taste and variety in the world of Peruvian food, Nino’s Place is the place to be.