Zarate Chops

Mo-Chica Magician Ricardo Zarate Hatches His Own Hatchi Dinner

Zarate's Peruvian eats
Zarate’s Peruvian eats Photo: Hadley Tomicki

The time has come to scramble for reservations to Ricardo Zarate’s Hatchi dinner at BreadBar, going down on January 28th. Zarate was one of our brightest breakout chefs in 2009, moonlighting from his station at Wabi Sabi in Venice to open his own low-key Peruvian paean, Mo-Chica, in Downtown’s Mercado Paloma. The cuisine was consistently noted for reanimating Peruvian cuisine with sophistication and sazon, for prices you’d never catch on Abbot-Kinney.

For Hatchi, Zarate has created his “Peru Mucho Gusto” (Peru Pleased to Meet You) menu, which revisits a few dishes from Mo-Chica like his lamb shoulder in black beer and cilantro (seco de cordero) and yellowtail tiradito and throws together various cuts of fresh fish into a trio of causa and Peruvian cocktails, which we think mean of the seafood variety. Like Hatchi at its highest calling, this should be a great introduction to anyone who hasn’t had some Mo’ Chica magic yet. Zarate’s menu is below. Reservations remain at 310-277-3770.

Mo-Chica Hatchi Dinner Tasting Menu
BreadBar Century City

All dishes $8

SOPA DE COLIFLOR

Cauliflower soup, crispy pancetta, croutons, feta cheese dressing

CAUSA TRIO

Trio of Peruvian potato salad

Blue crab, mayo, huancaina sauce

Spicy blue fin tuna, rocoto aioli

Scallops menatiko sauce

CEVICHE MIXTO

Tairagai, uni, sea bass, aji amarillo leche de tigre sauce

TIRADITO DE PESCADO

Yellow tail tiradito, sundried tomato yuzu dressing

CARAPULCRA

Peruvian sun dried potatoes, pancetta, roasted black cod, chimichurri sauce

SECO DE CORDERO

Stew lamb shoulder in black beer and cilantro sauce, canario beans, red onion salsa

SELVA NEGRA

Flourless chocolate cake, lucuma ice cream, tamarillo sauce

KIWICHA CON LECHE Y ESENCIA DE MAZAMORRA

Kiwicha coconut pudding, purple corn essence, mixed nuts

Mo-Chica Magician Ricardo Zarate Hatches His Own Hatchi Dinner