Latin American in Winter Park Area

Take a stroll down any major thoroughfare in the Peruvian capital of Lima and you'll find that pollerias, or rotisserie chicken joints, are as ubiquitous as pizzerias are here. In fact, many of these hole-in-the-wall eateries closely guard their recipes for pollo a la brasa the same way that pie-makers guard their recipes for pizza sauce. And while Peruvian-style chicken has yet to establish itself in this city's culinary lexicon, you'd be hard-pressed to coax the fowl formula from the cooks, waitstaff and proprietors at Brazas Chicken, all of whom defend their secret like Túpac Amaru defended his Incan pride.

Occupying a corner of an Edgewood strip plaza, the bustling full-service restaurant forgoes the fast-food ambience typical of pollerias. Earthy tones exude a warmth inside the inviting, though somewhat cramped, interior while Andean objets d'arts and the predominantly Peruvian staff lend the place an air of authenticity.

As far as chicken goes, you won't find a better deal. A whole roasted pollo, hacked into quarters, can be had here for a paltry $8. The spit-fired bird is, typically, rubbed in a marinade comprising (but not limited to) salt, paprika, cumin, black pepper, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar, resulting in crispy, herb-speckled skin and incredibly moist, fragrant and flavorful meat. I particularly enjoyed drizzling the juicy morsels with zesty chimichurri and a creamy piquant sauce made from the Andean herb huacatay, or Peruvian black mint.

A whole chicken will easily satisfy two, possibly three, diners depending on which side items you order. I opted for the maduros ($3), or sweet plantains; arroz con frijoles ($4), long-grain rice and beans; and good ol' fashioned papas fritas ($3), aka french fries. Ravaging the succulently salty chicken, then downing a chubby fried plantain ripened to a wonderful sweetness was a gratifying act.

But that didn't stop me from indulging in the papa a la huancaina ($5), a starchy specialty of boiled potato halves lathered in a huacatay-infused cheese sauce the consistency of béchamel and served over a bed of lettuce. The cold salad was a nice prelude to the chicken ' though, really, I found myself eating bits and bites from all the dishes on the table at once.

Those dishes also included Peru's national dish, ceviche ($10). Cured in citrus and peppered with aji limo, a Peruvian red chili, every sliver of the uncooked, cilantro-flecked tilapia offered a tantalizing tang and took me back to when I first sampled the dish in a seaside restaurant in Lima. The inclusion of thinly sliced rings of red onions, sweet potato and canchita, roasted kernels of maize, provided texture and a cooling balance to the dish.

Bubble gum-flavored Inca Kola ($1.50) and chicha morada ($2), a cider made from purple corn and sweetened with pineapple, sugar and cinnamon, are both equally palatable beverages.

A dulce de leche-layered sandwich cookie known as an alfajore ($1.50) was a sugary chew, while the lucuma ice cream ($3), made from a popular Peruvian fruit, had a pistachio-like flavor reminiscent of Indian kulfi.

With influences from Spain, North Africa, Japan, China and Italy, Peruvian cuisine has long been heralded, and its emergence on the global stage was astutely predicted most recently at Madrid Fusion 2006, one of the premier gastronomic events in the world. Brazas Chicken may not offer the full culinary spectrum from the South American nation, but what it does, it does well.

The building's not much to look at, but there's no missing the brilliant color of La Granja – yellow-orange and lots of it. The only adornment is the name of the South Florida fast-food chain emblazoned in red along with the description: "Pollos y carnes a la brasa," which loosely translates into "chicken and meat on the grill."

The parking lot is usually buzzing with cars, whether it's lunchtime or dinnertime, and on busy days, the kitchen runs out of some items. So there's obviously been a warm reception to this ethnic spot near the intersection of Semoran Boulevard and Aloma Avenue in Winter Park (where Miami Subs used to be).

There's a drive-through window, but go inside to see what people are packing away: large plates of spit-roasted chicken, grilled steak and pork accompanied by large helpings of white rice, black or red beans and french fries. The standard "Family meal #1" ($26) includes half a chicken, half a pound each of pork and steak, large rice and beans, large french fries and four sodas. Call it Latin American comfort food (or call it a carbohydrate curse), but the meat is the star of the meal, with its "secret" Peruvian spicing permeated by the flavor of cumin (which is the main ingredient in chili powders). By contrast, the rice and beans are bland, but the fries were thick and tasty.

The fried bananas ($1.75 small, $2.50 large) are my recommendation for dessert, though the flan ($2) is fine, too. The spare salad ($2/$3.50) is not worth the cost. Other side items are garlic potatoes and fried yuca ($1.75/$3.50). And the meat sandwiches served with fries are a good deal ($4.95). The yellow Inca Cola ($1.15), kind of like a cream soda, is refreshing, even if the Peruvian product is now owned by Coca-Cola. Don't be put off by the potential for carb-loading here – just pick up some of the spicy meat and pair it with a healthy salad at home.

By now, most of us have been initiated into the carnivorous merry-go-round of the Brazilian steakhouse, or churrascaria ' whet your appetite at an enormous salad bar, then take your pick of meaty cuts served by puffy-pants-wearing gauchos brandishing blades dressed with succulent beef, chicken and pork. It's a belly-busting (and wallet-draining) affair, to be sure, but if you can't taste the quality in the meats, especially the cuts of beef, the $37.95 you drop may seem like a big waste when it's all said and done.

Nelore, a polished restaurant in the space once occupied by Allegria Wine Bar, bridges the gap between quality and quantity, but doesn't quite reach the beefy heights attained by high-end steakhouses. Fact is, you're not going to find Capital Grille or Del Frisco's quality meat at an all-you-can-eat churrascaria, so lowering expectations is an inevitable part of the rodizio experience.

The area housing the 'salad bar� is enormous, and many of the items offered (40, to be exact) were superbly fresh ' crisp hearts of palm and asparagus, beet orbs, artichoke hearts and salmon to name a few. I've known people who've gone to Nelore (named after the Nelore cattle breed) just for the salad bar, which is a steal for $9.95 at lunchtime ($17.95 for dinner). Cauldrons of black beans, rice, yuca, mashed potatoes and, on the night I visited, tomato basil bisque were also offered. Cheese bread and fried yuca were then presented seconds before the first round of hit-and-miss meats made their way to our table. Things started off nicely with the salty sirloin and picanha (rump roast), but subsequent cuts of flank, filet mignon (which also comes wrapped in bacon) and the rib-eye all tasted much the same. The seasonings were Spartan ' just a little sea salt 'resulting in a sometimes lackluster flavor. I headed to the salad bar and poured myself a bowl of chimichurri as a dip for the meats, and that helped to liven the flavors. The filet and rib-eye, it should be noted, were way overcooked, though the friendly, accommodating gauchos are more than willing to get you cuts cooked to your liking. I did like the tender garlic beef and the fatty, flavorful ribs (both beef and pork are offered); the sausages had a proper kick. Chicken drumsticks came crisp and smoky, but were just OK. Gamy and off-putting, the lamb chops were a big disappointment ' one bite was more than enough. We never did get to see the parmesan pork or the leg of lamb, but we were pretty well finished eating anyway. 

Park Avenue's upscale environs likely played a role in the omission of offal from the menu ' no blood sausage, chicken hearts, sweetbreads, kidneys or intestines. The interior, however, plays right into the hands of the sophisticated clientele the restaurant hopes to attract. It's a beautiful space that made me think of a contemporary lodge, with wrought-iron chandeliers and wood chair rails making lovely accents. Just as lovely was the pitcher of sangria teeming with fruit, but house-made desserts failed to impress us. Papaya cream ($7.50), while refreshing, was a bland ending, even with a splash of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur). The gooey chocolate truffle known as brigadeiro ($6.50) fared better, with condensed milk and butter adding a caramel-like consistency.

And consistency is key. Without it, Nelore's corral is less than golden.