A Q & A with Tanta’s Tomy Lokvicic

Hi! This week we visited Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club in North Park, Ja’ Grill in Hyde Park and Tanta in River North. Peruvian cuisine is becoming popular around the country with famed chef Gaston Acurio leading the charge. He opened Tanta, one of only a few Peruvian cuisine restaurants in Chicago. I spoke with general manager, Tomy Lokvicic, to learn about Peruvian cuisine and what to order to get the ultimate experience, and asked him to share a recipe for both cebiche and a pisco sour. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: Peruvian food is a melting pot of myriad cultures – indigenous population, Japanese, West African, Spanish, etc. Can you talk a bit about how you see those cultures reflected in the offerings at Tanta?

Tomy Lokvicic: Through our menu, we showcase each cultural influence. For example, we have fried rice options to represent Chinese cuisine, and cebiches and tiraditos showcasing Japanese sashimi and incorporating Peruvian flavors. West African cuisine is represented in our  “Criollas,” or stews made with braised meats (lamb, etc.) and varieties of potatoes and the grains of Peru such as quinoa.

Q: How would you describe Peruvian food to someone who has never eaten it before?

Tomy Lokvicic: The diversity of cultures in Peruvian cuisine makes it approachable for first time guests. Tanta’s menu accommodates a variety of guests’ preferences – cebiches, fish, meat, game, and vegetarian.

Q: For newbies to the Peruvian food scene, what would you suggest diners order at Tanta to get a good sense of the cuisine?

Tomy Lokvicic: We have a few dining options that help first time guests become acquainted with Peruvian cuisine. Guests are able to sit at the Chef’s Table where Chef Jesus Delgado can customize an “Aventura Culinaria” menu. Chef Delgado takes our diners on a journey with each course, explaining its regional influences from Peru starting from the coast and moving deep into the mountain terrains. Another option is to sit in the main dining room where our knowledgeable servers can guide them through an educational Peruvian dining experience.

Q: Can you give us some of your best recommendations that offer a true taste of Peruvian cuisine?

Tomy Lokvicic: I recommend…

Clásico Cebiche: chef’s selection fish, red onions, cilantro
Pobre Niguiris Nikei: skirt steak, quail egg, chalaca, ponzu gel
Chaufa Aeropuerto: pork fried rice, shrimp tortilla, spicy garlic
Pulpo Anticucho: octopus, chimichurri, crispy garlic, olive sauce
Carne Anticucho: New York strip, potatoes, corn, huacatay
Estofado de Cordero: braised lamb hind, aji panca and red wine reduction, quinoa polenta, wild mushrooms, organic kale

Q: One of my favorite dishes is cebiche/ceviche, and Peruvian pisco sours are very popular at Tanta. Can you share your recipes for both?

Cebiche Clásico Recipe
1 serving

Ingredients
3.5 oz. white fish raw (sushi grade; .5” cubed)
5 limes, juiced
2 oz. red onion, Julienned
1 oz. choclo (Peruvian corn), boiled
4 oz. cubed sweet potato, steamed
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic puree
Chopped cilantro to garnish
Pinch of brunoise habanero

Directions
Combine raw fish in a bowl, a pinch of salt, garlic puree, chopped cilantro, brunoise habanero. Toss thoroughly. Then add lime juice and let white fish mixture sit for no more than 30 seconds. Now add onions and toss again. Remove mixture from bowl and plate on a cold serving bowl or platter. Garnish with choclo, sweet potato, and a few whole cilantro leaves.

Pisco Sour Recipe

Ingredients
2 oz. Barsol Querbranta Pisco
1 oz. lime juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
1 egg white
1 dash Amargo Chuncho Peruvian bitters

Directions
Combine pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white over ice in a shaker. Shake for 30- 60 seconds. Strain in a rocks or coup glass, and garnish with a dash of bitters.

I’ll see you tonight and stay tuned next week for three more great restaurants and some more inside dish right here!

Cheers,
Catherine