Being that I'm a chicken, rice and beans kind of girl, I was naturally intrigued by the a fairly new Peruvian restaurant I spotted in Little Neck called Lima 33. Previously a sushi joint, Lima 33 came on the scene about 4 months ago and sits amongst a sea of Asian food establishments. Lima's differentiation certainly helps it stand out, as my brother Peter and I noticed it right away, and then shortly after, perused their Yelp reviews. A few days later, along with Fiana, we were there devouring their delicious Peruvian cuisine.
Atmosphere:
Located on a busy corner on Northern Blvd and 254th Street, Lima is accessible by car, bus or even the LIRR. Because it's new, the decor is sleek and modern, boasting a few colorful touches such as bright pink banquettes and seat cushions. A royal blue accent wall injects more cheeriness and elegance, along with enlarged prints, showcasing scenes from Lima.
Atmosphere:
Located on a busy corner on Northern Blvd and 254th Street, Lima is accessible by car, bus or even the LIRR. Because it's new, the decor is sleek and modern, boasting a few colorful touches such as bright pink banquettes and seat cushions. A royal blue accent wall injects more cheeriness and elegance, along with enlarged prints, showcasing scenes from Lima.
While the kitchen isn't completely open concept, you do get a glimpse of what's cooking, especially the golden brown rotisserie chickens that are Lima's specialty. Since they're still in the process of getting their liquor license, you can for the time being enjoy a BYOB option, so if you fancy a a little vino, make sure you stop across the street at the new Collezione Wine & Spirits. The staff will even get a bottle of wine for you, if you ask nicely.
Food:
I liked perusing Lima's classic but uncomplicated menu, making it easy to choose something quickly. Since we were in the mood to share, we went for the appetizer special of the day as well as the Super Combinacion meal, which was big enough to share between 3-4 people.
Stuffed Plantain Appetizer - Sounding too good to pass up, we were immediately entranced by our server's description of this dish and ordered it on the spot. Consisting of a pretty layer cake of mashed plantains, chicken salad, olive tapenade and avocados, it presented virtually all of my favorite Latin flavors. While we liked the overall flavor profile, we agreed that it would've been preferable to serve the chicken warm, instead of in a chilled salad format.
Super Combinacion - This combination meal represented everything that I appreciate about Peruvian restaurants, and it reminded me of a similar menu item you can get at Pio Pio. We loved that the plates just kept on coming, creating quite a feast before our eyes of a whole rotisserie chicken, rice & beans, salchipapas (little hot dogs with French fries), sweet plantains and an avocado salad.
The chicken was my favorite, boasting a beautifully golden crispy skin and an incredible amount of juiciness in both the white and dark pieces. A close second were the sweet plantains that had a slightly sticky, sweet coating and a nice firm texture when you bit into them. The mountain of slightly smokey salchipapas and the crispy fries didn't suck either. Together, it was more than enough food to feed a small Peruvian village (or at least 3 hungry New Yorkers).
Food:
I liked perusing Lima's classic but uncomplicated menu, making it easy to choose something quickly. Since we were in the mood to share, we went for the appetizer special of the day as well as the Super Combinacion meal, which was big enough to share between 3-4 people.
Stuffed Plantain Appetizer - Sounding too good to pass up, we were immediately entranced by our server's description of this dish and ordered it on the spot. Consisting of a pretty layer cake of mashed plantains, chicken salad, olive tapenade and avocados, it presented virtually all of my favorite Latin flavors. While we liked the overall flavor profile, we agreed that it would've been preferable to serve the chicken warm, instead of in a chilled salad format.
Super Combinacion - This combination meal represented everything that I appreciate about Peruvian restaurants, and it reminded me of a similar menu item you can get at Pio Pio. We loved that the plates just kept on coming, creating quite a feast before our eyes of a whole rotisserie chicken, rice & beans, salchipapas (little hot dogs with French fries), sweet plantains and an avocado salad.
The chicken was my favorite, boasting a beautifully golden crispy skin and an incredible amount of juiciness in both the white and dark pieces. A close second were the sweet plantains that had a slightly sticky, sweet coating and a nice firm texture when you bit into them. The mountain of slightly smokey salchipapas and the crispy fries didn't suck either. Together, it was more than enough food to feed a small Peruvian village (or at least 3 hungry New Yorkers).
Service and Cost:
Costs are super affordable, especially now that Lima is still BYOB. The above mentioned hefty dinner only set us back about $57 for 3 people, which includes tax and tip! Que bueno!
3 Mmmms
Lima 33 - 254-04 Northern Blvd, Little Neck NY 11362
718.225.4949
LIRR to Little Neck or N20 Bus
We went today for lunch and order a delicious soup with rice, egg and shrimp. It was so good and tasty.
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