Piqueo's
(415) 282-8812
830 Cortland Ave
San Francisco,
CA
94110
37.7387
-122.4143
Neighborhoods: Bernal Heights, Central East
What People Are Saying About Piqueo's
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Diners at the granite bar surround an exhibition kitchen aglow with flames dancing toward cookbooks dangling from red walls. Attentive waitstaff cover three rooms, passing by oil paintings, groups on dates and newlyweds. Popular sangria gets poured into glasses filled with grapes, orange chunks and diced apples floating up like decorative confetti.
The Food
Small plates adorned with seafood-centric Peruvian complement each other, as spices build with each successive dish. Tender grilled octopus dissolves like butter, while crisp shrimp arrives sauteed with garlic paste and soy sauce. Duo of tartar signals a rare misstep, the cubed salmon and tuna swimming in a sea of creamy rocoto aioli. Other winners include a plate of lime-and-chile-marinated ceviche that's tempered by yams and jumbo corn, and moist, baked halibut stuffed with a thin layer of mushrooms and shrimp and sprinkled with salsa.
User Reviews
Anonymous
August 05, 2008
I met some people at Piqueo's for dinner to talk about business and was disappointed with the establishment. I'd never had this type of food before but wanted to be open minded. Some of the appetizers were delicious - but the entrees were horrible. When we spoke to the server, they did nothing for us. I won't be going back.
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Gravitu
March 08, 2008
VERY DISAPPOINTING!! As a native Peruvian I have ventured into many Peruvian restaurants in the Bay Area; and Piqueo?s has made it to the bottom of my list. To start it was over priced for the amount of food you get ? we ordered 3 appetizers, 7 entrees, and a pitcher of chicha morada (filled only 4 glasses) ? the bill was $260 if you include the tip the total was $300. Way too much for a casual dinner out. I wouldn?t mind paying that much if the food justified the prices, the appetizers were a JOKE; the ?Chifles? were just potato (they gave us plain potatoes even thou the menu said purple potato), yucca, and sweet potato chips served with guacamole and a tamarind sauce?the chips were not fresh, especially the yucca was stale and no longer crisp. The ?Yuquitas Fritas? were tasty and the sauce it came with was yummy, but you only got 5 gumball size stuffed yuccas for $10 ? I felt robbed! To make the long bad experience short: the steak was over cooked, the salmon did not have a quinoa crust (as described in the menu), what seemed to be ?Lomo Saltado? was nothing more than tasteless tough pieces of meat in a red sauce. The rest of our plates were average. I read the reviews before going to Piqueo?s especially the bad ones, and still decided to try it out?bad, bad idea. Every one of my friends was disappointed that night and swears never to go back again.
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jeffreyr_97
January 02, 2008
We had great expectations about this small ?fusion? restaurant in South San Francisco especially since we have visited t Astrid Gaston, La Mar in Peru and Limon in San Francisco and read about it on AAA magazine this month. First impressions are important; unfortunately Piqueos didn?t live to the expectations. We wanted to try humitas and aji de gallina, unfortunately not available that night; we would have liked to try their aji de gallina. Their list of wines was nothing to write home about it, most of them middle of the road unknown wines. Among the tapas (small plates) we tried a dish made out of Andean potato chips, the chips were saggy so we had to return the dish Then tried their Arroz con Mariscos, but had to return it since it was gritty due to poor cleaning of the shellfish. Not a good idea eating sand for dinner and a second dish returned for the night. Peruvian cooking flag dish, Lomo Saltado, is a dish to try in any so called Peruvian fusion restaurant. It was a total disappointment. Piqueos claims in their menu that this dish is a Sauteed marinated New York Strip but what you get is a stew of cheaper meat. Interesting that when we talked about this faux pas with Piqueo?s chef he said that it was the owner?s recipe, that it was cheaper to prepare it that way and that their food was not for Peruvians. About the service, it was mediocre and dishes took a long time to arrive to the table.
read full reviewThe Details on Piqueo's
Save Money:
While the small plates (and deceivingly smaller prices) allow a table of five to sample 10 different dishes, it all adds up to one giant bill. Head to the entrees if you're trying to eat on the cheap(er).
What to Drink:
Try a fresh, house-made sangria made from mashed fruits, brandy, sugar and wine. A variety of South American wines, as well as Californian and Spanish choices, are also available.
Know Before You Go:
Signature dishes include queso-filled yuca balls and breaded, stuffed halibut with shrimp and mushrooms.
Category:
Payment Methods:
Gift Certificate, American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Business Dining, Family Style Dining, Date Spot, Dine At The Bar
