05/16/09

Delicious and Accomodating for Wheat/Gluten Allergy

by elianna123

This place is amazing. I love food, but recently came down with a wheat allergy, so it is really annoying or embarrassing to eat out. The waiters found out the ingredients in everything for me, and I could eat almost anything on the lunch menu. They were incredibly accomodating. The ceviches were particularly good.

The people watching is great. The lighting is a little dim. The wine selection is alright. The food is very good.

• Pros: delicious sauces, accomodating, people watching
• Cons: lighting

04/03/08

Tiny tables, tiny restaurant, awful food.....avoid it!

by aeisner007

Despite the raves I have just read, our experience last night was just the opposite. First, the tables are tiny...the bread plate and wine glasses took up most of the table and we were on top of the diners on both sides of us. The wine list is absurdly expensive, and interestingly the wine list on the website is at least $10 per bottle less than at the restaurant. The cheapest wine was $42 and most were $50 and $60; and that with $15 main courses!

The Chupe I ordered (shrimp "stew") turned out to be shrimp soup with 4 small shrimp and little else. I just looked online and it is described as soup; at the restaurant it is a main course called "stew". We have been to Peru and to most of South America. This food is truly vile. My wife ordered pulled chicken.It looked like dog pooh and was inedible. The final straw was that the food was tepid.

These folks may be nice people, but the food is poor. It's about time people took off their rose colored glasses and saw reality.

• Pros: none
• Cons: the entire meal was a waste of money and made us ill.

11/09/07

a very nice restaurant with fabulous service!!!!!!!

by monabella

My favorite restaurant ever. I've been twice and they were both wonderful experiences. There's no other way to describe Essencia... the experience was the perfect send-off for my best friend --- she was moving to Paris at the beginning of 2001 to attend the Cordon Bleu culinary academy. Magical: a night of transcended tastebuds...hold Essencia as their TRUE dining experience

11/08/07

A wonderful place to eat!

by august26

This is a place for great food, good conversations and people watchers (corner location at Gough & Hayes) all glass windows great for watching all the action outside. My lunch today was great! I had the ceviche and artichoke hearts salad with the house made Peruvian drink, Chicha. Everything was fantastic. The service was great, had a nice long chat with the owner Carmen and the GM, Caesar. I will be going back for sure.

• Pros: Service, Food, Drinks, Friendly Staff, People Watching
• Cons: Nothing

10/12/07

chicha and sparkling wine !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by jhonnysf

An excellent Peruvian restaurant , great atmosphere with fine-dining services. ,.

Food - fresh, organic,good quality ingredients. Very flavorful and delicious. . I had the Lomo Saltado ,the meat was delicious. we also recommend the chupe, we shared the appetizers were very good.for the quality of ingredients the prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is great for a special night out, and the service was attentive .

The wine list is small but unusual wines, we had a great wine from spain.

The lunch menu seams resaneble, we will have to try it .Parking - kind of scarce, but there are nearby parking lots. The best for us where the two desserts we had, The quinoa cannoli with lucma, and the alfajores to die for, try the chicha , but muy favorite chicha and sparkling wine , they also have blue bottle coffee great. It was all worth it. we highly recommended

09/20/07

Great food! Great Service!

by rockngal

I went to Essencia last night and it was great! Every course was fresh, beautifully presented and delicious. When we first saw the menu, everything was so new it took us a while to decide what to get. We ordered three appetizers, all were great and unique. The service was fabulous and it was a great experience overall. I will go back for sure!

• Pros: Food, Service, Ambience!
• Cons: not a thing

Peruvian cuisine comes with a hint of West Coast attitude at this cozy Hayes Valley boite.

by Lorraine Sanders

In Short
By day, light from generously sized windows brightens this restaurant and its 12 redwood tables as diners enjoy lunch fare like cumin roast pork sandwiches and a spicy-crab-and-potato-cakes salad topped with avocado and red onion. By night, patrons dip into ceviche and starters like yucca fries before indulging in entrees that emphasize organic and locally produced ingredients from a leg of lamb simmered in cilantro sauce to baked halibut atop chick-pea puree. Homemade desserts sweeten the deal.