Broward Dining: Saxsay Cafe

Saxsay Cafe
8425 W. Commercial Blvd. , Tamarac FL
Web Site: https://www.facebook.com/Saxsay.Peruvian.Cusine

Since moving to South Florida, I’ve been exposed to a number of Latin American cuisines that I did not readily have access to when living in the Northeast. One of those cuisines, Peruvian, has quickly become one of my favorites.

The cuisine of Peru is one of the most interesting in South America, as it merges traditions and ingredients of the indigenous peoples as well as immigrants from China and other places like Japan, Germany and Italy.

While there are a number of good Peruvian restaurants in Broward County, there are none which I would consider examples of the finer or more upscale-dining restaurants that Cuban or Colombian cuisine have in this area, for example.

The newly re-opened Saxsay, in Tamarac (Formerly Sunrise) plans to change that.

Peruvian food can be sophisticated, as Saxsay in Tamarac shows. Click on the “Read the rest of this entry” link below for more.

Saxsay’s main dining room reflects the warm and earthy colors of their previous but much smaller location.

The larger of the two private dining rooms allows for a more intimate experience.

A third, smaller dining room would be perfect for a romantic dinner for two.

You can’t start off a Peruvian meal without some Cancha, or crunchy deep-fried corn kernels.

Saxsay’s all-Peruvian culinary team.

A large amount of attention is paid to presentation, allowing the restaurant to show off even traditional foods like Causa, a cold appetizer that uses potatoes and yellow peppers.

Causa de Pollo (Chicken)

Causa de Camaron (Shrimp)

Papa a la Huancaina, boiled potatoes which have a spicy yellow pepper sauce on it.

Chinese cuisine or “Chifa”  is one of the most popular sub-cuisines in Peru.  Like other international cuisines, it has been adapted to local tastes and has a distinctly different flavor than Chinese food you may have tried elsewhere.

Typical Chifa dishes such as “Lomo Saltado” (Sauteed Beef) “Chaufa” (Fried Rice) and “Tallarin” (Lo Mein)  are now considered Peruvian staples since they were popularized in Lima’s bustling Chinatown during the 1920’s.

Lomo Saltado with French Fries, a popular Peruvian presentation.

“Tacu Tacu” is another unique way to eat Lomo Saltado, on a bed of fried seasoned beans and lentil paste with rice.

Chicken (Pollo) also gets the Saltado treatment as well.

Tallarin de Lomo Saltado is one of my favorite ways of having it.

Chaufa (Fried Rice) de Camaron.

Ceviche is also one of the most important Peruvian staples and Saxsay’s is fantastic. This is a mixed seafood ceviche with fish, shrimp, scallops, octopus and calamari.

Choritos a la Chalaca is a colorful and spicy presentation of mussels in the ceviche style.

Lesser known than Ceviche by most westerners is Tiradito, which is a carpaccio or sashimi-like dish covered with lime juice.

A classic Tiradito.

A “Tres Colores” (Three color) Tiradito.

My favorite of the raw fish presentations is Leche de Tigre (Tiger’s Milk) which is a spicy concoction of lime juice, hot pepper and bits of fish and shrimp. It’s supposed to put lead in your pencil.

Jalea is a mixed fried seafood dish that is absolutely out of this world, served with fried yuca.

This dish is “Picante de Mariscos” which is a mixed seafood sauteed dish with a spicy yellow pepper sauce. I got a small taste of this one and it’s a winner.

A fried fish filet, prepared in a garlic sauce.

Bistec con Tallarin Verde is another example of cultural integration in Peru, this being Italian. The very juicy seasoned steak is accompanied by a pasta in a spinach/basil pesto with a Queso Fresco.