Ricardo Zarate's Paiche, a Peruvian Izakaya, Coming soon

Paiche, rendered

By Lesley Balla

We've been talking about Ricardo Zarate and Stephane Bombet's (Picca, Mo-Chica) newest project for months now, but details are finally starting to emerge. First, Paiche is not a cevicheria, which is what people were calling it before. Instead, it's more of an izakaya, the Japanese small plates concept, with a Peruvian slant. There will be paiche, the restaurant's namesake, a prehistoric Amazonian fish, served in multiple dishes, from a lettuce wrap to sashimi to grilled served with yuzo kosho sauce.

Like Picca and Mo-Chica, the menu is split into various sections, all smaller portions meant for sharing. Amazonian dishes, oils and ingredients figure prominently, like sacha inchi oil from the fruit and nut of the Pracaxi tree. Seems every night can be a new lesson in South American cuisine. To accompany the menu, there will be an extensive selection of Japanese sake and beer, plus Latin wine and spirits.

The space, designed by DesignARC, has an oceanic theme: different shades of blue, earth tones, and dark woods throughout, with a piece hanging from the ceiling that's supposed to look like crashing waves. And don't forget the saltwater tank in the entryway, which will have live lobster awaiting their fate. The Marina del Rey restaurant is located at 13488 Maxella Avenue, adjacent to the Marina Marketplace. Look for a spring opening.