North Edmond Gets Jewel in Mamaveca
I first happened into Mamaveca in Norman back in the spring based on the recommendation of a cook who I trust tremendously.
That lunch did nothing to dampen that respect. My only regret is that I don’t get down to Norman enough to fully appreciate it — not to mention what a quandry it put me in as Pepe Delgado’s has always been my Norman haunt. Love what you’re doing Tarahumara, but Pepe’s is truly unique in this market. As is Mamaveca. My Norman quandary was solved last month when owner William Chunga opened a second Mamaveca in Edmond on the corner of Danforth and Kelley — in the space where Poblano Grill got its start.
And who was running this store but the cook who recommended it to me in the first place: Juan Castro, late of my old favorite Peruvian restaurant El Pollon de OKC. Unfortunately, the constraints of El Pollon’s location didn’t allow for the restaurant to prosper..But it’s no surprise that’s where Juan landed as he worked at Mamaveca before venturing out on his own.
Last week a few friends joined me at the new Mamaveca Mexican Restaurant. But don’t let the name fool you, the Mexican food isn’t the draw. That’s no slight to Mamaveca’s ability to churn out topnotch Tex Mex. I have no doubt, based on the table salsas Mamaveca features, that the Tex-Mex is above average. But because of the authentic Peruvian cuisine they offer, I haven’t given the the Tex Mex a fair shake.
At Mamaveca, George Lang, Matt Price and Nick Tankersley joined me to sample Mamaveca’s Ceviche Mixto, Jalea Mixta, Papas a la Huancaina, Lomito Saltado, Picante de Mariscos and Chaufas.
We agreed right away that based on the two salsa that started lunch that we were in good hands. The basic salsa roja was emboldened by garlic and fearlessly spicy. The salsa verde was a beautiful combination of flame and cool — roasted jalapenos and creamy avocado staking the boundaries.
We started out with Papas a la Huancaina, a traditional Peruvian dish that includes chilled potato slices covered in a sauce made of aji amarillo (yellow chiles), feta cheese and cream. The potatoes are topped with bits of boiled egg, sweet red peppers and kalamata olives. This lush, spicy potato dish was the first authentic Peruvian dish I ever ate. Mamaveca’s version is spot on.
Then out came a blur of beautifully crafted dishes, including the finest ceviche I have ever eaten. I do believe if you find a better ceviche than the one Mamaveca offers, you must be in downtown Lima. And it’s no surprise considering Peru is generally considered the ceviche capital of the world. I’m told the country has in the neighborhood of 2,000 cevicherias. Now, I haven’t yet had the pleasure of enjoying the ceviche at the two other Peruvian restaurants I know of in town, Zarate’s Latin Mexican Grill and Inca Trail. That’s only because Inca Trail just opened and I haven’t been in yet, and Zarate’s has so many other things I enjoy, I haven’t gotten around to the ceviche yet. Thus, Mamaveca’s ceviche is the best I’ve had to date. George Lang, who loves ceviche almost as much as he loves reciting lines from the Rankin and Bass production of “The Hobbit,” was already making plans to bring his wife back for dinner before the ceviche was half gone. The Ceviche Mixto includes mussels, calamari, shrimp and white fish all cooked through only by the natural acid of lime, which is tinged with yellow and green chiles. Thin-sliced red onion offer a little sweetness and color to the dish. It’s served with crunchy mini corn nuts, large kernels of marinated corn called choclos and a chilled chunk of sweet potato. Do not hesitate. Order this.
