Los Andes

Peruvian and Bolivian Restaurant in Providence RI

Los Andes was incredible!

The food, the drinks, the staff, the inside seating, the valet parking, the courtyard, the Sangria bar, the igloos, the atmosphere, the entire vibe –  all magnificent! Dining at Los Andes is not just eating out, it is an experience. If you are planning a get together and looking for a unique dining experience, try out Los Andes.

We are always up for an adventure, so when our friends, Mark and Anne, asked us to join them at their favorite South American restaurant, we jumped at the chance. At the last minute, Carol and John were excited to join us as well. Sometimes those spontaneous get togethers turn out to be the best! Mark and Anne have been here a couple of times and thought that we would love it. They we so right!!

Mark asked to be sat in an igloo which was great. Six old friends can be loud so he thought here we could have fun and not worry about bothering other patrons. The igloos are coming down soon to make way for outdoor courtyard seating now that the good weather is almost here. I’m sure the courtyard will be beautiful as there is so much to see here between the coy pond, walking bridge and serenading guitar player.

Our waiter, Tony, was great. He is from Colombia. He has only been in this country for 7 months, but you would not guess that. He fit right in with us and played along with our humor (and put up with Mark’s antics). He was very helpful with the menu and was on top of every request we had. He was very patient with us as we perused the extensive beer, wine and cocktail list. Los Andes has a large offering of South American wines and beers to go along with their creative cocktail list.

To start, we all ordered the special cocktail, Piña de Mayo, that was served with a tajin rim (chili pepper salt mix). Very good. So good that we ordered the Crystal Tower full of Piña de Mayo, a pineapple margarita with Pisco a South American brandy. It came in an enormous crystal dispenser, beautifully decorated with fruits and topped with a pineapple topper. As if that wasn’t enough, a lime was filled with 151 rum and lit on fire for a gorgeous effect. This came with 6 tajin rimmed glasses and we served ourselves using the spigot on the dispenser. This kept us all happy throughout dinner.

For an appetizer, we got a special that was small plates of seafood done 3 ways including one ceviche. The presentation was creative, and the samplings were delicious. This was perfect for sharing with 6 of us and a great way to try various types of seafood on the Los Andes menu.

The lobster paella looked so delicious when we saw it go by that 4 of us ended up ordering that.  This meal is meant to be shareable. Carol and Anne shared one while Mark and I ordered our own knowing we would have leftovers. The lobster is a 1 ½ pound lobster that is pre-cracked so that it is easy and not too messy to remove the meat. Even though the saffron rice did not have the crispy bottom (socarrat) of traditional Spanish paella, it was still scrumptious. The delicious rice filled with pork keilbasa, peas, chicken, littleneck clams, calamari and shrimp paired perfectly with the lobster. Both Mark and I took enough of the rice home to feed 2 people the next day. Jim got the seafood special that looked and tasted awesome. There was fish, shrimp, calamari and mussels in a red sauce that a deep flavor. This was served with white rice and fried yuka. John ordered the Bisteca Andina which was a 14 oz ribeye in a Madeira wine reduction with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and peppers served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Everyone was extremely happy with their meals.

We ordered the 3 desserts that were available to share 6 ways because, why not. I wish I could show you the desserts, but we ate them before I remembered to take a picture. My favorite was the tres leches cake. It was a vanilla cake that was loaded with flavor, covered with a cream frosting. We also liked the flan with its caramelized top, and there was also passionfruit cheesecake which was good too. Anne and I split an espresso martini while Mark and Carol enjoyed their cappuccinos. We raised our cordial glasses of Pisco, a brandy of South America, to a wonderful night with wonderful people.

The prices at Los Andes are in line for the restaurants where we usually dine with most entrées falling between $30-$50. Our bill was slightly more than what we usually spend for a night out but considering that we ordered the Crystal Tower and 3 lobster paellas, it was to be expected and worth every penny. Before leaving the restaurant, we toured the grounds, starting with a group picture at their photo booth. We then walked through the courtyard and over the foot bridge to see the coy fish and check out the rest of the restaurant. We checked out the regular bar, the Sangria bar and the waiting area on our walk out (no we didn’t stop!).

As always, when we are out with old friends, we laughed until our bellies hurt. The environment was perfect for this type of get-together. Mark and Anne already knew that this was a special dining experience and one that we would love which is why they asked us to join them. Jim, me, Carol and John did absolutely enjoy our first experience at Los Andes and know that we will be back!

Until next time!

Patti and Jim