Parada explores markets of Lima

Michelin-starred chef Carlos Altamirano (La Costanera) brings casual Peruvian cooking to the Bay Area with the newly opened Parada. Named for the outdoor markets of his native Lima, Parada is inspired by those fresh meats and produce and by Lima’s popular street foods. The menu, prepared in the open kitchen of at his downtown Walnut Creek cafe, features casual (and sometimes modernized) dishes, including Pollo a la Brasa (traditional Peruvian rotisserie chicken), tequenos and empanadas, as well as bolder choices such as fresh fish ceviches and anticuchos: skewered, grilled meats including beef heart.

“Parada is a place close to my heart, as I used to love to visit the market as a child,” says Altamirano. “I was always fascinated by the busy atmosphere and fresh, comforting foods we couldn’t find anywhere else.” Altamirano sources ingredients from local suppliers, including his own Alta Farm in Half Moon Bay, CA, a single-acre plot where he grows the spicy rocoto pepper, a foundational ingredient of Peruvian cooking.

The intimate, 60-seat corner space is warm and pretty. Abueg Morris Architects designed Parada with a mix of woods and industrial metals and pops of turquoise throughout. A large, colorful mural by local artist Letty Samonte sets the scene. Check out Parada.