CHUPE DE CAMARONES
WE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES IN 1975 FROM NEW YORK AND WERE APPALLED INITIALLY BY THE FOOD SCENE. THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF DECENT ITALIAN OR FRENCH RESTAURANTS. OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE FOOD DIDN’T EXTEND MUCH BEYOND CHINATOWN AND WE’D NEVER EXPERIENCED THAI, VIETNAMESE, ARMENIAN, AND EVEN MEXICAN FOOD. THAT BEGAN TO CHANGE WHEN WE EXPLORED THOSE CUISINES RIGHT IN OUR HOLLYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
A NEWCOMER IN 1990 WAS MARIO’S PERUVIAN SEAFOOD ON THE PENINSULAR CORNER OF MELROSE AND VINE. THE FOOD DISHES WERE DELICIOUS, COPIOUS AND CHEAP.
I OFTEN WENT BY MYSELF FOR LUNCH, BUT WITH THE LONG WAITS FOR A TABLE BEGAN TO PALL, I GAVE UP ON MARIO’S UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I RETURNED WITH MY FOOD JOINT GUYS ON ONE OF OUR PERIODIC JAUNTS FOR CHEAP, GOOD EATS.
THE FOOD WAS BETTER THAN EVER; THE SERVICE, FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT AND THE PRICES REMARKABLY REASONABLE CONSIDERING HOW MUCH MARIO’S PACKS ON EACH PLATE. CEVICHE OF SQUID, FISH AND SHRIMP IS LIVELY WITH LIME, RED ONION, GARLIC AND CILANTRO. SALTADO DE MARISCOS IS TOSSED WITH BROWNED ONIONS, GARLIC AND TOMATOES OVER RICE WITH A SUBTLE KICK OF CHILIS.
ON A CHILLY SPRING DAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, HOWEVER, I HAD A HANKERING FOR THEIR CHUPE DE CAMARONES.
THIS RICH SOUP IS A DAY-GLO BOWL OF SHRIMP STOCK FLAVORED WITH PIECES OF FRESH GINGER, CHILIS, TOMATO, CELERY, GARLIC, AND ONIONS WITH LITTLE PIECES OF EGG WHITE LIKE EGG DROP SOUP. IT IS SO HOT ON ARRIVAL THAT YOU MAY BE WELL INTO THE BROTH BEFORE THE SHELL-ON SHRIMP ARE COOL ENOUGH TO PEEL AND EAT. BUT NOTHING ELSE COULD BETTER WARM YOUR COCKLES ON A CHILLY CALIFORNIA DAY.
