Peruvian cuisine is a melting pot of cultural influences—primarily Incan, Spanish, Italian, African, Chinese, and Japanese. Its flora and fauna are similarly diverse, ranging from abundant tropical produce to thousands of fish species from the Amazon River and Pacific Ocean.

As the third largest fishing country in the world after China and Indonesia, according to research firm Statista, its national specialty is ceviche, derived from the indigenous Quechuan word siwichi, meaning fresh fish.

Peru also grows the bulk of Latin America's potatoes, which it has managed to elevate to delicacy status with its popular dish causa, or kausaq—Quechuan for "gives life."

• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• LAYERS OF FLAVOR Kiko Restaurant & Pisco Bar's Causa de Cocktail de Camarón features mashed potatoes, shrimp in a special cocktail sauce, avocado, cherry tomato, boiled egg, and crunchy sweet potato strings.

Not surprisingly, Peru's rich biodiversity has landed its restaurants among the world's best.

Food & Wine magazine's 2024 Global Tastemakers recently ranked Mérito in Lima as No. 1 and Indigo in Arequipa as No. 8 on its list of top 20 international restaurants.

In The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023, published by William Reed, Lima scored more slots than any other city. Central landed first place, followed by Maido at No. 6, Kjolle at No. 28, and Mayta at No. 47.

With the city continuing to make gastronomic headlines worldwide, Lima native and San Luis Obispo resident Kiko Pomalaza decided the time was ripe to fulfill his long-held dream of opening his own Peruvian restaurant.

• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• KEEPIN' IT REAL Kiko Pomalaza, Desiree' Stefanini, and Paul Hamou (not pictured), co-founders of San Luis Obispo's Kiko Restaurant & Pisco Bar, aim to transport guests to Peru with traditional cuisine and imported artwork and décor.

Kiko Restaurant & Pisco Bar will celebrate its grand opening at SLO's Mission Mall on June 20, joining the city's other Peruvian standout restaurant, Mistura, as well as takeout gem Coya, tucked in the back of Sidewalk Market.

"I love this little town and its community," said Pomalaza, a server at La Esquina Taqueria for the past six years. "I have built and crafted my restaurant for them, for the locals, for the community of San Luis Obispo, so they can find a place where they cannot just find amazing food, but a place where they can meet with friends and family and create memorable moments."

Pomalaza—co-founder of the eatery along with his partner Desiree' Stefanini and La Esquina colleague Paul Hamou, also of SLO—reflected on his culinary journey, beginning with his parents' business at a seaside town south of Lima.

"My first job in hospitality was with my dad at Hospedaje San Bartolo Beach, a charming little hotel designed by my mother," he said. The hotel is still owned by Pomalaza and his siblings.

After receiving a degree in business from Lima University, he relocated to California to "expand on my opportunities in life," he said.

"I began working in luxury hotels in Orange County, such as the Pelican Hill, Montage, St. Regis, and Surf & Sand Resort," he continued. "It was there that I realized how much I loved the hospitality industry—the people, the food, and creating amazing dining experiences."

• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• ALL ABOUT AJI For Ceviche SLO, Kiko chef Armando Melendez of Grover Beach combines fresh locally caught rockfish, shrimp, caramelized sweet potato, and leche de tigre (tiger's milk) spiked with aji amarillo, Peru's famed yellow chili pepper.

Pomalaza met Stefanini in 2012 while working at a restaurant in Dana Point.

"I already had thoughts and plans to one day have a Peruvian restaurant," he said. "When and where was still up in the air at that point in my life, but the dream was a strong one.

"I moved to San Luis Obispo in 2013 to follow Desiree' and, after some time, I also fell in love with ... the beautiful community. I still remember the first time Desiree' and I walked together inside of Mission Mall 10 years ago. I saw this space, which at the time was a café. I looked at Desiree' and told her that this is going to be our place for the restaurant one day."

The trio signed the lease in 2023, began extensive construction and remodeling, and traveled to Peru to acquire authentic ceramics, art, and tapestries.

Stefanini enlisted the help of her mother to design the interior.

The end result is a restaurant that "is an extension of who Kiko is as a person," she said. "Kiko as a human is hard to forget. He is that wonderful. So it made sense to create a space and experience that would be memorable for everyone."

Stefanini herself is hard to forget. The native of Parma, Italy, is a dance instructor and singer performing as Desiree' as well as a hospitality industry veteran with more than a decade of experience, most recently as a server at the High Bar at Hotel SLO.

• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• SALTADO-STYLE Main courses at Kiko include Pasta Huancaína, smothered in a creamy aji amarillo sauce with Parmesan and vegetables. Add a choice of meat served saltado- or anticuchero-style, meaning wok stir-fried or skewered and grilled, respectively.

Guests might get a chance to see her perform in the future, "as we would love to have live music and support local talent," she said.

Hamou, who serves as Kiko's general manager and distiller, rounds out the leadership team. Born and raised in Marin County, Hamou moved to SLO in 2000 to pursue an aerospace degree at Cal Poly and instead ended up in the hospitality industry.

His 20-plus years in the profession include eight at SLO's now closed Mission Grill, "where I learned all positions of the restaurant," as well as his most recent six-year stint as general manager of La Esquina.

Like his partners, Hamou also brings cultural diversity to the establishment.

"Having a first-generation Amazigh (northern Algerian) father has given me a unique insight into the world we live in and allows me to see alternative sides to many situations, resulting in ... novel solutions to many problems," he said.

"We hope to create a self-sufficient operation that can thrive and excel with systems in place to provide a rewarding environment and be a community gathering place."

The expansive restaurant takes up the bulk of Mission Mall's north side, with a main dining area called the Pisco Bar, a separate Ceviche Bar that will double as a venue for private dining and special events, and a patio alongside San Luis Creek.

The nightly menu offers a wide array of Peruvian classics, including ceviche and sashimi, causa, and pasta and rice dishes with a variety of saltado- and anticuchero-style meats, reflecting Asian and African influences.

If your meal has a yellow tint, chances are it contains a dollop of aji amarillo, Peru's quintessential chili pepper, providing fruity characteristics combined with a spicy punch.

Plates favor quality over quantity and are meant to be enjoyed family-style. Don't be surprised if Pomalaza himself swings by your table to assist with assembling the perfect bite, always quick to point out that "we are sharing a dining experience."

• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• SOUR POWER Kiko's lead bartender, Angel Munoz of Arroyo Grande, whips up a zesty pisco sour with egg white, house-made simple syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, and angostura bitters. Try his pomegranate version as well.

The restaurant also boasts a full bar and copper still, with pisco sour cocktails—the national drink of Peru—reigning supreme.

"We will be making a pisco-style spirit—unaged brandy or grappa—and also a Peruvian potato vodka," Hamou said.

Also stay tuned for weekday happy hour and weekend brunch, as well as long-term projects, including Kiko Coffee, specializing in organic Peruvian coffee, and Kiko Nikkei, offering Peruvian-Japanese cuisine.

"This is a dream come true," said Hamou of his partnership with Pomalaza and Stefanini. "I feel privileged to have the opportunity to create an experience for people on the Central Coast, from the ground up, outside of their traditional experiences.

"Everyone is integral to the success of the restaurant—chef, cooks, preps, bar, dishwashers, servers, bussers, host. They do their part to deliver a special event every night. We hope through choosing the right people who shine and love what they do we can attain true success." Δ

Flavor Writer Cherish Whyte could eat ceviche every day. Reach her on Kiko's creekside patio at [email protected].