fresca

Sunday night I was at Fresca in Noe Valley to help celebrate Daphne’s birthday. Fresca is a stylish Peruvian restaurant with 3 city locations and a menu that changes often. I’m not sure why I haven’t been before, but after my excellent meal I am looking forward to going back.

We started our dinner with ceviches, both their signature 5 Elementos (a spicy mix of Halibut, red onion, lime, salt and Aji) and the special wild King Salmon. The civiche is a great way to enjoy Salmon season.

For my entrée, I had the Halibut (top left) served with prawns, white bean Tacu-Tacu, a black beer cilantro sauce and onion salad. I especially enjoyed the Tacu-Tacu. Lisette had a whole fried Branzini (top middle) served with clams and a spicy tomato broth. Brad and Chrisite ordered this as well, and it was perfectly prepared. But, the star was Daphne’s duck (top right), served in a large portion and cooked to a perfect medium rare.

As Daphne had birthday candles to blow out, the right side of the table insisted on the dessert sampler. Despite being stuffed and a bit warm (it was already an uncharacteristically hot night and we were seated right next to the exhibition kitchen), I was happy they did. We had a mango cheesecake with mango tartare, a tasty chocolate cake with lime lacuma mousse, and the amazing tres leches cake with dulce de leche ice cream. Save room for the tres leches when you visit.

Fresca: 2114 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA (415) 447-2668
Fresca: 24 W Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA (415) 759-8087
Fresca: 3945 24th St, San Francisco, CA (415) 695-0549