Don Juan V is an exceptional Peruvian restaurant whose sandwiches are the crown of its menu. I…read morevisited it with my friend Luis, who is Peruvian, on the second day of our trip to Indianapolis for a hardcore festival. Weary after a full morning of sets and performances, we sought respite and a proper lunch meal, and found both here.
The restaurant is unassuming, housed in a humble tin hut. To me this was a green flag, as the finest restaurants I visited across Latin America looked precisely like this. We eagerly pored over a menu with many tempting options. Guided by Luis's expertise, we ordered the tilapia ceviche to share, the chicharrón sandwich for him (the viral sandwich apparently), and the lomo saltado for me.
Everything was cooked to order, so the food took twenty-five to thirty minutes to arrive - it was entirely worth the wait. The ceviche was impeccably fresh, with tender yet crisp calamari and a generous portion. The bright tang of lime, the plump Peruvian choclo kernels, the toasted cancha, and the sweet camote made it irresistible to stop eating. My only wish was for some plantain chips or slices on the side.
The sandwiches then arrived, and they were phenomenal. I was captivated by my lomo saltado, its beef tenderloin strips tender and seasoned to perfection, bathed in a juicy, savoury sauce that was perfect to be mopped with bread. The standout was the extraordinary wok hei. Luis explained that Peruvian chefs have long cooked in woks, as Chinese and Hakka influences, dating to the 1800s, gave rise to the beloved chifa tradition. One can really taste that history in every bite. My only reservation is that the dish was a bit too salty toward the end, so I would suggest ordering the bread on the side so it won't soak up too much of the juice all at once.
Overall, it was a wonderful and deeply satisfying meal. The bill came to roughly $65 USD, which is not cheap, but the quality and freshness more than justified it. We shall return the next time we find ourselves in Indianapolis.
