I came to Llama Inn with my fiancé for dinner on a Saturday at 6pm. I had initially made a reservation inside but the day was absolutely beautiful so we asked if we could be seated upstairs in their rooftop area which thankfully they were able to accommodate. I'm a huge fan of the Llama restaurants and was saddened by the recent closing of Llama San in the West Village. However, one of the waiters there told me to come try Llama Inn since the style of food is very similar. The space is very nice, offering two different vibes: the inside downstairs area feels more elevated and polished while the rooftop felt open, airy, casual, and reminded us of relaxing dinner during a beach vacation. The service was amazing, our waiter went through the whole menu in detail and gave us suggestions of drinks to order. For drinks we got two pisco sours, one traditional and a passion fruit one. These were amazing and exactly the same as the ones they had at Llama San (a.k.a these are now the best piscos in the city for me)-- they had the perfect tangy flavor, subtle sweetness, and incredibly rich foam. Later during the meal, we also ordered a Llamarita which is their version of a margarita with tequila, mezcal, avocado for a little creaminess, and hints of salt and cinnamon on the rim which was just an incredibly pleasant combination, For food we shared a variety of dishes:
- Chicken anticucho: one portion comes with two skewers of juicy and tender chicken. The size was pretty substantial and satisfying. The chicken had a delicious flavor of charcoal, balanced by the spicy ají sauce and crispy/mildly sweet purple potato. Very good!
- Trout tartare: one of our favorites of the meal! The fish was super flavorful and had bright, citrus hints. It came topped with a creamy avocado crema, and paired with delicate sweet chips. The ají amarillo on the side gave it a nice aromatic hint!
- Ceviche carretillero: more your traditional ceviche except more elevated and spicier! This was amazing! The fish quality was exceptional and I loved how they put fried squid in it which just made it feel extra decadent. Very well executed!
- Tiradito: the catch of the day was fluke and it was fresh but I felt that the fish could have been cut a little better (it was a little too fibrous), however the flavor profile was insanely good! With this delightful cilantro oil and leche de Tigre that I wish I could have drank straight from a cup.
- Lomo saltado: I was hesitant to order this initially but it was well worth it as the main entree in terms of amount of food. This lomo saltado comes with generous fries, a side of rice, a side of scallion pancakes, and some sauces including a creamy aji and guacamole. The portion was massive and perfect to share. I also loved how you could make your own adventure and pair the lomo with the fries, or the rice, or make it into little tacos wrapped in the scallion pancake. The steak was cooked to perfection, was juicy, tender, and full of flavor. The dish also came with the stir fried tomatoes and onions which were sooo good! For $98 it's definitely enough to feed two people, my only complaint is that I definitely wish there were more steak since the dish felt very carb heavy overall and it did not feel like the $98 was worth it for the smaller steak ratio. I enjoyed it so much I would still order again though! Definitely worth experiencing at least once.
- Lucuma sundae: amazing! It reminded me more of a lucuma pudding- thick, rich, and with the beautiful vanilla notes of the fruit. It was perfectly paired with a drizzle of bitter dark chocolate and sweet dulce de leche. The generous whipped cream on the side helped mellow out the richness. It came with flambéed banana which added a beautiful caramelized and sweet flavor.
Overall, I really loved Llama Inn and will definitely be coming back. The dishes are well executed and the ambiance is really nice. I also loved their piscos! This is a very different vibe and experience than Llama San but there is enough overlap that it helps quench the nostalgia. Prices are on the higher end but it's a perfect place for a special occasion. Highly recommend. read more