Here, he serves an ever-changing, four-course tasting menu of South American specialties made from market-fresh ingredients - all for $20. (It used to be $15, but prices just went up. It is, of course, still a deal.) Over the last year and a half, since Gimenez took over the restaurant space from a local woman who specialized in arepas, he has slowly evolved his menu, begun to serve dinner six nights a week, and taken on additional staff. He has also kept the arepas, and the original yellow and red sign: “MR. POLLO: COMO A TI - TE - GUSTA, 100% SABOR LATINO.’’
Since my husband, Matt, and I live in the neighborhood, we have been lucky enough to sample the goods on a handful of occasions. On our first visit, the tasting menu was a meticulously presented lineup of poached lobster in broth, grilled baby octopus with delicate beets, sliced steak with pureed potatoes, and a goat stew with farmers’ market vegetables, all served by Gimenez himself, working solo (and cleaning up between courses).
We also ordered Colombian-style arepas, delicately sweet white corn cakes filled with cheese and browned to perfection. Gimenez also makes Venezuelan-style arepas - which are larger and filled with meat, sandwich-style - as well as empanadas, cachapas, and sides of rice, beans, and sweet plantains. But the cheese arepa is, hands-down, the best. Served steaming hot, it has a gooey, chewy sweetness that transcends its simple ingredients. At $2.50, it’s also the cheapest thing on the menu.
A line forms at opening, and for good reason: Gimenez hails from the kitchens of SPQR, Quince, and Coi, and has even worked a stint at the French Laundry. It’s an outrageous deal for the experience, especially since you can carry in your own beer and wine; Mr. Pollo will supply the glasses. For dinner service, bring a bottle of wine and be prepared to wait, as the staff and space are small. Hours at the self-described “anti-restaurant’’ can be hit or miss, but are becoming more reliable.
