While Fresca had some great Peruvian options, its prices betray its Peruvian roots and draw attention to the ways it could be better. I went there for dinner and we got four dishes between the three of us and while my halibut was stellar, everything else left something to be desired.

The halibut ($26) was recommended by our waiter and deserved all his praise. It was a quality fish rubbed in a very tasty spice with a creamy red pepper based sauce that tasted terrific, without drawing too much attention to itself. It came with a risotto cake that was also terrific. It had a great sauce, had a slightly crispy feel, and added a lot to the dish. The signature Lomo Saltado ($18) was also highly recommended by our waiter and was their signature dish. Instead of being terrific, it reminded me of an episode of Penn and Teller’s Bullshit. In it a prop designer takes really mediocre food and dresses it up to look fancy and successfully serves it for a lot of money in a nice restaurant. While this didn’t look fancy, if I got it for $7 at a taqueria, I wouldn’t be surprised. And at Fresca, I feel like that distinction should be clear. It was a mix of steak strips that tasted like typical overcooked carne asada. It has a soy reduction sauce that was good, but there was so little of it, its presence was almost negligible. Mixed in were soggy fries and some tomatoes. I’m not a fan of paella ($20) so I don’t have much to say about it, but it seemed fine and enjoyable and about what I’d expect. The ceviche chino ($11) was good, but not great. The fish didn’t have a strong presence and the dressing, wonton chips, and guacamole didn’t come together to be that exciting.

The waiter was very nice to talk with and the second syrah on the menu was terrific ($8). Spicy and fruity and very memorable. I didn’t think as much as the waiter recommended tempranillo.

I wouldn’t mind coming back since the halibut makes me think it could be better, but for their $20+ prices it doesn’t seem worth the risk with so many untried options in the city.