I had the cravings for something different for lunch and stumbled upon Pio Pio (aka Pio Pio Express) on the Upper East Side. This Peruvian restaurant is small, but seems to have a strong following. Even though I got there around 1:30pm, the restaurant was almost filled with other late lunch goers. Based on other reviews, Pio Pio is an even more popular for dinner.

I ordered the $8 lunch special. This includes a quarter of succulent, well-seasoned roasted chicken, a salad (with avocado, tomoatoes, and cucumbers), your choice of a side, and a drink. A deal, especially since the portions are pretty big.

To go with my chicken, I orded the fried yuca (a starchy root like potato). Both the yuca and the chicken went very well with their spicy green sauce.

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal. The large party at the adjacent table seemed to be having fun with their sangria, so I’ll have to get a glass next time!

Pros: Best and cheapest chicken (whole or quartered) in the city. Great variety of sides. Lightning fast service. Delicious Peruvian beer by the bottle. The place felt and smelled like you were in another country.

Cons: Extremely tight space. Service seemed disgruntled and was forgetful.

Overall: An absolute winner! The best tasting whole chicken for only $12. The cilantro-chili garlic sauce for the chicken was superb and flavorful. The skin was seasoned beautifully and you can taste everything on it. Sides were sure winners (tostones, maduras, and yuccas fritas) and the chocolate mousse desert capped it in the end. Unfortunately we didn’t receive our appetizers, but it was to our benefit because there was so much food. A whole chicken, 3 sides, 1 desert, and a beer came out to a total of just $35! Wow wow wow! The diners inside were equally energetic with the food and looked like they were having a good time. In the end, with all of that food, I didn’t feel guilty whatsoever. Delicious Peruvian food at dirt cheap prices. Do now miss this place!