Last year, Tio Lucho’s popped onto my radar, in an article about 75 restaurants that you needed to try in Atlanta.  A couple of month’s back, when we went to Fishmonger, I saw it across the street and thought about trying to go for a “double lunch”, but the timing did not work on that day.  On this Saturday, as we were heading to meet our daughters and granddaughters (and one son-in-law) at a GT basketball game, the timing balanced  out and we were able to fit this one in. 

I love this signage as you enter – we eat well in Atlanta. It may be my new motto.

Opened in mid-2022, and arising out of his pop-up La Chingana, chef Arnaldo Castillo opened this unique restaurant filling a spot that he saw was empty.  They specialize in coastal Peruvian cooking, which is heavily focused on seafood.  As we were there for a weekend lunch, we had the option of the dinner menu and the weekend sandwich menu.  I cannot deny that I was SORELY tempted by the Pan con Chicarron – a fried pork belly and sweet potato sandwich, but I chose to see what the sea had to offer for me.  FWIW, the kids at the table next to us had the house burger, which looked pretty awesome.

My love chose the arroz con mariscos, a dish that is typically shrimp, squid and clams, but she asked for shrimp only.

Served with jasmine rise and and an aji dulce cholata  (which I would translate, I’m sure quite poorly, as sweet peppers and chocolate), this dish was loaded with shrimp.  She was kind enough to share one (along with more than one bite of rice, when she wasn’t looking) and the depth of flavor was spectacular.  I think the concern with the dish, when ordering, was the use of the word “squid” instead of “calamari”.  In retrospect, I should have asked if it was grilled or fried.  For had it been fried, like my dish, this would have been even more over the top. 

I chose the Ceviche Carretillero, a dish of red snapper ceviche, cornmeal fried calamari, with choclo corn (which is a HUGE kerneled Peruvian corn), cancha (which is a dried corn nut), chalaca (a pico de gallo), miso rocoto (best guess – ciruela rocoto chili paste mixed with miso paste, of undetermined color) and  leche de tigre (literally “tiger’s milk” – the citrus based marinade used to cure the fish). 

That was a lot of description / translation to end in one more Spanish word – exquisito.  I’ve only had better calamari once or twice in my life, but the sauce surrounding these little squid (check out the full small squid on top, in stead of a ring) took it to the top of the heap.  There was heat.  And sweetness.  And tartness.  And there was plenty of snapper.  I had been torn between this and another dish and the server guided me this way.  A big THANK YOU for that. 

This is one of the places that I can’t wait to return to.  Parking is behind the restaurant in the 575 N Highland building and they validate for 2 hours.   You owe it to yourself to eat this well.