Like the Japanese-Peruvian cuisine at Lomita’s Kotosh, El Rocoto’s dishes pull from Peru’s immigrant past, drawing on the recipes and techniques that traveled with the Chan family from China to Peru and, later, to the kitchen of the first El Rocoto in Gardena. But you still get all the staples, like jalea, a fish fry fit for two in the same vein as bouillabaisse and paella. El Rocoto’s jalea starts with a fried filet and builds from there, stacking up shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, salsa criolla, potatoes, yucca and toasted Peruvian corn. There’s also seco de cordero, lean hunks of lamb more than fit to follow any of the restaurant’s seafood.

EL ROCOTO 11433 SOUTH ST | CERRITOS 90703 | 562.924.1919 | ELROCOTO.COM | OPEN MON-THURS 11AM-9:30PM | FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM | SUN 9:30AM-9:30PM | FOOD FOR TWO $25-40 | BEER, WINE

Tags: cerritos, chinese, dinner, lunch, peruvian