Opening in the third week of January in the heart of San Francisco's bustling Marina District, Jaranita will highlight the authentic flavors of Peru and the variety of ethnic cultures that have influenced the cuisine and feature a custom-built charcoal grill. It is a new concept from the award-winning La Mar Cebicheria Peruana culinary team of the Acurio International Restaurant Group that owns and operates over 50 restaurants across the world. Jaranita will be spearheaded by Executive Chef Javier Cussato and General Manager Kenzeo Mpoyi, who have over 15 years of combined experience working for the collection of restaurants.
“Though the pandemic has been challenging for the restaurant industry, we’re excited to kick-off a new year by introducing our new Peruvian wood-fired rotisserie concept to San Francisco locals and visitors alike,” says Cussato, who has spent the past seven years honing his craft with the internationally-renowned cebicheria. “With Jaranita, our goal is to offer an approachable menu with takeout and delivery options as well as open-air dining when the time is right for those that crave a restaurant experience.”
“Jarana” translates to a spontaneous colorful street celebration in Peru. The restaurant will feature traditional, authentic dishes showcasing free-range, pasture-raised chickens rubbed with Peruvian spices and slow-roasted cooked meats over charcoal on the rotisserie while highlighting the classic dishes that have put Peruvian cuisine on the world map. The menu will also offer a variety of organic vegan and vegetarian dishes.
While the main focal point will be the Pollo a la Brasa served with aji Amarillo and huacatay sauces, fries, and house salad (whole chicken, $27.95; half chicken, $17.95; quarter chicken, $13.95), there will be an all-day menu ranging from sandwiches and salads to cebiche, empanadas, tapas, entrees, and other rotisserie grilled meats. The Cebiche offerings include Cebiche de Pescado: catch of the day fish in classic leche de tigre ($16.95); Mixto: catch of the day, squid, and shrimp in rocoto pepper with leche de tigre ($16.95); and Leche de Tigre: mixed seafood in rocoto pepper leche de tigre and topped with “chicharron de calamar” and served with choclo corn and fried cancha corn ($9.95). Empanadas ($4 each) are offered in carne, pollo and vegetarian.
Salads, such as the Rotisserie salad with carrots, beets, cucumber, queso fresco, avocado, and Jaranita dressing ($10.95) and Quinoa salad with roasted bell peppers, red onions, cucumbers, and roasted corn, tossed with a rocoto pepper, cranberry & sesame vinaigrette ($10.95) will be available as well as Sanguches like Churrasquito: sliced tri-tip beef marinated in anticuchera sauce and seared over the grill, topped with tomatoes, avocado, melted white cheddar cheese, rocoto pepper aioli, and chimichurri sauce ($11) and a Quinoa Burger served on an Acme bun with lettuce, tomatoes, rotisserie dressing, rocoto pepper-mango chutney and caramelized onions ($9.95) will be available.
“Piqueos” or small plates feature Coliflor: whole roasted cauliflower with ocopa sauce and topped with toasted peanuts and queso fresco ($9); and Salchipaps Jarana: sausage, hot dogs, rotisserie chicken bites, fries, aji Amarillo sauce, rocoto pepper cream, and huancaina sauce ($12);
“From The Grill” dishes showcase Pollada: grilled half heirloom chicken glazed with anticuchera sauce, served alongside roasted potatoes and choclo (corn on the cob) ($18): Picanha (beef culotte): top sirloin grilled with chimichurri, served alongside roasted potatoes and choclo ($21.95); and Churrasco: grilled flat iron served over cannellini bean tacu-tacu and topped with a traditional chorrillana sauce ($25).
The “Jaranita Clasics” feature Arroz con Pollo: quarter rotisserie chicken with cilantro aji Amarillo and fried rice ($18), Aji de Gallina: chicken breast stewed in aji Amarillo, pecans, and parmesan cheese ($16); and Seco con Frejoles: braised short ribs in cilantro and aji Amarillo sauce and served over cannellini beans, and rice along with Peruvian corn and topped with criolla salad ($24). A variety of sides are available such as Yuca Frita ($5); Green Rice with chiles and herbs ($5); Tacu Tacu: beans and rice cooked with onion, garlic, and aji Amarillo ($5); and Chimichurri Mashed Potatoes ($5). “Postres” or desserts feature Chocolate Cake: fortunato chocolate cake with layers of dulce de leche; Tres Leches: sponge cake soaked in a mix of three different types of milk and served with whipped cream and strawberries, and a variety of seasonal fruit sorbet flavors (all $8.95)
The beverage menu will soon feature creative mixology-driven handcrafted cocktails and large-format drinks with Peruvian flavors and spices, such as the Nikkei Sour made with blanco sake, yuzu-infused sake, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white; Sake-Salp made with copper bourbon-infused sake, orange juice, lemon juice, and peach gastrique; and El Cholito de la Marina made with cucumber-infused sake, dry vermouth, simple syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer as well as a curated wine and beer list (prices range from $10-$25 for individual and group cocktails).
Patrons will find colorful and creative murals throughout the restaurant by up and coming local artist, Bernadine Preetha Saint-Auguste, and an expansive dining area complete with a live tree growing underneath a large skylight, open fire kitchen, bar seating as well as a new parklet. There will be space for 24 seats on the parklet and 85 in total for the entire restaurant, available once outdoor dining and indoor dining eventually resume.
News and information presented in this release has not been corroborated by WTWH Media LLC.
