Mr. Pollo - Peruvian Chicken (YUM!!)

So yesterday we stop at the Klondike Market to pick up broasted chicken to take to Mamaw's for Sunday dinner (her fave - it is REALLY good, btw). I see this new place called Mr. Pollo near the market, in a free standing building, so I decide to check it out while hubby gets dinner. As I open the door I see "Peruvian Chicken" on the sign and get really excited! This was our lunche' many evenings when I lived in La Punta...I question the authenticity, and sure enough, one of the owners is Peruvian, and it's the yummy rotisserie chicken I fell in love with down there - served with french fries, salad and aji. While I was there another Peruvian came in to get dinner. I ordered some to take with me (why not - we were having chicken anyway). We all chatted while our orders were prepared and learned where everyone was from in the Lima area. I can tell you, the smell was KILLING me! I was hungry anyway, but I wanted to try it sooo bad.

On our way to Elizabeth, IN I have to sample it, and YES, it was just what I was expecting. And the aji was good too - a mild and a hot, both very tasty, to dip the chicken and fries in. I wish they had been fresh cut fries - those are the best and what I had in Lima, but that's all I would change. They also serve it with black beans & white rice if you don't want fries & salad.

They've been open 2 weeks and that's all they serve is chicken - either rotisserie or breaded wings, fries, salad, black beans and white rice. If there are any Rollo Pollo fans out there, you might want to try this place. Same concept, but you get the aji for dipping.

Can you give any more info on the location? I looked it up all over (Google et al), and found the Chicago and SF locations, but can't find an address or phone for Louisville.

Sorry guys - I had to find their card - no address on the menu...

Mr Pollo
3606 1/2 Klondike Ln
40218

If you turn onto Klondike Ln from Hikes Ln, on your right is the Klondike Mkt. Facing the market, on the rt is an empty space (a building was recently torn down) Mr. Pollo is next to the empty lot. It's literally right behind the smoker's outlet (?) that faces Hikes Ln.

So - has anyone else tried it yet?

Stopped in for lunch with a friend today - I like it.

What I saw:

Chicken dishes are available in 1/4, 1/2, or full chicken family platters for $6.99, $9.99, and $19.99 respectively. 2 sides and a drink included with the smaller ones, didn't really check the family platter, since it was lunch. Sides choices were white rice, black beans, and salad.

The chicken - wow. The dry rub they used was salty and full of flavor, and the coverage on the meat was excellent. (some 'deli' rotisserie chickens never seem to get the rub over the whole bird). Nicely browned skin - not baked crisp, but slightly moist and very edible. Meat was moist and juicy, and the flavor definitely seeped in through the skin. Bonus - my leg/thigh portion had the Pope's Nose piece attached and all spice rubbed up - best part of the bird.

Sides - had the white rice and black beans. White rice was, well, white rice. The black beans were in a seasoned broth and were rich and soupy. Great flavor. Friend got the salad with his - looked like a pretty typical side salad.

Aji sauces - 2 came with the meal, a yellowish one and an orangeish one. Not being real experienced with that style of sauce, they seemed to be mayo-based. The yellow was a lightly flavored, mellow sauce and the orange had a little more kick to it. I liked em both.

The place is real bright - yellow walls, lots of art, etc.

Definitely on my list of places to visit repeatedly. Good stuff.

The wife and I tried the family combo Tuesday night. It included a whole Pervian rotisserie (in 1/4's), black beans, salad and aji sauces.

The chicken was very tasty. I pretty much second what John had to say. The spiciness was just right, and the chicken was moist and flavorful. The beans had good flavor, but needed a little salt. My wife thought they were too "soupy" as the containers contained lots of black bean broth, but once drained she really liked them...with a dash of Louisiana hot sauce. The salad contained iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots and white onions. The dressing was thin, but coated the veggies with a nice flavor. The pepper flavor was pronounced and rather tasty. I thought the aji was a bit creamy, but I would not doubt its aunthenticity...the yellow aji was a bit spicier than the orange.

The family combo was just over $20, and both the wife and I had enough for Tuesday dinner and Wednesday lunch. Great value! The family running the place seemed very friendly. I advised the lady at the cash register to check out the LHB site. This place is just around the corner from my house...I hope it does well, and I will be back.

Thanks. DD

I'm so glad you guys liked it! The chicken (rub, preparation) is authentic, but the aji is different than what I've had in Peru. I don't know, maybe some regions make it with a mayo base. I will say, I don't think I've ever met an aji I didn't like

I told the owner about this site, too. I hope she'll check us out

[Robin Garr]

I told the owner about this site, too. I hope she'll check us out

He actually has joined! He used the user name MR POLLO, which I would normally have blocked at the pass, but I figured there's so much discussion of the restaurant going on, it wouldn't be right to hold him up. Once he gets in here and learns to use the forum, then we'll get him to put his real name on his moniker.

So, MR POLLO! Come on in and introduce yourself. The natives are friendly.

(Would one of you folks who are more fluent in Spanish like to re-state this post en Español, just in case he's more comfortable that way?)

I'm so glad you guys liked it! The chicken (rub, preparation) is authentic, but the aji is different than what I've had in Peru. I don't know, maybe some regions make it with a mayo base. I will say, I don't think I've ever met an aji I didn't like

I told the owner about this site, too. I hope she'll check us out

I'm not swearing by the mayo part - could have been a creama or something else. That was just the first texture/flavor base that popped in my head. I'm clueless on that style of sauce, so I was guessing.

I went Tuesday after the Y, and picked up carryout. I'm fluent in Spanish so I picked up the 411, she's Peruvian, he's Cuban, and they came from Miami two years ago. With the influx of Cuban spots, they decided to weigh heavily on her roots and do Peruvian cuisine. I must say they do a great job of it.
I picked up the family combo, whole chicken, rice and beans. I echo everyone elses sentiments in that it was excellent. The chicken was moist, crispy on the outside, and packed full of flavor. The best rot. chicken I've had here in Louisville. Rice, standard fair, white and ricey . the beans had a good simmered flavor, nice finish without trying to reinvent the wheel. Both aliois were excellent, the darker of the two having a great kick to it. In my journeys through Peru, I'd leave the discos at night and head straight to the street vendors. This food took me right back to Lima. We had enough food for two nights and grubbed large portions both nights. $20, I couldn't have cooked it cheaper, and definitely not better myself. Lets show them some love. They're not in a high visibility area. Right behind Cox Smokers outlet on Hikes Ln, which is right next to the Golden Nugget.

First of all thanks everybody for your reviews, after a very hard work is really very nice to hear things like that about our job. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
This forum brought us a lot of new customers so we appreciated that a lot!!! (Nancy D...thanks!!!!!!!!) .
As Brian said, this is a family bussiness , we just came from Miami 2 years ago looking for a better place to raised our kids (5 and 3 years old) , my husband used to had a Cuban Restaurant there , but when we went to Peru for vacations three x-mas ago (and because i love and missed peruvian chicken a lot) we decided to take the complete course "how to prepare the Pollo a Brasa" plus sauces and dressing, in the beggining we prepared the chicken just for the family and friends and we saw that everybody loved it, so we thought .....why not for everybody, and that is how Mr Pollo born , with a lot of sacrifices but thanks God we are not alone in this adventure , my family from Peru help us a lot with advises and always cheering us up, and my family husband are always there when we need them.
So, let me tell you guys something about the chicken, it take 2 and a half hours to be ready !!! and we do it in three steps ...so is no easy!!!! and we always give them fresh , and since we just start , dealing with the times is a little complicated , that is why we are so glad to hear reviews like you guys maked, that means that all the we are doing really worth.
About the sauces , both of them have more than 10 ingredients and yes , a little bit of mayo is one of them

thanks again and check us next wed we are gonna be on the local newspaper!!!! and sorry for my english

This sounds good! Are they open Monday? And are there tables for eating there?

Dont know about Mondays, and yes they have a dining room area.

[Robin Garr]

They're not open on Monday.

[Robin Garr]

Also, they have a Facebook page:

http://es-la.facebook.com/pages/Louisvi ... 1813595038