On Sept. 3, Bravazo opened its doors at 428 Main St. The restaurant specializes in Peruvian cuisine, bringing a twist to the classic dishes.
“Bravazo is a Peruvian name. It means something that’s wonderful, that takes you over the top,” said manager Marila Blanco.
A Viral Bite Decades in the Making
Bravazo’s dishes are inspired by classic Peruvian cooking. The Blanco family immigrated to the United States in 1990, bringing the taste of their home country with them.
“My passion for food and cooking started when I was 10. My mother was a great cook, and I was back in Peru. I was spying on her every time she was cooking… [I was] always trying to see how she was making certain dishes, and then I started trying to imitate her,” said owner and head chef Luis Blanco.
Before opening their Main St. location, Bravazo was located off of Bernal Ave. inside Passion Pastry. The small business felt inspired to expand after a video of their cheese-wrapped breakfast burrito went viral on TikTok.
“I had a son that was a competitive swimmer, and my other one was a competitive soccer player. So always after the game, we’d make lots of burritos. And then when we started creating our own breakfast burritos… We melted different kinds of cheese on the grill. And then the burrito was coated with the melted cheese,” said Marila Blanco.
Flavors of Peru
Another popular dish is the pan con chicharrón. Luis Blanco layers pork with Bravazo aioli, roasted sweet potato, and salsa criolla. The sandwich balances the crispy pork with the soft, flavorful sweet potato.
“My favorite is the pork sandwich. It’s a Peruvian classic. And I told you recently there was a world competition about what’s the best breakfast, and they ruled, of course, for that sandwich,” said Marila Blanco.
Whether you order the breakfast burrito, pan con chicharrón, empanadas, or one of the other many dishes, you’re guaranteed to get a mouthful of flavor.
“When they eat it, you know, there’s something different… They’re going to ask what is it, because it’s not easy to come out and say, ‘oh, yeah, it’s cilantro, or it’s parsley, or it’s the flavor of certain, you know, chilies and spices that we have there,’” said Luis Blanco.
Prices range from $7 to $42 for lunch and $11 to $34 for breakfast. Breakfast service starts at 7:30 a.m. and the restaurant closes at 3:30 p.m. In the future, the Blancos hope to expand their hours to include dinner.
“There’s definitely something for everyone if you like seafood, more meat, or if you’re vegan, vegetarian,” said waitress Valeria Blanco.
