The fish, white basa from the Mekong River Delta (per the menu), is gently cured. Each thin slice is presented right after being mixed with citrus, the fish slowly transforming from translucent to opaque as it is eaten. Its flavor is mild and sweet, fully embraced by the potent sauce in which it sits. Slivers of red onion and flecks of cilantro add crunch and herbaceous freshness. Alongside each ceviche order is a small bowl of hotter-than-hot sauce (drizzle with care) and a handful of corn nuts, which shouldn’t be ignored.

Escabeche de pollo, a Wednesday special, comes with a vinegar-and-chile braised chicken drumstick, rice, and lentils. Photo: Kate Williams — *Escabeche de pollo*, a Wednesday special, comes with a vinegar-and-chile braised chicken drumstick, rice, and lentils. Photo: Kate Williams

The escabeche, perhaps, lacks the glamour of the ceviche, but it is far from boring. In it, a single braised chicken drumstick sits enveloped by a tangy, vinegary sauce spiked with soft caramelized onions. This sweet and sour gravy makes its way into the crevices of the sweet steamed white rice and tender lentils. Get a bite of all of the components for the optimum balance of flavor. Once the chicken’s gone, top any rogue bites of rice and beans with a little leftover leche de tigre and slices of red onion. Delightful.

A small sandwich board sign is the only indication of the restaurant’s presence in the Plaza Adelante. Photo: Kate Williams

Depending on its country of origin, the word “cholo” can be used to characterize a range of ethnicities and heritages. In some countries, the word flirts with derogatory slur, but in Peru it is a proud descriptor of indigenous heritage. To name a restaurant “Cholo Soy” (“I am a Cholo”) is to lay claim to an historical past and assert the food’s unique distinction in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. The food at Cholo Soy is the food of the people — inexpensive, exciting, and soul warming.

Information:
Cholo Soy
Address: Map
2301 Mission Street (inside Plaza Adelante)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-4pm

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Cholo Soy: Tiny Peruvian Restaurant in the Mission Serves Excellent Comfort Food and Fantastic Ceviche