Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles

I've driven by Pollo Ala Brasa sooo many times on my way to eat at Tahoe Galbi Restaurant - Los Angeles (Koreatown). On one such occasion, I decided to finally stop off afterward and get some chicken to go. Now, after eating Korean barbecue, I knew I would have no appetite for hours, or even the rest of the day, but the sight of those piles of logs was just too tempting.


Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 1


And more piles of wood.


Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 2


Surely then all that wood fire would infuse the chicken?


Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 3



Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 4



Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 5


I got a half-chicken with salad and rice for $8.31. Half-chicken also comes with rice and beans, or fries and salad. A quarter-chicken is $4.85 and a whole chicken is $13.86.

As you can see, the salad was limp and meh. The rice was just rice. The Aji Verde (Peruvian Green Chili Sauce) wasn't creamy and tasted like pureed jalapenos.


Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 6


The saving grace was the chicken skin was infused with woodsy aroma. Mmm. For chicken skin, I couldn't get enough, but the chicken meat itself was just OK.


Pollo Ala Brasa - Los Angeles 7


Oh how I wanted to like this place so much, but I much prefer the chicken and aji and lower prices at Pollo Mania - El Monte. So while it might be worth a visit when I'm already in the area, it's not worth the drive for me.

There's limited parking since the rotisserie is next to a car wash. Park on the street and get it to go.

Incidentally, both Pollo Ala Brasa and Pollo Mania are operated by Japanese Peruvians. Anyone know what the connection is with Japanese Peruvians and wood fire chicken?

Other chicken restaurants:
Pollo Mania - El Monte
Pollos KiKiRyKi Peruvian Restaurant - Claremont
Zankou Chicken - Pasadena

*****
1 year ago today, Mo Hanh (Vietnamese Scallion Oil).
2 years ago today, my peonies were blooming. Along with my Ramblin' Red Climber rose, hollyhocks, more roses, evening primroses (which don't look like roses at all), and strawberries.
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4 comments:

  1. weezermonkeySeptember 22, 2009 at 4:44 PM

    Love this place so much.

    We still have to do our Pollo Mania takeout date. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wandering ChopsticksNovember 5, 2009 at 12:48 AM

    Weezer Monkey,
    We do!

    ReplyDelete
  3. sdfafsadfMay 10, 2014 at 4:27 PM

    in bolivia, the chicken places were owned by asians. i don't really know the connection but it's probably one of those things where one asian goes into it and then the entire community does too?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wandering ChopsticksJuly 15, 2014 at 8:24 AM

    Jin,
    Maybe? Because the Claremont chicken place is also Japanese Peruvian-owned.

    ReplyDelete

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