Go fish: Beatnik’s new ceviche bar dives deep
Like so many other great classic dishes in the world, ceviche’s true origins are up for debate. Heck, even its name varies with cebiche, seviche, sebiche and, for inventing the dish made from raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices. A visit to the South American country where numerous variations of the dish can be found further proves this theory; the fact that Peru even has a holiday declared in ceviche’s honor goes even further.
But ceviche isn’t limited to Peru. Ecuador, Chile and Mexico all have their own distinctive takes. So, when Bonhomme Hospitality Chef/Partner Marcos Campos decided he wanted to include ceviche at Beatnik to answer the demand for light, refreshing summer-friendly dishes, he opted to include representations of them all on the lunch and weekend brunch menus. After all, globally inspired dishes that effortlessly cross borders is what Beatnik does best. “Ceviche adds another worldly influenced cuisine to our menu,” says Marcos of the new items.
To create the six different varieties, Marcos starts with the freshest seasonal fish and seafood he can find. From there, he gets creative with ingredients, always striving to find the perfect balance between acidity and spiciness while adding crunch through different vegetables. “We always want to get all those things in one bite,” he says.
That means in the Peruvian-inspired Ceviche Con Leche de Tigre, you’ll find fluke, coconut leche de tigre, sweet potato, choclo (large kernels of Peruvian corn), red onion and guajillo oil. For his riff on a Mexican seafood cocktail, Vuelve a la Vida, shrimp, calamari and bay scallops get friendly with avocado, aji amarillo, heirloom cherry tomatoes and a Mexican cocktail sauce. Even Spain, Marcos’ birthplace, gets in the ceviche mix with an Andalusian-style gazpacho serving as the base for Maine lobster, rye breadcrumbs, sherry vinegar and chive olive oil.
“Ceviche is a great way to enjoy fish that truly respects the quality and texture of the product,” says Marcos. “More and more people are traveling to South American and have tried all these amazing ceviches by the beach. We hope ours can transport guests to Cancun or those beautiful beaches of Peru.”
