Global influence

Pachac Peruvian Food brings the unique taste of Chifa

Sandwiched between a contractor’s office and a laundromat in an unassuming strip mall on West 23rd Street is one of the best new restaurants in Tulsa, open since August 2016. Pachac Peruvian Food specializes in Chifa, a unique fusion of Peruvian and Chinese cuisine, born in Lima in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Cantonese immigrants from Guangdong began arriving in Peru in droves in the mid- and late 1800s as indentured servants intended to meet the country’s labor needs following the emancipation of its slaves. As their numbers grew and they began to establish themselves in the country, their style of cooking, which combined Chinese tradition with readily available Peruvian ingredients (as well as imported Chinese vegetables and spices), grew in popularity. The name Chifa is derived from the Cantonese word Jyupting, which means “to eat rice or have a meal.” It’s estimated now that there are thousands of Chifa restaurants in Lima—and now there’s one in Tulsa.

Humberto Nieri Jr., the 28-year-old owner of Pachac Peruvian Food, was born in Lima and raised in California. He and his parents, Maria and Humberto Nieri Sr., owned a restaurant in Las Vegas from about 2005 to 2011, serving Chifa along with more traditional Chinese and Thai dishes. The restaurant folded during the recession, and the family moved to Tulsa, joining other family members already established here. When Humberto Jr., an electrical engineer working as a switch gear technician, decided to open a restaurant here, he focused on Chifa because he saw it as something Tulsa diners, who have plenty of Chinese and Thai restaurants to choose from, hadn’t been exposed to before (although there is another Peruvian restaurant in town, Manos Peruanos in south Tulsa).

The restaurant’s small sign and modest storefront belie the vibrant flavors of the cuisine served inside. The dining room is simple and spacious, and the small staff consists of family members. Maria and Humberto Sr. do most of the cooking, although I’ve seen Humberto Jr. taking customers’ orders and then running back to the kitchen to prepare the food himself.

Some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes include Lomo Saltado, a stir-fry of thinly sliced and marinated sirloin, onions, tomatoes, and French fries, served with a helping of steamed rice; Arroz Chaufa, Peruvian-style fried rice with either chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp; and the Pescado a la Chorillana, a fried fish fillet served with rice and potatoes and covered in a sauce similar to—but a little spicier than—the Saltado.

Humberto Jr. said all of the dishes on his menu are authentic Chifa dishes—ones you’d find on any restaurant menu in Peru. The food’s unique flavor comes from a mixture of spices and ingredients that often include garlic, cumin, cilantro, and soy sauce, as well as the method of preparation.

“Everything is prepared in a certain order to bring out the flavor of the dish,” he said. “You can’t just throw it all together; the flavors won’t be right.”

I’ve dined at Pachac several times since its opening almost a year ago, and I’ve tried all of the dishes mentioned above, as well as the House Specialty—egg noodles stir-fried with shrimp, chicken, pork, bok choy, and napa cabbage in a savory brown sauce.

On the owner’s recommendation, this last time I opted to try the Aji de Gallina, a rich dish of shredded chicken in a creamy, cheesy sauce made with Peruvian yellow peppers and cashews, served atop boiled potatoes and with a side of steamed white rice. The dish was spicy, but not unpleasantly so, and the Maracuya, or passion fruit juice, I drank helped cool my mouth down. The Chicha Morada, a drink made from purple corn, cinnamon, pineapple, and clove, is another refreshing option.

Each meal is served with a bottle of Aji de Huacatay, a condiment made from jalapeños and Peruvian black mint, and finished with a fortune cookie. Prices are reasonable, running between $9 and $13 per entrée, and each dish is prepared to order, so call ahead if you’re in a hurry. 

Pachac Peruvian Food
728 W. 23rd St. | Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–8pm | 918-574-2266

For more from Holly, read about city councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper.