On a random side street in Brooklyn, adjacent to a small hotel and a freeway overpass, is an unlikely location to find such a wonderful gem, but Llama Inn is truly a Peruvian oasis in the city. I went for Saturday brunch with some friends and was absolutely astonished to find plenty of street parking right in front of the restaurant! Walking in, you’re immediately greeted by art with bright, vibrant colors against a cheery white background and tables surrounding a chic central bar. Once upstairs, it’s like you’ve left Brooklyn. The rooftop is stunningly gorgeous, with tropical vibes, comfy seating and some areas with more overhead coverage for those not wishing to experience the full brunt of the sun. It’s a real moment. Unfortunately for my party, although I did have rooftop reservations, the only table available was fully exposed to the sun on a nearly 90 degree Fahrenheit day, so we sashayed our sundresses back inside before imminent make-up melt down could occur.
I started with a Llama Del Rey, a refreshing pisco and red wine based sparkling drink that was reminiscent of red sangria. Most of the cocktails had cute, cheeky names which added to the festive brunch feeling. We ordered chips and dip for the table which were quite good. The chips tasted fresh. The winning appetizer however, was the ceviche with calamari, lime, red onion and cilantro. It was zesty and flavorful. For a main I had a generous sized breakfast platter with scrambled eggs, brioche toast, blood sausage and pork shoulder tamal. I hurt myself trying to eat it all because it was soooooo good. I mean I had to do some major dress adjustments to account for my distended abdomen afterwards, but it was worth it! Biting through the firm texture of the blood sausage casing created a great juxtaposition with the soft, friable, savory filling. The pork shoulder in the tamale was tender, succulent and bold in flavor. I can’t recall the last time, if ever, I had better pork. One of my friends had the fried rice omlette which was also delicious. For desert, I loved the elevated take on flan with crushed macadamia nuts and crème de mint topping. The sorbet with frozen grapes beautifully assembled on top was another fantastic choice on a warm summer day.
Everyone from the host to the servers was extremely personable and helpful. The restaurant was also playing a mix of Beyoncé and Aaliyah that morning, so my friends and I had a blast. If you’re looking for a place with fun atmosphere and delicious food, check out this spot.