PioPio on 10th.

The other night I was lost for a casual place in my neighborhood to have an interesting and filling dinner. I had seen the stylish PioPio sign on the wooden clad exterior of this Hell's Kitchen outpost of the Peruvian Chicken Restaurant Chain but, had never made the association with the Chicken take-out place on Woodhaven Blvd. in Queens where I used to live a decade ago. "Could it be?", I said. "Nah, can't be, " replied Alfredo as we went through the door. We were greeted by the hostess standing behind a slick marble counter. She, of course had room for two; it was 9:45 P.M. Led through a very slick bar area and down a wide staircase into a large double height dining room with walls and ceiling covered with a mesh of 4 foot long, or so, bare tree branches we were seated at a very comfortable table for 4. Offered a wine list and a Ceviche Menu, we passed and ordered a Negro Modelo and a Superior Beer. Hell, this is a chicken place. Then our waiter came over to take our order. We ordered the Empanadas to share and the Matador Combo (Whole Roasted Chicken with Rice and Beans, Tomato and Avocado Salad, Tostones and Salchipapa [Peruvian Sausage Pieces over French Fries]). Then, I asked the waiter, "Is this the same PioPio as the store in Queens?" "Our first place was on Woodhaven Blvd., " he said. Holy shit, I was right. That little Peruvian hole-in-the-wall Chicken place had spun itself into a chain of 8 including this Hell's Kitchen version of impresstaurant here on tenth ave. Well, anyway, out came the food. First, a plate of the most perfectly cooked golden Empanadas with a filling so flavorful as to give rise to a new standard for this usually simple snack. After that, and another round of beers, came the Matador Combo. Enough for at least three if not, four people, it was quite a spread. The chicken, perfectly cooked was moist and tender with a crisp Peruvian Spiced skin. The Salad was well dressed and enough for 2 as was the Rice and Beans. The Tostones were as good as any authentic Latin place in Jackson or Washington Heights. And, the Salchipapa; a basket filled with about 20 pieces of sausage on top of a mound of French Fries was, easily, a meal in itself. After that, dessert was out of the question, but, I had the Tres Leches anyway. Out came this beautiful dessert not looking anything like what I thought I ordered. But, that didn't matter. This impression of this age-old dessert topped with Caramelized Bananas (??), was just enough to top off this very filling meal. As well, Alfredo's scoop of light, refreshing Guanabana Ice Cream was perfectly flavored. We ambled home, our bellies full, satisfied that we had found another "sure thing" in our neighborhood for good eats. I can't wait to go back.