Surprising Sazon

Peruvian cuisine?  Like many Americans, I would have at first assumed that any cuisine from South America would be much like that of Mexico, and let's face it; we in the USA have a pretty poorly adapted version of Mexican food - but that's a story for another blog.  Other than having the menus printed in Spanish, there are very few similarities between Mexican food and Peruvian.

Peru is home to more than 50 varieties of potatoes.  It is believed that the beloved spud originated here.  This is reflected in their cuisine.  Where other South American countries lean towards use of corn (masa) or beans, Peru uses potatoes as a staple.  That's just the beginning of the differences.  Let us tell you about Sazon.

Dave and I had been hearing a quiet buzz start about this new place in Santa Rosa called Sazon.  We were dubious.  Sazon is located in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa on Sebastapol Road.  This neighborhood is known for carnicerias and taco trucks more than it's known for fine dining.  This is changing.  Located in an unassuming strip mall with good parking and a cute window area for outdoor dining, Sazon packs a lot of surprises into a small space.

If you decide to try Sazon, it's a good idea to either go early or make a reservation.  The first time we tried to eat here was on a Friday evening at about 6:00 PM only to find that they had a two hour wait!  What?!  Seriously, in this neighborhood, a two hour wait?  Now we were both piqued and intrigued.  We had to come back.  The following week, we decided to try again.  We arrived earlier - 5:30 which is WAY early for us to have dinner, but we'd been running around all day and it was nearby so it all worked out.

We were seated right away in Sazon's small but very attractive dining room.  Earth tones and stone tile made the dining gallery feel  warm and welcoming.  There are about 8 tables plus a few seats at the bar, so that would explain why they fill up so fast.  The service was great - I suspect one of the owners was our host.  He was delighted to hear that I had actually visited Peru, albeit only for about 24 hours on a business trip.

Their menu was eclectic, reflecting the many cultures which have influenced Peru's cuisine.  For much of the 20th Century, waves of immigrants from countries throughout Europe and Asia moved into South America with many settling in Peru.  They brought their recipes and spices with them from home.

I ordered the seafood stew.  It was packed with shellfish and fresh whitefish in a light broth seasoned with saffron and served with bite size pieces of potato and those huge, juicy corn kernels that are so sweet and tender.  Dave had a wonderful dish of roasted vegetables that included a wide variety of fresh local veggies and a side of some very yummy fries. 

Long story short - this place is great.  We hope that it is just a hint of the renaissance coming to the Roseland neighborhood.  There's no doubt that great food abounds here, but moving from the taco truck to fine dining can be elusive.  Sazon seems to be really bringing the standards of the neighborhood higher and teaching about the great varieties of cuisines that can be found in South America.