Pollos A La Brasa
“Look for the Peruvian flag and you'll spot Don Alex,a restaurant I recently discovered near Corona Avenue and 108th Street.”
“Sides guide:
-Fries are good
-Sweet Plantains are better
-Rice is pleasant
Mango shake is good, tastes very "ice creamy" but it's not.”
“Lomo saltado was excellent. ..they have the best anticuchos in new York trust me on that…my favorite restaurant in Queens for sure…good service friendly waitress ..”
Pollos A La Brasa
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
2 reviews
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Look for the Peruvian flag and you'll spot Don Alex,a restaurant I recently discovered near Corona Avenue and 108th Street.
We entered and a quick survey of the interior and crowd proved promising: two tv's playing soccer and local families having Sunday dinner. The Spanish language was in the air as we were greeted and given the option to sit anywhere.
Plenty of tables for two were open as the larger tables were packed.
What distinguishes Don Alex from other places selling pollo a la brasa is a full menu of other items. Let's offer rotisserie chicken but why neglect seafood and other meats?
One can find Inka Kola here but also Chicha Morada, a Peruvian purple corn drink.
Before we even ordered, a plate of roasted corn kernels and legendary green sauce made an appearance. Scouring the menu, finalizing the order proved quite challenging –everything seemed appealing.
As an appetizer, my wife started out with the chicken soup. This was large enough for two people to share or take home for later consumption. I had a spoonful and would have easily had more if I wasn't expecting ceviche. Rice, healthy bits of chicken (skin on), peas, cilantro and other seasoning rounded out the plate.
My ceviche mixto was the most expensive item of the lot, coming in at $14.95. Calamari, squid, mussels, a clam, two crab legs, a sweet potato and some corn made up this plate, along with the obligatory onions. The ceviche was fresh without reeking of the sea.
Up next was snapper, red snapper. It was served with rice, yucca, onions and tomatoes. There were quite a lot of onions,in fact that was all that remained on my plate.
We shared a side of tostones that were abundant in size, lacking in excess grease and definitely worth ordering again.
Next time I hope to try the lomo saltado (carne o pollo) or another of the land based creatures.
Assorted helados (ice creams) are available for dessert.
I'm glad to have discovered Don Alex during my weekend of Corona exploration. It's definitely worth a visit for a comfortable atmosphere, friendly service and a bill that won't break the bank. ($50 for soup, ceviche, two snapper entrees, tostones. Take away $14 for the ceviche and we're looking at $18 per person)
It took me a year but I have found a true replacement for Pio.
Don Alex doesn't look like your standard Peruvian place for pollos a la brasa. It's set up like a neighborhood spot, the music isn't blaring (and I have yet to hear any annoying birthday music!), there are no roasting-rotating chickens facing the sidewalk, and the food is actually cooked to order! The service is good although it seems to be designed for the Spanish speaking clientele… but it wouldn't be an issue for anyone who's ordered from Pio.
The menu is larger than many Peruvian spots (and may have a bit more of a Colombian influence) but the quality is great. The jalea is crisp and light with just the right amount of sauce and the chicken here is tender, very flavorful, and truly falling off the bone (isn't that what's "pollo a la brasa" really means?) and the green sauce is not over bearing.
I will be back… and in greater numbers.