Team behind Vancouver's Suyo is opening a new seafood restaurant tomorrow — here's what to expect
Folks familiar with Vancouver’s dining scene have likely heard the name Suyo, the modern Peruvian restaurant located in the Riley Little Park neighbourhood along Main Street. Here, chef and owner Ricardo Valverde is cooking his version of the popular dishes from Peru.
Now, he and his team are preparing to open the doors to their second Peruvian concept in the city, this time with a focus on seafood called Uchu Cevicheria and Raw Bar.
Dished stopped by the new restaurant ahead of its opening to chat with Valverde and get a glimpse at what he and the team are cooking up at Uchu.
What is Uchu
“Uchu means aji, explained Valverde. “Aji is a hot pepper, which is the soul of a ceviche. So, it’s basically the main component that you want in a ceviche.”
But just because he’s calling Uchu a ceviceheria doesn’t mean that’ll be the only thing they’ll be serving at the restaurant.
“A cevicheria is basically, in a nutshell, a seafood restaurant. But cevicherias in Peru are very popular, so we’re going to do a modern cevicheria, a seafood restaurant with Peruvian soul,” he said.
As for why Vancouver, he said that there are no true cevicheries like he’s doing at Uchu.
“I identify myself a lot with seafood,” he said. “I come from a port in Lima called Callao, where, you know, seafood is abundant. So, I’ve always had a proximity with seafood, and I just thought, Vancouver needs a cevicheria.”
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What to expect
Walking into Uchu feels like you’ve been transported to somewhere warmer and inviting, with plenty of natural wood and greenery throughout the restaurant. While the space wasn’t entirely photo-ready during our visit, we noted plenty of hanging plants throughout the restaurant, which Valverde explained was inspired by the tides.
“If we look at the banquettes, and we look at the chairs, we have the ocean, the blue, and then also showcasing that we are underwater with the seaweed,” he said, pointing at the plants. “Very soon, we’re going to also have three fish that are basically swimming around the room. They’re on their way from Peru.”
Interior of Uchu (Marco Ovies/Dished)
On the menu, guests will find four different types of ceviche, including Clasico (ling cod, aji limo, red onion, cilantro, and classic leche de tigre), Mixto (squid, octopus, prawns, ling cod, mussels, clams, and rocoto leche de tigre), Scallop and Prawn (chalaca, avocado, garlic chips, and black garlic leche de tigre), and Albacore Tuna (pachikay, aji amarillo confit, and sweet potato paper).
Additionally, there will be a selection of tiraditos, which Valverde described as Peruvian sashimi with ceviche sauces. These will include varieties like Trout (cucumber daikon, sesame, and sweet soy leche de tigre), Hiramasa (yam, avocado, aji limo, rocoto condiment, and hondashi leche de tigre), Snapper and Octopus (black quinoa, avocado, and red pepper leche de tigre), and Seabass (clam mousse, ikura, and parsley aguachile).
And while you may be tempted to think that ceviche and tiradito are the stars on the menu here, there’s plenty more to get excited about.
Among the dishes that Valverde was excited to show us was the Arroz con Mariscos, a culmination of pink scallops, squid, mussels, clams, and shrimp served with rice that packs some serious flavour.
Arroz con Mariscos (Marco Ovies/Dished)
Each item of the dish brought something new to the meal, each working separately to keep things interesting but culminating to form a delicious dish. The parmesan foam that topped the pink scallops reminded us of a rich seafood alfredo sauce, while the citrus-forward garnish broke up that richness, and the seafood-packed rice added a much-welcomed comforting element.
Marco Ovies/Dished
“We’re also going to have the Torre del Mar, which translates to Seafood Tower, also with Peruvian soul,” said Valverde excitedly, adding that this is a great order for someone visiting for the first time, as they’ll be able to try a variety of seafood. “In Vancouver, we’re used to having different types of seafood towers. We’re going to have all those elements that we’re used to, but everything’s going to have a beautiful Peruvian spin.”
But it’s not just the food that’s worth getting excited about. While we didn’t get a chance to try anything from the bar menu, Valverde shared that there was plenty for people to look forward to, especially after he and his bar manager, Erdem Telli, went on a trip to Peru for inspiration.
“We basically visited three to four restaurant establishments in five days. So, we did 20 restaurants in five days, and we drank every single cocktail in every single restaurant,” he said with a laugh. “He came super inspired, and that’s going to reflect on his menu.”
Ultimately, while Valverde and his team are definitely staying true to the roots of Peruvian cevicherias, there are plenty of modern elements and techniques used that will keep diners wanting to return. Pair that with a warm and inviting space, and you’ve got a recipe for one great restaurant.
Uchu officially opens its doors on Friday, Feb. 6, with reservations available online.
UCHU Cevicheria & Raw Bar
Address: 158 E. Pender St., Vancouver
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