Mamaveca - The Peruvian restaurant gem in Norman

[Fraggle145]

If you have not eaten here yet you need to do so.

They serve Ceviche as well as numerous peruvian dishes with this amazing yellow pepper sauce.

It is located in the Lowe's parking lot over there by the Wal-Mart.

It is friggin' delicious. :D

[Taxman71]

Yes, it is delicious....and thanks for doubling the wait on weekends now.

It has "texmex" on the menu to appease local tastes, but the Peruvian food (lots of seafood) dishes, are unique for the area. And their salsa is heavy on the cilantro and lighter on the peppers. Freshly made tortillas also. Very good.

[Chuck Bao]

In and spec.

[C&CDean]

Hasn't that joint closed and re-opened about a hunnert times? I thought it was chicken, then messican, then messican again?

On the topic, there's a great Peruvian restaurant in Sterling, VA, that I eat at a lot. Some of the best roasted chicken ever.

[Fraggle145]

You can tell it used to be something else, like a chicken place, but this is the only thing I have seen there.

They also have this special green salsa if you ask for it that is hotter, and has avocados mixed in.

[C&CDean]

They also have this special green salsa if you ask for it that is hotter, and has avocados mixed in.

That's like so Tarahumara's...

I'll give it a shot. I ate at Ted's today for lunch and I gotta say, it's pretty much meh anymore.

"Have you been to Ted's before? Oh good, would you like some tortillas and relish? Oh, you want some atomic sauce? Good." "Everything is excellent?" "Would you like a complimentary sopapilla today?"

They're like ****ing robots there.

[Boomer.....]

We ate there a few months ago and really liked it. We just ate messican food but it was still very good.

Dean's right. It was a Charlie's Chicken and another mexican joint before this.

[Fraggle145]

That's like so Tarahumara's...

I'll give it a shot. I ate at Ted's today for lunch and I gotta say, it's pretty much meh anymore.

"Have you been to Ted's before? Oh good, would you like some tortillas and relish? Oh, you want some atomic sauce? Good." "Everything is excellent?" "Would you like a complimentary sopapilla today?"

They're like ****ing robots there.

Ya these guys are pretty nice, There was one little waitress last night that was pretty hot too. The alcohol is a little overpriced. The green sauce idea is definitely a response to Tarahumara's and Ted's. I dont care though I think it is really good. And the Chips/Salsa/Queso are complimentary like Tarhumara's. The Peruvian stuff and all the seafood is the really different thing.

[soonerloyal]

Is it on that winding road off 24th - Hemphill I think? I'm going by sheer memory; I haven't lived in Norman since the terrible weekend of OU-uTerus '05...

When did it open? I don't remember seeing it when I was home in March, dangit.

[Fraggle145]

Is it on that winding road off 24th - Hemphill I think? I'm going by sheer memory; I haven't lived in Norman since the terrible weekend of OU-uTerus '05...

When did it open? I don't remember seeing it when I was home in March, dangit.

Its basically in the Lowe's parking lot. I have no idea when it actually opened.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Isn't it the Peruvians that relish Guinea Pig? (maybe the Ecuadorans or Bolivians?) Andrew Zimmern and Samantha Brown both got into Guinea Pig cuisine on their Travel Channel shows.

[Harry Beanbag]

I prefer gerbils.

[Lott's Bandana]

I dunno.

I ordered the ceviche and it basically came as a bunch of crappie filets, drowning in a lemon/vinegar sauce...enough to feed an entire small-town Baptist Sunday afternoon...if you cook it first.

I've had ceviche all over the world (not Peru) and I've never had it come in the form of raw filets. Chunks and diced and such...yes.

Also, I'm allergic to cilantro and they don't list cilantro as one of the ingredients on the main dish I ordered...yet, when the dish came it looked like it had been incubating in the Crystal Bridge it was so green. I love Thai, Viet, Messican, etc...and I have no prob asking for no cilantro, but I didn't get the opportunity this time. When I pointed out to the waiter that I was allergic, he said, "Next time, you ask for no cilantro."

Thanks Sport. I'm hungry now.

Anyway, I'm not saying it's bad, and yes, I love SA food so I will probably give it another chance...but I'll be prepared this time.

[Taxman71]

It was built as a Charlie's Chicken, then changed to Temazcal, now it is Mamaveca.

[Fraggle145]

I dunno.

I ordered the ceviche and it basically came as a bunch of crappie filets, drowning in a lemon/vinegar sauce...enough to feed an entire small-town Baptist Sunday afternoon...if you cook it first.

I've had ceviche all over the world (not Peru) and I've never had it come in the form of raw filets. Chunks and diced and such...yes.

Also, I'm allergic to cilantro and they don't list cilantro as one of the ingredients on the main dish I ordered...yet, when the dish came it looked like it had been incubating in the Crystal Bridge it was so green. I love Thai, Viet, Messican, etc...and I have no prob asking for no cilantro, but I didn't get the opportunity this time. When I pointed out to the waiter that I was allergic, he said, "Next time, you ask for no cilantro."

Thanks Sport. I'm hungry now.

Anyway, I'm not saying it's bad, and yes, I love SA food so I will probably give it another chance...but I'll be prepared this time.

Ya I have a friend from Ecuador who said he had never seen the whole fillet thing either. The Ceviche Mixto had it chunked instead of filleted. So :confused: All I know is the fillets taste really good. It is a lot of lemon, but it has the nice corn and it also has a little bit of mustard seasoning in there.

[C&CDean]

Well, I've given this place a couple chances. Went there for lunch today. Here's my report:

On my visits I've tried the Chili Relleno and the Chili Verde. Momma got the chicken chimichanga. The chips/salsa/queso are all good. The tortillas are homemade and soft, but they're gorditas. I prefer the very thin, large type flour tortillas that are much more prevelant in the Sonoran style of cooking.

The chili relleno was OK, but the chili verde was the ****. It was actually very tender pork (why do the tex mex places always put beef or chicken in their "guiso?"), very taste green sauce, and it has mushrooms and spinach - something I've never had before in green chili. It was very good. Top drawer. Momma loved her chimi, and the beans are pretty good. We both have tried some of the other side dishes (they offer you several side dishes besides beans/rice). I highly recommend the maize de crema (creamed corn). It's damn good.

Overall, I give this joint a solid A-. I prefer the green salsa at Tarahumaras, and the beans at Chelinos, but for overall food quality, my new favorite has to be Mamaveca.

Also, they are having Peruvian Independence Day celebration next Tuesday (July 28). They have some specials, and I'm going because for the first time in 20 years of living in Oklahoma I found a place that is going to have carne seca on the menu. They're calling it "seco de carne" but it has to be the same thing. I'm in.

[King Crimson]

(why do the tex mex places always put beef or chicken in their "guiso?"),

back in the day (like 10-15 years ago), you could get guisada with pork at Los Dos Amigos....it was pretty good (then).

i've been going to a place (that won't stay open very long since they don't bus the tables unless they have to, has "zero" atmosphere, and the menu is incredibly confusing and they don't have half the stuff on it....like pupusas, for example).....but you CAN get 4 rocking Tacos Al Pastor for 5.99. too bad, but they are in the wrong game (good food, low prices, no fuss about anything else) in Boulder (which is average food, high prices, lotta nifty light fixtures and snappy wait-staff unis).

they also apparently have a roasted chicken that is really good, but i haven't had it.

i know this isn't really that relevant. if you're ever in downtown Denver, Los Cabos is dang good for peruvian seafood.

[C&CDean]

I'll be in Denver in September. I'll try it.

[King Crimson]

I'll be in Denver in September. I'll try it.

15th and Champa. they also have a lunch buffet, which is pretty interesting. you'll love the decor. there's certainly *a lot* of it, including a stuffed llama. heh.

[Taxman71]

I hope the owners are reading.....I go to Mamaveca's at least once a week, along with regular visits to Ted's and Tarahumara's. Usually get Julie's Guiso at Mama's and is always the bomb. However, the last 2 times the service has been ridiculously slow...no refills on anything, waiting 10 minutes for the check, etc. This bothers me b/c I really like the place and poor/slow service (esp. in a mexican restaurant) will run people off quickly. Will give it another try this weekend and hope for a rebound.

[Sooner04]

I understand Pepe Delgado's has closed down.

I wept.

[kbsooner21]

I understand Pepe Delgado's has closed down.

I wept.

Where is that?

[mdklatt]

I understand Pepe Delgado's has closed down.

I wept.

Not permanently. Maybe.

[yermom]

Where is that?

Campus Corner, on the West side of Asp over by Sugers

they are supposed to open again in like 2 weeks from what i understand

[Sooner04]

Praise be to Allah!

[C&CDean]

Why would you weep at the closing of the top of the bottom tier of Mexican joints in Norman?

[yermom]

i go there way more often than any other "Mexican" place in town

[C&CDean]

So we've got two losers on the board huh?

Yeah, I know, it's convenient and consistent.

I went to Mamaveca again today (momma wanted her car windows tinted so we dropped the car off right around the corner). Again it was very good.

[Partial Qualifier]

I've been loving this place as well. Try the "Shrimp, mollusks and squid with Peruvian yellow sauce and fried Yuca". Woah.. so good

[Fraggle145]

I like Pepe's also, I eat there for lunch. I'll be sad if it is gone.

[Sooner04]

VERDE SAUCE WITH SEASONED, HOMEMADE CHIPS!

I've never even been to this mamamia macchu picchu place and I doubt it is half as good as Pepe's.

[thesnowbishop]

Has anyone seen cabrito on any Oklahoma menus? I does love the goat.

[1890MilesToNorman]

Has anyone seen cabrito on any Oklahoma menus? I does love the goat.

Ya know Vet is missing a goat right? :eek: