San Fernando’s Roasted Chicken Deserves Praise
Chicken here is so tender that the juicy leg meat falls away from the bone.
By Seattle Mag January 29, 2013
This article originally appeared in the January 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.
At the friendly, primarily takeout San Fernando in the Central District, the pollo a la brasa (Peruvian-style rotisserie-roasted chicken) is so tender that the juicy leg meat falls away from the bone. The glistening, crisp-skinned chicken ($10 for half, $18 for whole) comes with a vibrant, tart cilantro sauce into which you’ll want to dip everything, including the (mediocre) french fries that come alongside the chicken (you’ll also get the de rigueur shredded iceberg salad with tomatoes and ranch dressing).
But don’t stop there. The papa rellena is a fun starter: seasoned ground beef, hard-boiled eggs and olives are wrapped in mashed potatoes, and then the whole shebang goes into the fryer ($5). Pork lovers should be sure to order the hot, fried pork rinds (chicharrones de cerdo, $9.50), which are seriously good; they come with yucca fries and a salad. Owners Walter Diaz and Nancy Bautista’s first San Fernando, in Lynnwood, has been getting raves for its food for years. The Rainier and White Center outposts deserve the same.
Lunch and dinner daily. 900 Rainier Ave.; 206.331.3763; pollosanfernando.com $ Get directions