Fran and I recently stopped by Cafe Secret, a little Peruvian restaurant in Del Mar, for lunch. The purpose of our visit was to check out the restaurant as a possible location for one of our monthly luncheons. It's a little restaurant with very limited seating, that reminds me of going to someone's home for dinner. It's very homey. There is a small B and B just behind Cafe Secret, and the cafe serves breakfast for the B and B. If lunch is any indication of the quality of the food, I can't wait to go back for dinner. Cafe Secret tries as much as possible to use local ingredients.
Both Fran and I decided to try the empanadas, as that is a Peruvian specialty. I ordered the beef, topped with a little powdered sugar, and Fran had the chicken and vegetables, with a little spice. Each plate came with a small green salad and excellent vinegrette. All this for just $5.95. Other lunch options that we saw and asked the customers about were the braised pork sandwich on toasted ciabatta. It smelled fantastic. Also on the menu were several salads, a shrimp and avocado cocktail, quinoa vegan salad, and peruana salad. All looked delicious.
Cevice is another speciality of cafe secret, and all the fish is fresh and local, including Carlsbad mussels.
There are lots of interesting fish, beef, and vegetarian entrees for dinner, but I will write about them at another time, after I go for dinner.
Don't forget about dessert. We tasted the hand made peruvian cookies, filled with jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Divine. They also make an Italian key lime pie, topped with meringue. We're having that for our luncheon. And how can you go wrong with tres leches, a light cake soaked in sweet milk? It's one of my all time favorites.
So next time you're in Del Mar and want to try something just a little bit different for breakfast, lunch or dinner, give Cafe Secret a try. Most of the customers were regulars, so I think that once you try it you'll be back again and again.
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