With our Masks on, our temperature taken, and some COVID guidelines given, we are eventually assigned to our outdoor table. Llama Inn is at the corner of Withers Street and Meeker Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which allows the restaurant to have a pretty large sidewalk with plenty of tables.
The owner of the restaurant probably didn’t know when signing the lease he was one of the lucky fellows who could spread out his tables during a pandemic to respect social distancing measures.
At Llama Inn, there is definitely a desire to keep the staff and the patron safe. There was even a paper bag next to each plate to put our facemasks in to avoid spreading the virus. How thoughtful is that?
I’ve been twice to Llama Inn for brunch, once before and once after the lockdown, and have also ordered take out for dinner during the lockdown. The Peruvian cuisine is sought after and flavors are original. The decor inside is simple and modern; there are a few pieces of art made with colorful wool yarn, which is a little reminder of Peruvian fabrics. The atmosphere is not exactly the same with restaurants allowing only 25% of their capacity, but we hope life will go back to normal soon.
On our last visit, we ordered the Peruvian crab and avocado causa to share. The causa is made of layers of yellow potatoes and lime juice and a layer of avocado purée and crab salad in the middle. It was exquisite!
We also ordered the wild tilefish ceviche with crispy squid and the salmon ceviche with fried tortillas to share. Both were devoured in no time! We were indeed quite hungry!
The tamal with pork sausage with adobo sauce was tasty. The tamale is a filling made often with meat, cheese, or vegetables wrapped in cornhusk or banana leaf. The adobo sauce is made from chili powder, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and herbs.
The chicken thigh sandwich was presented with avocado and grilled pineapple, which brought a sweet flavor, and the meat was tender and moist.
Chef Erik Ramirez, who worked for Eleven Madison Park, and restaurateur Juan Correa opened Llama Inn in 2015. Ramirez wanted to explore more the food he used to eat when he was a kid. A trip to Peru was the start of a delicious culinary journey for Llama Inn.
Llama Inn
50 Withers St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
📞 718-387-3434
Price range: $$$
Open every day:
Monday – Wednesday: 5:30 – 10 pm
Thursday, Friday: 5:30 – 11 pm
Saturday: 11 am – 3 pm, 5:30 – 11 pm
Sunday: 11 am – 3 pm, 5:30 – 10 pm
