The Red Llama in Lone Tree, Colorado Is One of the Best Places to Try Peruvian Cuisine This Side of the Equator

You never know what you’re going to find in a suburban strip mall. You might not believe me, but sometimes, some of the world’s best earthly delights can be found in them – especially, it seems, in Colorado. I’ve written about a few very impressive local-to-me restaurants lately that make their home in strip malls, and I’m very happy to report that I recently found yet another one.

I’m not sure how my partner and I first heard about The Red Llama Peruvian Restaurant in Lone Tree, but suddenly it was on our radar and it looked great. Lone Tree was a bit deeper into the southern Denver suburbs than we usually travel for a meal from our home in Lakewood, but the menu looked interesting, the ratings were fantastic. We’d never actually tried Peruvian food, so we decided to make a reservation and go.

We drove all the way to Lone Tree - over a half an hour from our house - and parked. When we walked in, it was like we were magically transported to Peru. The interior of The Red Llama is beautiful, warm, and welcoming. Right away, we forgot we were at a restaurant in a strip mall. The restaurant is fairly small, but it still felt spacious and comfortable. It's decorated in red - as you might have guessed - with lots of little details in the decor that make it feel upscale and classy. Of course, there are quite a few llama accents, but there are also other Peruvian details like flags, fluffy balls, statuettes, and the like. The floor and ceiling are both dark, but inside, it feels bright, light, and airy inside. We were seated at a table near the middle of the establishment and got excited about our meal.

The waitstaff was friendly and enthusiastic. Our waitress greeted us and asked us if we'd had Peruvian food before, which we hadn't - and that helped us feel comfortable right away. It immediately took away any mild intimidation we might have felt when trying a new-to-us genre of food. It was clear that she was ready, willing, and able to answer any questions we might have about the menu - and she certainly was when we did - and I always appreciate that. It's all too often that servers seem rushed and impatient, and I could tell that wouldn't be the case here, despite the fact that the restaurant was quite busy.

The Red Llama is truly authentic. It's owned and operated by a couple, Chef Jhordano and his wife, Marisol. Chef Jhordano grew up in Lima, Peru, and learned to cook while living there; he learned that he loved creating beautiful and tasty dishes for others while working in restaurants and eventually pursued a culinary degree. After working in restaurants in Lima for several years, he met his wife, Marisol, who had grown up in Denver with Peruvian immigrant parents. For over 40 years, her father owned and operated a Mexican restaurant in Capitol Hill, so she was no stranger to the restaurant industry either. They loved each other, and they both loved food. The pair were a perfect match.

The pair moved to Denver and married. Soon after, in 2018, they started a catering business specializing in Peruvian food. It was so successful and well-received that the couple decided to open their own brick-and-mortar location, The Red Llama, five years later. The restaurant hasn't been open very long, but it's quickly become quite popular, and it's well-reviewed by all who have tried it so far.

The Red Llama's website points out the fact that the umbrella of Peruvian cuisine consists of over 400 diverse dishes. Of course, it would be impossible to offer them all in one restaurant, so Chef Jhordano narrowed them down a lot; The Red Llama serves some of the most common and favorite options. Everything is made fresh and from scratch, of course. The dedication and love put into every dish is obvious. Every item is beautiful to look at and is incredibly satisfying to eat.

The menu isn't huge at The Red Llama, but I can't imagine needing more than what's on it already. The restaurant adds specials on a daily basis, so if someone visited frequently, they'd never get tired of its offerings anyway. For our appetizer, we chose the special, and it was fantastic. I have to admit that I failed to get the name of the dish, but in its most simple form, it was really just fried, breaded fish - but it was delicious. Even though the portion size was quite large even as a shared dish, I wanted more of it as soon as we finished it.

On my next visit, I'll likely choose one of the regular appetizers. Other patrons raved about dishes like Papa a La Huancaina (boiled potatoes in a creamy cheese sauce) and Salchipapas (a common street food consisting of french fries and sausages) in their reviews. The appetizer menu rounds out with Chicharron Acevichado (fried pork belly), Yuca Frita (cassava), and Causa Potato (a mini mashed potato casserole). Honestly, it ALL sounds good.

For our main, we decided to stick with the most common Peruvian dishes to help us grasp Peruvian cuisine in general. I was tempted to order The Red Llama's Peruvian Ceviche because I already know I love ceviche - and I'm sure The Red Llama does it quite well - but I thought it was wiser to challenge myself and try something I'd never had before instead. As a result, I chose Lomo Saltado. I'm not a big eater of beef for the most part, and this dish's focus is top loin strips, but I figured it was worth a shot. I was quite pleased. The Peruvian seasonings and fresh onion, parsley, and tomatoes supported this dish nicely, and I was surprised at how much Peruvian cuisine seemed similar to the Asian dishes I've enjoyed in the past.

My partner opted for the Tallarin Saltado. This, too, seemed Asian-inspired, and I found it curious that two parts of the world so far from each other could serve up dishes that were so similar yet also wholly different. Tallarin Saltado is a stir-fried noodle dish that also includes onions and tomatoes plus a variety of Peruvian spices and seasonings.

Both of our entrees were quite large, and even if we hadn't ordered an appetizer, there would have been no chance of either of us finishing our meal despite both of us enjoying what we'd chosen immensely. Every bite was excellent, and we now knew for sure that the journey to Lone Tree was well worth the trip.

Unfortunately, we were so full by this point in our meal that we did not have room or energy for dessert, and I think that was a shame. The Red Llama also creates a variety of desserts fresh daily on site and we should have grabbed something to go, but we didn't. We certainly will next time we go - which I'm sure will be soon.

The Red Llama is a hidden gem. This place may be in a strip mall in Lone Tree, but don't let that deter you. You're going to love everything about this restaurant. Even if you've never had Peruvian food in your life, you're about to become an enthusiast - all thanks to this fantastic little restaurant. Go soon and enjoy it! Take my word for it - you'll be glad that you did.