Distrito

To celebrate the World Cup, Distrito - Iron Chef Jose Garces's cantina in University City - is offering a 3-for-$12 appetizer and drink special. As this special coincided with the end of our school year, Napoleon, myself, and ten of our closest classmates rooted against the blokes and chaps from England as they battled Algeria, all while engorging ourselves with Garces's sumptuous offerings.

Initially, we were not impressed with the special. Choose any three from the following seven items: Nachos Ignacio (I feel it's my duty to let you know that there is a San Ignacio district in Peru), Chicken Alambres, Salsa Mexicana, two types of margaritas, an awful concoction that had everyone aghast (more on this later), and sangria.

Being the gluttonous pig that I am, I wound up ordering all the food options as my three choices. And being the alcoholic that she is, Napoleon ordered three drinks for her selections. Everyone at the table felt awkward at this point, so we decided to share the food and drinks...trust me, neither of us was happy with this decision.

The (vegetarian) nachos were amazing. Although served plainly in a paper tray, the meal was colorful and savory. Ribbons of pickled jalapeños, watercress, black beans, roasted red pepper, and sour cream combined with several cheeses (definitely some jack in there) to ignite the taste buds and dazzle the retina. If there's something I've noticed about the best food I've eaten, it's that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and that was the case with these nachos.

The Salsa Mexicana was delicious. Cilantro speckled this well-balanced, chunky salsa fresca which was served alongside tortilla chips presented in a chrome bowl. I have to say, the chrome bowl itself was somewhat off-putting. I was expecting something creative, but also appetizing. In any case, that's a marginal concern for one of the best salsas in Philadelphia.

Finally, the Chicken Alambres was served with what can only be a Peruvian pesto. I want to say it was chimmichurri, but it seemed a little thick for that. By the way, "alambres" means skewers in Peruvian, typically used for anticuchos (cut, stewed meat). The chicken was tender and moist, in contrast to other skewered meats I've complained about previously. It appeared to be grilled, but with "alambres" in the name, I'm wondering if it was stewed. I can't imagine stewed chicken being this moist on the inside with no hint of a gravy/stew on the outside. Garces, your authenticity is being questioned here. A final verdict on this dish: average, and I'd rather go with two orders of nachos and one order of salsa if we're playing within the rules of the World Cup special.

As a last note, please avoid the "El Chupito," the potent potable I mentioned earlier. A shot of tequila poured into a beer sounds nice at first, until you're choking down the poison sip by sip, destroying the lining of your esophagus in the process.

Salsa Mexicana, Nachos Ignacio, and Beverages

Chicken Alambres (Sideways, For Some Reason)

Rating: 3.8 Peruvian districts (Please note, this is a rating of the World Cup special, and not the restaurant itself. Its only comparison should be the Aki happy hour review and the upcoming Center City Sips review...ooooh what a tease, what a tease.)