With the beloved Itamae now closed, Chef Valerie Chang strikes out on her own with this full-service follow-up in Midtown. Pulling inspiration from her childhood and from her grandmother, after whom the restaurant is named, Chang uses quality seafood to deliver bright, citrus-forward Peruvian flavors. Those who’ve eaten with Chang before will recognize some of the dishes: Black grouper, kanpachi and ocean trout arrive dressed with the likes of aji dulce, kiwiberries, finger limes and passionfruit. Meaty entrees like chicken milanesa and oxtail saltado strike heavier chords, but we’re quite happy to stick with seafood in the grilled dorade with aji amarillo beurre blanc. The bar, meanwhile, offers an appealing roster of pisco-based cocktails.
