Chef Yuki Nakandakari at Ocopa on H Street
Several weeks ago Ocopa (1324 H Street) launched lunch with a brand new menu. Ocopa’s lunch menu is designed to be healthy and affordable. If you missed our interview with Ocopa’s new chef from a few weeks ago, check it out here.
Lunch Menu at Ocopa
Patio at Ocopa
Ocopa (1324 H Street) will be launching brunch featuring a new menu this Saturday. Brunch will run from 11:30 am until 3 pm every Saturday going forward. The menu was designed by Ocopa’s new chef Yuki Nakandakari (if you missed our recent interview with Yuki, check it out here). Check out the menu below (click on the image below to make it larger).
Brunch Menu at Ocopa
Patio at Ocopa
Ocopa (1324 H Street) is hosting a Winter Grill Out event this Saturday (February 20th) that will feature unlimited anticuchos for $35 as well as unlimited sides and Incajito cocktails (District Cuisine tried one several weeks ago and it was delicious). This is a great opportunity to check out the food of new Chef Yuki Nakandakari (check out our interview with him here) and to check out Ocopa’s patio if you haven’t seen it before. You can buy tickets here.
Here is the complete list of anticuchos that will be served (ignore prices as it will be unlimited):
Chef Yuki Nakandakari at Ocopa on H Street
Yuki Nakandakari took over the kitchen at Ocopa (1324 H Street) back in early December of last year. Now that he has been in charge for a little over two months, District Cuisine stopped by to chat with the chef about his background, Ocopa, and what he sees as the future of the restaurant.
District Cuisine: What was your background prior to starting at Ocopa?
Yuki Nakandakari: My culinary career began in 1991 as a dishwasher at a concept in Tokyo. Over the years, I have risen up through the ranks to become a head chef. Prior to Ocopa, I was head chef at Pisco in Baltimore.
DC: What do you think about the H Street neighborhood?
YN: Cooking in DC is great because the District really is the big leagues of cuisine. I like the H Street neighborhood, it reminds me of the neighborhood in Lima where I grew up.
Patio at Ocopa
DC: What are the most important elements of Peruvian food in your mind?
YN: Peruvian food is very interesting and diverse because you have people from all over the world who came to Peru and left their influence. In the olden days, you had the Incas and the Conquistadors, and those influences and flavors from all over the world continued throughout history. Peruvian food takes a little bit of all of those influences and combines them to create its own unique flavors.
DC: What is your vision for Ocopa going forward?
YN: One of our focuses right now is on lunch. We recently launched it and are working on perfecting it. Our pollo a la brasa (Peruvian roasted chicken) is really great and a main feature at lunch. It comes with a fantastic chimichurri sauce that is made in house. Even though lunch is new for us, we’ve gotten some great feedback so far.
We’re also working on becoming more health focused. You’ll see some new and interesting grains and vegetables on our menu now and in the future. Whenever possible, our products are local and organic. For example, we source our lamb shanks from a local butcher.
Patio Area at Ocopa
Ocopa (1324 H Street) appeared last night in front of ANC 6A’s Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee to support its application for a live entertainment endorsement for its liquor license. The live entertainment endorsement would allow Ocopa to host live music and DJs. Representatives for Ocopa said that they hope to be able to bring in live music acts to play Latin music for major events like New Years Eve in the future.
Ocopa’s (1324 H Street, NE) new patio is finally complete and looks like it was definitely worth the wait! It has 30 dining seats and 10 seats available at the bar. The restaurant will be having a patio opening celebration this Saturday night. We can’t wait to check it out!
Photos courtesy of Ocopa.
Clasico (Mahi Mahi) Ceviche at Ocopa
When we first learned about Ocopa (1324 H Street, NE) several years ago, we heard that it would be a Peruvian rotisserie chicken place called Chicken Tortilla by the owners of a restaurant by the same name on Barracks Row. Over time the plans changed and when Ocopa opened earlier this year, Chef Carlos Delgado debuted a Peruvian menu featuring a variety of ceviches, chicken dishes, and other Peruvian dishes. Delgado’s diverse creations assure that everyone in your party will be able to find something that they like.
Open Kitchen at Ocopa
Our favorite is the Clasico Ceviche, featuring a fish of the day with a pool of leche de tigre (literally tiger’s milk but really a fruit juice marinade) and diced sweet potato. If Mahi Mahi is the fresh fish of the day, consider yourself especially lucky. The ceviche is prepared fresh in front of you if you are sitting at the bar and contains a citrus tangy taste that perfectly compliments the tender fish. If you want to try a variety of seafood, check out the Mixto Ceviche that has calamari, crab, shrimp, and octopus. Delgado also serves a variety of tiradito and Peruvian maki on his menu.
District Cuisine 