Ceviche: The House Wins

A t first glance: Ceviche House's location in the inner corner of a shopping center in Rockville gives it a sort of diamond shape, with the bar near the door, terra cotta-colored walls, pointed wood detailing that echoes the angles and a slight step up to the rear tables. Simple Peruvian sketches ring the walls. Two large screens up front play videos of Peruvian music and festival dances.

On the menu: The restaurant takes its moniker seriously. The menu kicks off with seven good fish and/or seafood versions of seviche with various dressings, plus a vegetarian version of mushrooms and a marinated mango dish. It follows up with a baker's dozen of beef and seafood entress. But you don't have to wait for dinner to find a variety of Peruvian fare; the lunchtime buffet ($9.95) includes such traditional favorites as cau cau, mildly spicy stew of diced honeycomb tripe and white potatoes tinged yellow with cumin and a touch of chili powder.

At your service: The staff is quick to make contact (a bowl of crisp-toasted corn kernels arrives as a welcome nibble) and helpful (warning about oversize dishes), although carryout orders sometimes keep one or more tied to the telephone. The videos can be a little loud.

On the table: All first courses are pretty generous. Can't-miss appetizers include the first-rate anticuchos, tender wine- and cumin-marinated slices of beef heart. The papa a la Huancaina, the sliced boiled potato and egg under chili-spiced cheese and condensed-milk sauce, is tangier than at other restaurants; and the causa rellena, a weekend special, is a sort of large petit four of mashed potatoes with shrimp salad in the middle. And when the menu says the parihuela de mariscos, a fine tomato-broth seafood soup, and the shrimp-corn-rice chupe de camarones are enough for a meal, it is not exaggerating; even splitting a bowl as a starter comes close to filling you up.

Most of the entrees come European-style with rice, often along with french fries, and it's unusually good rice, lightly oiled and al dente. Bisteak a la Lime¿a, the marinated steak with fried egg on top, is cooked to order rather than automatically well done; bisteak apanado is the Peruvian version of chicken-fried steak, served with rice and beans (tacu tacu). Tallarin saltado, a cross between stir-fried lo mein and spaghetti, has a dark vinegar-scented sauce, and comes with chicken or beef. The old favorite lomo saltado, strips of beef sauteed with onions and tomatoes, is one of the house specials here. For plainer fare, you can get grilled mahi-mahi or salmon, several cuts of beef and a grilled pork chop.

What to avoid: The alfajores, sandwich cookies with deep leche stuffing and powdered sugar, are rather bland; save up the craving and head a few miles down Rockville Pike to La Lime¿a.

Wet your whistle: The full bar has Peruvian beers and other imports but only house wine. Pisco sours are whipped almost into a frappe and are topped with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Ceviche House 7236 Muncaster Mill Rd. (in the Red Mill Shopping Center), Rockville Phone:301-330-0402 Hours: Open Monday-Saturday 11-10, Sundays 11-9 Dinner prices: Appetizers $6.95-$12.95, entrees $9.95-$17.95 Wheelchair access: Good Ceviche House 7236 Muncaster Mill Rd. (in the Red Mill Shopping Center), Rockville Phone:301-330-0402 Hours: Open Monday-Saturday 11-10, Sundays 11-9 Dinner prices: Appetizers $6.95-$12.95, entrees $9.95-$17.95 Wheelchair access: Good