Inca Secrets

»tasty, unique, hella value, hidden in a strip mall

I'd always heard this place had great food, but never tried it till last night, when we needed a place to take my notoriously cheap, globetrotting, difficult-to-please in-laws. Result: a sophisticated birthday dinner for 6 adults plus one 5-year-old, for $56 (not including an apple-oatmeal coffee cake from Shank's, 2 boxes of wine (yellow+blue Malbec & Sauvignon Blanc from Downtown Wine), and...+READ I'd always heard this place had great food, but never tried it till last night, when we needed a place to take my notoriously cheap, globetrotting, difficult-to-please in-laws. Result: a sophisticated birthday dinner for 6 adults plus one 5-year-old, for $56 (not including an apple-oatmeal coffee cake from Shank's, 2 boxes of wine (yellow+blue Malbec & Sauvignon Blanc from Downtown Wine), and optional tip jar). Had we been students, the meal would have cost only $45.

Food: the missus & I each ordered the ceviche, which was intense, a perfect dish for craving spring. The in-laws were very happy with the carne deschilachada and the jalea -- in fact the jalea was such a noisy hit with the table that the owner brought us out a complimentary extra helping. Our friends also had the jalea, and the Special #2, which is half a chicken plus two sides: she chose yucca and plantains. She liked the yucca (as did the missus and I, who also had it with ceviche); she didn't like the plantains, but four others of us eagerly split hers. The chicken was said to be very tasty; even the five year old volunteered how much he liked it (he particularly approved its degree of saltiness). There were also kid-friendly beverages: no orange juice, but milk and orange soda, and I imagine you could B.Y.O.J.

Service: flexible/friendly, yet suave/professional. I had phoned ahead to ask if we could bring our own wine and cake, and the owner was ok with that, even though he does sell desserts. The food took long enough that the child became impatient, but the food was clearly made to order (we were the only customers) and in the meantime the owner brought us snacks of warm corn and dipping sauce, which were good to nibble with wine. Throughout the evening he did an enviable job of handling the in-laws, giving them opportunities to show off their knowledge of Chile and China (where he has also lived), etc. He's pleasantly restrained, not too schmoozy but clearly a really interesting person, and adroit at making a meal not only tasty but an easy, good social event.

Here's an online menu:
http://rockingham.va.golookon.com/listings/incas_secret/incas_secret-menu.html
Click on the link at the top left to find info on hours, discounts, chicken specials, etc.-COLLAPSE (by glasgowtremontaine, created March 9, 2010)