At OnMilwaukee, we believe in lifting up all voices and using our platform to support others’ dreams.  And that's what we hope to do for Dominic the Food Reviewer. When I first met Dominic almost two years ago, I was impressed by his passion, his curiosity and his interest in improving his writing. Over time,  I’ve not only enjoyed getting to know him better, but he has taught me as much as I have him. My hope is that you’ll not only enjoy reading Dominic’s reviews, but also glean understanding and joy from seeing the world of food through his eyes. -- Lori Fredrich, Dining Editor

This week I visited Chef Paz Restaurant, located at 9093 W. National Ave. in West Allis. 

The owner Maritza Paz operates this Peruvian restaurant. She grew up in Iquitos along the shores of the Amazon River. Her mom taught her how to cook when she was twelve years old. Her mom was also a chef and she had her own cooking show which took place in her house. 

The decor was super comfortable and decorated with Christmas ornaments. Outside the restaurant they have a small patio, where customers can sit at and enjoy the mix of Peruvian dishes and so much more. 

While I was enjoying my experience, I got the pleasure to meet Betty. She was our server that took care of me. Betty was super knowledgeable and helpful to talk to about the restaurant's history and what dishes they are popular for. 

For an appetizer, I got a Peruvian chicken empanada and a Peruvian cheese empanada.

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The empanadas were nicely crisp on the outside with tender chicken on the inside. Inside the chicken empanada, there was shredded chicken mixed with peas. The shredded chicken was extra juicy and I absolutely enjoyed dipping my empanada in the nice and spicy cilantro sauce. Their cheese empanada was nice and cheesy on the inside and I've got to say those empanadas were very savory. 

For my main course dish, I gave their lomo saltado dish a try.

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It had soft pieces of tenderloin, tomatoes and onions sautéed with soy sauce in a wok seasoned with flames and chef's secrets. For my sides, it came with both white rice and french fries. The french fries and soy sauce mixed super well and the french fries just melted right into my mouth. The tenderloin was super tender and the white rice was prepared nicely and molded into a cool shape. I liked how well this dish was prepared. It was like a work of art. 

For dessert, we tried the tres leches dessert.

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It is a cake soaked in three kinds of milk that came with sprinkles on top. It was very sweet and the milk tasted extra creamy. The cake itself was super moist and it was very large. It was definitely worth trying as it was delicious. 

I would highly recommend giving Chef Paz a try. If you go with a friend or a family member, I would suggest trying the lomo saltado. It was super filling and the tomatoes were mouth watering. You’ve also got to give the empanadas a try, because they were nice and crunchy and tasted very handmade.