Born in New York to Peruvian parents, Ivan Colombier’s childhood memories are full of family, friends and delicious food.
“My parents are both from Lima, Peru,” he said. “My brothers and I were raised with the Peruvian cuisine. Growing up, friends always wanted to hang out at our house because of the incredible dishes our mother would make.”
Ivan was so inspired by the delectable food and the way it brought people together that he decided to attend culinary school.
“Shortly after my wife and I, along with our two sons, moved to Orlando, I attended Le Cordon Bleu [College of Culinary Arts] and graduated as a chef in the culinary arts.”
Years later, Ivan decided to open his first restaurant.
“I’ve always been very passionate about Peruvian food and wanted to introduce the cuisine to the mainstream.”
In 2011, Ivan opened El Inka Grill Ceviche in Hunter’s Creek. Given the enormous popularity of the award-winning restaurant, Ivan decided to open a second restaurant in November 2015 near his home in Dr. Phillips.
“My family and I love being part of the Dr. Phillips community and are delighted to have El Inka Grill Ceviche in The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips,” Ivan said.
The restaurant has quickly become a favorite spot among locals and out-of-towners alike.
“We have a great mixture of clientele from families to couples to those on their lunch break. Occasionally, we have guests on vacation from Peru looking for a familiar dish. They always tell us that the food tastes just like home, if not better.”
Upon entering El Inka Grill Ceviche, guests are immediately greeted by a serene waterfall feature as well as beautiful artwork painted by a Peruvian artist. All of the exquisite wall decor is from Peru. Adding to the ambience, El Inka Grill Ceviche features live music on weekends.
What truly sets El Inka Grill Ceviche apart from other dining options near Restaurant Row is its amazing food.
“Our slogan is ‘Experience the Flavor,’ because tasting these dishes is truly a mouthwatering experience,” Ivan said. “We make everything from scratch. This allows us to customize a dish from spicy to medium, mild or not spicy at all. Traditional Peruvian food is not spicy. However, the Peruvian peppers such as the rocoto [chile] peppers and aji amarillo peppers add such flavor.”
Everything at El Inka Grill Ceviche is freshly prepared each day. Diners discover many new and interesting flavors not found anywhere else, because so many of El Inka Grill’s key ingredients are imported directly from a Peruvian purveyor.
For Ivan, creating the menu was a well-thought-out labor of love.
“I took all the delicious Peruvian dishes my mother used to cook and expanded on them,” he said. “The menu is not only unique but also very healthy.”
The restaurant’s well-trained staff are delighted to walk first-timers through the menu.
“Guests trying our cuisine for the first time will find familiarity with a unique twist,” Ivan said. “A lot of the dishes on the menu have an Asian flair to them, like our lomo saltado or our chaufa that we flame up in the wok. We have a delectable pesto linguine, influenced by the Italians but done in the Peruvian style.”
One of the signature items on the menu is the ceviche, a dish popular in Peru as well as other parts of Latin America. El Inka Grill Ceviche has a vast selection of exotic and freshly made ceviches that can be prepared with seafood, fish or a combination of both. There is also a variety of hot dishes, including a Peruvian paella that can be prepared with either linguine or rice. Health-conscience diners rave about the Inka salad, which can be topped with a protein and homemade dressing. Another popular dish is the causa, a potato puree with Peruvian ingredients topped off with chicken, octopus or shrimp salad.
The homemade desserts at El Inka Grill Ceviche are not to be missed. One such confection is the lúcuma ice cream dish. It is made with lúcuma, a subtropical fruit found in the jungles of Peru. It has a taste similar to nutty butterscotch and can be paired with chocolate cake for an even more heavenly dessert aptly named the Lúcuma Indulgence.
The restaurant also offers its own crafted cocktails. Many consider El Inka Grill Ceviche’s sangria to be the best they’ve ever had. They also boast an impressive wine list, including red, white and sparking varietals.
“We have many exotic drinks, including a Peruvian brandy called pisco with which we make a Pisco Sour,” Ivan said. ”It is made with freshly squeezed lime and organic agave nectar. We make that in a variety of forms, including mango, passion fruit and traditional.”
With such an appetizing range of dishes and inviting atmosphere, it is no wonder that first-time guests quickly become regulars.
“We view everyone who comes into El Inka Grill as an extension of our family,” Ivan said. “They are our guests, and we want to make sure they get the best Peruvian food in a relaxed setting. We invite everyone to come visit us at our Dr. Phillips and Hunter’s Creek locations.”
El Inka Grill Ceviche is located at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. and 4106 Town Center Blvd. It is open for lunch and dinner daily. Happy hour is from 4-7 p.m., during which it offers half-price drinks. Lunch specials are available Monday-Friday. For more information, call 407-930-2810 or 407-730-7979, or visit elinkagrill.com on the web. 💓
