Pio Pio

Hello my dear, Pio Pio. I've heard of your delicious chicken but have yet to try to you. With chicken being my favorite meat, I would think I am a good judge of the flavor, texture, and juiciness. And off I went to try your delicious chicken. But first, some appetizers to whet my palate. Here's a good view of what the Hell's Kitchen location of Pio Pio looks like. The sign isn't that noticeable but I like glass walls. The room is modern but comfortable. Supposedly there is a downstairs to the restaurant as well. So don't worry about space. I also noticed that the bar was packed constantly. I didn't notice any specials going on but people seems happy and inebriated there. Caution: Bad, grainy pictures to follow. So, we started off with the some apps. He picked the papa rellenas ($8). It's described as deep fried mashed potato balls with meat sauce. These were just okay. They weren't super flavorful and at $4/piece, they didn't seem worth it. I picked the cebiche mixtp ($16). It's citrus marinated seafood. There were shrimp, scallops, squid, and octopus. It was lovely and delicious. I love my seafood cooked lightly and this is one of the best ways. Light, and tangy. The seafood tasted good. And it wasn't chewy. Pricey but I would get this again. For his main course, he picked the Arroz Chaufa ($12). It's described as a Peruvian fried rice. I thought it was just okay. It's fried rice. I've had a life time of fried rice. But with the special green Pio Pio sauce added, it was much better. The green sauce is mayo based but doesn't contain any avocado. It's slightly spicy. Jalapenos maybe. Whatever it was, it definitely made the rice delicious. It added the missing kick of flavor. I picked the Chicken Pio ($14). It a whole chicken that has been seasoned and roasted. It was delicious. I couldn't get enough of the spices. So good. I would definitely get this again. Juicy, tender, and just so flavorful. They also offer this in half and quarter prices. Next time, I'll just the quarter, though, I had lots of delicious leftover for 2 more meals. Oh, I definitely suggest to get a side of rice with your chicken. This saffron rice ($4) is fluffy and light. It was a nice complement to the chicken. So Pio Pio did come through with their chicken. It was delicious, juicy, and tender. At $14, it was worth the price with leftovers to last 2 meals. Even if I did share the meal, I still think I would have leftovers for the next day. As for the rest of the meal, I would skip apps, though I enjoyed the cebiche. It was all about the chicken. Pio Pio 604 10th Avenue New York, NY 10036 (212) 459-2929 piopionyc.com