Terra Sur Cafe

Reviews 4

A

A Private User

My wife and I are both from Peru, and over 5 years ago we used to frequent this restaurant, it had a nice atmosphere and the food was excellent, well worth the price they charged. About 3 years ago the food sorta took a turn downward, the meats were bad cuts and the flavor in a lot of dishes needed seasoning, and for the price you paid it wasnt really worth it, So my wife and I stopped going. Recently a co-worker of my wifes said he went and he was very happy with the restaurant, and my wife said we should give it another try since maybe they got better. So we went, Let me say to you WORSE mistake we made, the food was horrible (my wifes anticucho was so tough she had to spit the meat out onto her plate, because she could not chew it apart) my tanllarines verdes were ok, but still lacked seasoning. The ONLY thing that was good was the Chicha Morada, And to top it off the server we got was snooty, and very standoffish, (she was a peruvian as well, go figure!) maybe it was because my wife and I were dressed down in casual cloths and since my wife mentioned she was peruvian as well maybe thought we were bad tippers, or she was just more interested in the 4 person part next to us (I could tell we were treated VERY differently because she was detailed oriented towards the other party and very short with us when we asked questions). Either way, I struggled even considering giving her a 2 dollar tip for our 60 dollar bill, My wife left 6 (shes a lot nicer than I am at times); My wife said at least she brought us our food and the bus girl was very nice (Now that I think about it I should have handed a standard 20% tip directly to the bus girl and left 2 for the waitress). We eat at plenty of restaurants (from burns steakhouse to mcdonalds) and I dont mind dropping money down for a good meal, but I believe you should get what you pay for, and this restaurant does not deliver on that promise, I would have been happier with a Dennys lunch special at 60 bucks than what was served at terra sur, If you want good Peruvian food go to Happy Fish or even Rincon Peruano, the atmosphere isnt as nice, but the food is great and the service is friendly and inviting . And the funny thing is you cant send comments to them on their website anymore, I wonder why?

ER

Eric Smith

So, when looking at the outside of Terra Sur Cafe one might think that this is just a bad shopping center restaurant thats only good for fast food or a captive lunch audience.. YOU WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY WRONG! To give you an idea of my palette, or lack thereof, Im usually the one that orders burgers and fries everywhere. My usual diet is very Caucasian to say the least.. Even so I had one of the best meals that I can remember. I was equally surprised and full by the time I left. Just a great atmosphere on Saturday Nights of spanish music (not really peruvian, but still great), interior design, and staff. Our waiter was EXCELLENT and even asked if we would prefer Spanish or English; he explained everything and was perfect! I started with Papa a la Huancaina, which is basically cold potatoes under a delicious white sauce. I thought, cold potatoes; cant be that good... WRONG.. It was EXCELLENT and the waiter recommended this sauce to mix in if we wanted to spice it up some. GREAT TIP! The closest I could describe this would be like a less mustardy and more substantial potato salad; but just the potatoes; but it was better than that... Then, the main course was Terra Sur Paella. This was a HUGE (HUGE!!) plate with a seasoned rice (EXCELLENT) and Chicken Strips, Sirloin Strips, Churizo, and Shrimp mixed in with some Clams (about 8) sticking out of the top.. Every bite was different depending on what made it on to the fork.. This might be enough for two people; though we opted for a plate for each of us and had PLENTY for left overs. Overall the ambiance and food were top notch. SO much so that I decided to write a review of this place; something that I have NEVER done before.. Its such a shame that this is hidden away, but thats not stopping the crowds; we got there a little late on Saturday (8pm) and had about a 45 minute wait for 6 people; not bad for a Saturday night. If youre in Tampa and are looking to skip another weekend at a chain restaurant, be adventurous and give Terra Sur Cafe a try; you WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

RI

Ric Rini

First time here and it was a thoroughly good experience. Not only great food and wine selection but also accompanied with great service as well as a particularly nice, warm and inviting atmosphere. The interior is decorated well with exceptional wall art, lighting and the use of colors. It really begs to just chill and relax all the while not being pretentious at all. The staff are friendly, courteous attentive and helpful with assisting on selecting menu items. We started with the Pulpo Al Olivo (grilled octopus) the portion was on the small side, however the flavor and seasoning was delicious. Only drawback is the octopus was overcooked and very rubery. I ordered the Fettuccini Marino (seafood with red sauce and pasta). The seafood was cooked perfectly (muscles, claims, scallops and shrimp) and melted in your mouth. The sauce was a bit watery/thin and lacked the tomato base style I prefer but consider its probably a cuisine style - just my personal preference. My wife ordered the Chupe and Fish and Shrimp. The base of the soup was so savory it will make your mouth water and there was plenty of shrimp and fish to keep you busy throughout the meal. The wine selection is expanse with very reasonable pricing and choices that make sensible pairings. Overall a nice experience and we will definitely be back to try more menu items and enjoy the atmosphere of this hidden gem.

SE

Sergio Reyes

Had a horrible experience on 4/25/16. Around 7pm, my girlfriend and I went since she has never tried Peruvian food. The decor, lightning, and music were great, but the service was bad. First off, the waitress (who didnt even state her name) didnt show much enthusiasm. Her energy was just bad all around. My girlfriend ordered a caeser salad, and a small ceviche mixto. I ordered a large ceviche with plain fish. About 15 minutes go by, and another server comes out with a small ceviche mixto and a salad. This was my girlfriends order, and long story short - mine never came out. I waited a good 30 minutes for my plate, and nothing. The waitress didnt even come visit the table to check if everything was fine until after 30 min - and this is not an exaggeration. She asked how everything is going so far, and I tell her my food never came out, and to please give us the check. She went to check in the back and she said she has my plate back there, and she offered to box it up and take it off the check. I said fine. Once I got home, I open the box and its a small ceviche mixto - no corn, no sweet potato, just scraps from someone elses order. So not only did they never come out with my food, but the waitress got my order wrong anyway. I ordered a LARGE ceviche with fish, not a small mixto. NEVER going back, and NEVER referring this place to anyone else.