Pio Pio Salon

The Upper West Side is not exactly college budget friendly. Even the cheaper restaurants can feel like a splurge when the food is less than satisfying. Sometimes I feel like I’ve tried it all, but it’s never true. On Friday night, my boyfriend and I went to Pio Pio Salon on Amsterdam and 94th. Known for their rotisserie chicken, simple Peruvian sides, and fresh seafood, Pio Pio is an Upper West Side favorite—according to my Upper West Side boyfriend. And it was packed. Lost in a sea of jam-packed two person tables, I thought that our dining experience would be affected by our lack of space. Surprisingly, I found the low hum of fellow diners and the steady bustle of the waiters to be very lively and warm.

Read and I started with a Papa Rellena, a deep fried mashed potato croquette filled with a savory meat sauce, topped with salsa criolla, and served with a side of baby greens and a heaping mound of pickled red onion slices. It was very good, homey food. The potato was creamy, the skin crisp, and the sauce oozed from the middle when we cut it open.

Our next course was extensive. Our waiter suggested multiple times that we condense our order, but moderation has never been our thing. We ordered a roasted chicken accompanied by a fresh avocado and tomato salad, fresh cut fries, and a vegetarian tamale. That would be enough for the average couple, but we also ordered their version of paella.

Everything arrived beautifully and with impeccable timing. The roast chicken was juicy, the avocados perfectly ripe, and the paella was a massive mound of seafood—not the usual bombardment of rice and three pieces of shrimp. We were not crazy about the tamale, but many people seemed to be enjoying it.

Our water was never empty, our pitcher of Sangria was too much for us to finish, and we were completely stuffed when we left. We couldn’t even split a dessert.

The best part? It was incredibly affordable. A roast chicken for under 10 bucks, a pitcher of Sangria for 20, you can’t beat it. A steady stream of eager customers flowed through the door the entire night, reaffirming that Pio Pio is a neighborhood favorite, and a great deal on the Upper West Side.