The instant you walk into Pasión you are instantly attracted to the bright and vibrant painting hanging on the wall. This sets the tone for your entire dining experience.

Pasión is a nuevo-latino restaurant from owner and Executive Chef Jose Calvo-Perez. Jose is also the brilliant mind behind Fresca’s Peruvian Restaurants located throughout San Francisco. At Pasion, Jose brings the flavors of South America, Central America and Latino Carribbean to life through his creations. He takes the traditional Latin American foods and adds into them a modern touch that adds flare to the dish. The food like the art on the wall is bright, vibrant and exciting.

The best way to start off the meal is with the Ceviche Bar featuring seven different types of Ceviche. We opted for the trio of ceviche, with the Ceviche de Langosta, Ceviche de Atun and the Ceviche Julianna. The lobster ceviche was perfectly prepared and really flavorful with a lot of sweetness but a touch of spiciness to make it exciting. The Cevice Julianna, which is pacific cod, cactus pear mojito juice, mint, rocoto, lime juice, daikon radish, red onion and purple corn, was exceptionally tasty. The perfect compliment to the Ceviche was the Signature cocktails. They have a whole range of Pisco drinks and some great mojitos. My personal favorite was the Pasión Colada Mojito which was light and fruity.

The main dishes were just as tasty as the ceviche. I tried the New York steak which was cooked perfectly and topped with caramelized onions and a pepper confit. The sweetness of the onions in contrast with the pepper made for an exceptional dish. My friends chose the Slow braised lamb shank and the wood grilled pork chop. The combination of flavors in the cilantro-corn beer broth on the lamb shank was really tasty. The wood grilled pork chop was cooked perfectly and very flavorful.

The finale for the evening was the desert. The Volcan de Chocolate is a must try with its warm gooey chocolate center and chantilly cream topping.

Pasión is a wonderful restaurant that combines great food and fun atmosphere for an overall fantastic dining experience.

By Stephanie Law

Pasión
737 Irving Street
San Francisco, CA 94122
Ph. 415-742-5727