Fresca Peruvian Kitchen Replaces Pasion On Irving Street

Fresca Peruvian Kitchen Replaces Pasion On Irving StreetHoodline/Walter Thompson
Walter Thompson
Published on December 30, 2014
After four years in operation, Pasion closed down in November, but it wasn't the end for the space's Latin-inspired offering. On December 26th, chef-owner Jose Calvo-Perez reopened the 9th and Irving restaurant as Fresca Peruvian Kitchen after a brief revamp.

Why the changeover? “I wanted to rebrand the restaurant,” said Calvo-Perez, who also has Fresca locations in Noe Valley, the Fillmore, and West Portal, and owns Porto 27, another Peruvian eatery in Pacifica. “I felt like the place needed an identity. We had three Frescas in the city and they all did really well. Pasion was more about Latin cuisine, sort of all over the map. We had Spanish, Caribbean, South American, Mexican and others,” he said.



Instead of offering a broad range of Nuevo Latino cuisine, the fourth Fresca will “strictly stick with Peruvian food and make it more neighborhood-oriented,” said Calvo-Perez. The name has changed and the decor is subtly altered, but ceviche is still the star of the menu: there are 10 varieties available that the Calvo-Perez said pair well with the restaurant's extensive wine and beer selection. (Here's a look at Fresca's existing menu.)



Inside, there’s seating around the pisco bar inside the front door and the restaurant now accommodates approximately 75 guests. 
Fresca on Irving will be open on New Year's Eve and Calvo-Perez said he and the staff are working on a a special menu to ring in 2015. “Everything’s reasonably priced and made for sharing, family-style. We’re definitely a family-type restaurant.”

Fresca is located at 727 Irving St. and is now open seven days a week.