The hum of the Incas

If you have ever visited Peru, you already know specialties of that region include foods such as alpaca (meat from an animal in the llama family) and cuy (roasted guinea pig). Adventurous eaters will be disappointed to find that Legacy of the Incas, Bloomington's latest offering in Peruvian dining, offers neither. The food at Legacy is not too far off the beaten path.\nWhen I pulled into the parking lot with by a friend, I wasn't sure what to expect. The strip where Legacy resides is disheveled and consistently has at least one vacant leasing space. When we noticed that the words "of" and "the" in the restaurant's sign were not lit up, we prepared ourselves for the worst.\nWhat we found was pleasant mediocrity. I was there to eat, and Legacy of the Incas enthusiastically provided.\nUpon entering the establishment, we found ourselves transported to the kind of warm stucco climate you would expect to find in a Latin American village. So far, so good.\nRefrescos (drinks) were first up to bat. The Chicha Morada was a home run. It was made from purple corn but resembled a sweet fruity tea. The taste was slightly familiar, but not exactly like anything I'd had before.\nBefore I had a chance to ponder the tea, a basket of bread arrived accompanied by a creamy, pale-green sauce. The bread was satisfactory, similar in texture to a dense challah. The sauce was an uplifting combination of cilantro and garlic that I wholeheartedly could have eaten with a spoon.\nEntrees were more erratic. At the recommendation of the waitress, we sampled the Aji de Gallina and the Lomo Saltado. The former, a Peruvian-style chicken stew with garlic, onions and rice. The latter was sautéed beef with onions, tomatoes, french fries and rice. The stew came on a plate, not in a bowl, causing it to run like a thick eruption. The taste was like chicken -- standard, uneventful, without drawing much attention to itself. The beef dish became an interesting variation on a burger and fries: It was like chopping up your Happy Meal and mixing it all together. It was thought-provoking, tasty and adequately filling.\nOther highlights from our visit included a Ceviche de Camarones -- tangy shrimp marinated with lime juice and served cold to evoke the freshness and natural flavor of the seafood; frijoles -- white beans served as a side -- were flavorful and salty, making up for what many of the entrees lacked.\nDessert was excellent. The Torta Cuatro Leches were pure indulgence. My fork glided easily through this cake moistened with four milks that tasted slightly of caramel.\nWhere some restaurants shout, Legacy of the Incas quietly hums, giving just what is asked of it and nothing more.