Pico Alto and Brasas bring Peru to Indialantic
Alberto Deza doesn’t get much sleep these days. Deza, who opened Pico Alto PHC in Indialantic last July, now also has a second restaurant, Brasas Peruvian Grill, within a stone’s throw of Pico Alto. As if babying two restaurants wasn’t enough, the Indialantic resident just welcomed a new baby son this May.
We should all be grateful for Deza’s sleepless nights, for his hard work brings to Brevard’s culinary scene interesting new options. Brevard has plenty of Hispanic restaurants, but most focus on Mexican, Cuban or Puerto Rican cuisine. Pico Alto, on the other hand, is all about Peru’s food, which the world has acknowledged as a top cuisine contender.
'Bar Rescue' films at Kings Duck Inn, Coasters Taphouse
“Peru was chosen for the fifth consecutive year as the Best Culinary Destination in the World at the World Travel Awards in 2016,” said Deza.
“The WTA are considered the Oscars of tourism, and have been celebrated for the past 23 years, recognizing and celebrating the food and travel industry from around the world. Peru has consistently surpassed other world-renowned cuisines such as French, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Thai and others.”
Question: Some history, please, Alberto.
Answer: I was born and raised in Lima, Peru, but growing up, I spent a lot of time in Punta Hermosa, a small coastal town south of Lima. I later moved to Punta Hermosa and consider it to be my hometown. The beachside atmosphere of Indialantic and surrounding beaches is very similar to the spirit of Punta Hermosa.
My professional background is in corporate operations and franchise branding. Working as a senior executive for a multinational corporation with numerous locations in the U.S. and Canada, I enjoyed turning this underperforming corporation into a profitable one and being recognized for my achievements by a third-party award. Working for other corporations always used to involve constant national and international travel. That is how I ended up moving to Brevard in 2003 and have enjoyed living here ever since.
Q: How did you get into the restaurant business?
A: I have always been an entrepreneur at heart. I got into the restaurant business years ago while living in Peru. I started with one location and grew the business to four restaurants located in Lima prior to moving to the U.S.
Q: Please describe Pico Alto in 25 words or less.
A: Pico Alto PHC is a casual beachside Peruvian restaurant located in Indialantic. We serve high-quality traditional cuisine from Peru at a reasonable price. The unique, laidback atmosphere invites our guests to come in to relax and enjoy the amazingly delicious food.
Review: Pico Alto spotlights diverse cuisine of Peru
Q: What is the meaning behind the name?
A: The restaurant is named Pico Alto PHC after a famous big wave in a small surfing town of Punta Hermosa, south of Lima, Peru. Punta Hermosa is where numerous world surfing championships, such as the Big Wave World Tour, take place, thanks to the big wave named Pico Alto, or “high peak” in Spanish.
The second part of the restaurant’s name, PHC, is derived from Spanish “Punta Hermosa Corazon,” which can be translated as “the Heart of Punta Hermosa,” but it has a much deeper meaning than that.
“Punta Hermosa Corazon” is a local saying among the Punta Hermosa surfers. It means having a free spirit, being proud to be part of the community, feeling love for its people and the Pico Alto wave.
Q: Tell us about the second restaurant.
A: Brasas Peruvian Grill restaurant is right next to Pico Alto PHC and will feature another side of the Peruvian cuisine. This is a limited service restaurant featuring classic Peruvian grilled meats dishes such as Pollo a la Brasa, Anticuchos, and grilled Churrasco, served with Peruvian beans, rice, salad, desserts, etc. We hope to open by the end of June.
Q: Signature dish?
A: Ceviche. Peruvian ceviche is the national dish of Peru. This intensely refreshing cold seafood dish is infused with a mouth-watering combination of freshly squeezed lime juice and Peruvian spices.
Q: What must first-time visitors try?
A: Peruvian cuisine is widely recognized to be among the best in the world. Traditional dishes from Peru have developed over the course of many centuries in the process of cultural exchange between native Peruvian people and immigrants from Spain, Africa, China, Japan, Italy and others. My recommendation to first-time patrons would be Ceviche, Shrimp Causa, Picante Mariscos, Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina.
Q: Your own personal favorite?
A: Shrimp and Octopus Ceviche. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a plate of authentic Peruvian ceviche.
Q: Family?
A: My wife, Irina, and I have been together for 14 years and have been married since 2009. We have just welcomed our son, Gabriel, born at the end of May.
Q: Hobbies?
A: Basketball, surfing, traveling. Basketball is more than a hobby. I started playing at 11 and used to be part of the Peruvian professional basketball league and was nominated to the National Team of Peru.
Surfing has always been in my heart. I got back to surfing after I retired from basketball at 35.
I love to travel both on business and pleasure. Discovering various cultures is the best part of travel to me.
Q: Words that describe you?
A: Entrepreneur, free spirit, family
Q: What is in your bucket list?
A: Traveling through tropical islands of the world constantly discovering and learning new cultures and places.
Q: Famous persons you would love to see at Pico Alto PHC?
A: It would be great to see Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. The work they have done over the course of their lives is admirable.
Email toastofthecoast floridatoday@gmail.com.
Pico Alto PHC
Where: 2 Wave Crest Ave., Indialantic
Call: 321-802-5230
Web:picoaltophc.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily