Lonzo's Restaurant offers inexpensive Peruvian food in a tiny bakery on Washington Boulevard in Culver City. Don't be deceived by its simple looks!

You've probably driven past Lonzo's Restaurant and Bakery in Culver City numerous times. I know I have. I drive past most bakeries because of all of the gluten-loving grains inside, but then I learned that this bakery was also cooking authentic Peruvian food. Now there's an interesting mash-up.

Lonzo's is tiny. It's just a slip of a place on Washington Boulevard, across from Best Buy. There's a little bakery counter in back and a handful of wooden tables and chairs in front. It seats about 15 people but does a brisk take-out business. If you're looking for a beautiful, romantic restaurant for dinner, Lonzo's is not it.

I laughed at the long two-sided menu that had all of the dishes listed on one side, and pictures on the other. Yes, pictures. But when I found myself torn between all of the different ceviche offerings, I flipped and found the pictures very helpful.

The chef is Walther Adrianzen, a Peruvian-American, who has cooked around town in places like Picca and a few pop-ups of his own. He sprung up in Lonzo's Bakery just last year and business has been strong since.

We dove in with grilled scallops served in a sizzling skillet, laden with butter and garlic, and an asparagus - pepper medley. The flavors were warm and bold. This was just an appetizer, but we were already feeling good.

Our other appetizer included a beautiful plate of grilled octopus. A rich, salty black olive sauce artfully spilled across the plate. I could have made this dish my main meal, but we still had to try some entrees.

Lomo saltado with rib eye was so succulent and flavorful, I almost wished we started with it so I had more room. I didn't eat any of the fries or vegs with this dish, but did devour the meat that you could also swap out for filet mignon. I woke up the next day, thinking of that delicious rib eye.

We couldn't leave Lonzo's Peruvian restaurant without trying some of the ceviche. There are 10 different ceviche dishes from which to choose. This is where the pictures come in handy. We went with the mango c-v-che as its listed on the menu. A huge platter ($12.99) was delivered with mussels, shrimp, sea bass and calamari rings. A citrusy mango sauce was mixed in for perfect bites, and the portion was more than enough to feed two, or even four.

There's no alcohol served at Lonzo's, but you can bring your own. I'd also recommend trying to make a reservation through Yelp since seating is very limited. Better yet, order take-out. You'll get a reasonably priced meal to enjoy in a large space of your choosing and where you can drink whatever alcohol you like!

Lonzo's Bread and Peruvian Restaurant
10804 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, 90232
310.842.7876