Location: 1617 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Dubbed as a Peruvian rotisserie chicken place this Elizabeth Ave. establishment is usually ranked in the top 50 places to eat in Charlotte, NC on Tripadviser. The restaurant has two locations, the other being in Ballantyne, which is the second location and actual enjoys a ranking of #19. This means it is supposedly in the top 1% of places to eat in Charlotte. I was actually warned against going to this location, so I gave the original store a chance. After my meal I honestly question the validity of these sites for directing people where to eat.
The Good: The chicken itself wasn’t bad. As shown above, I ordered a quarter rotisserie chicken with plantains and sweet potato fries. The seasoning was good and it wasn’t dry, so that is a plus. The plantains were also very good and probably the highlight of my dish. Also my total bill was just over $11, which although not great I figured wasn’t terribly expensive. Whether the chicken was much better than a supermarket rotisserie that sells at a third of the price can be debated. I also will point out I didn’t try the salads, but they looked appetizing.
The Bad: Right off the bat I don’t like the set up of the service. It has a fast food feel to it, having to go up to the counter to order. Maybe I’m a snob, but If I have to pay full price for a dinner I should have a normal service experience. Also the ordering process has that rushed feel you get when you’re in a fast food restaurant. On top of this, there was a weird techno type music playing. It made me feel as if this place didn’t realize how boring it is. I actually took my food to go, since I received the same service as someone who is eating there. The menu wasn’t overly or creative and like the experience on a whole, was not interesting. There wasn’t anything that stood out to me as a must order. Even the sauces weren’t that great in my opinion.
The Ugly: The worst part about this meal were the soggy, cold sweet potato fries, which were almost inedible. Maybe I just went on a bad day, but they just weren’t good. The whole experience was just dull, giving me no compelling reason to come back. Compared to other rotisserie experiences I have had, it just didn’t live up to the hype.
Verdict 4.5 out of 10: Another Charlotte restaurant with a corporate, mass produced feel. I have been living in Charlotte for 12 years and lived without VIVA Chicken. I will continue to live my life without it. If I want a underwhelming rotisserie experience I will go to Harris Teeter. If I want a better chicken I will go to other Peruvian restaurants.