Chef at Rosaline creates ceviche delight for Labor Day weekend's Taste LA

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Chef Ricardo Zarate of the new Peruvian restaurant Rosaline is passionate about ceviche - a dish he learned to make back home in Peru.

"Ceviche was a way to preserve the fish in the old times. Some people use vinegar and then limes. In some countries, like Ecuador, they marinate for more than 24 hours," Zarate said.

Zarate said it became popular well over 150 years ago when the Japanese introduced sashimi, or raw fish. As there was no refrigeration at that time, it was a lunch special.

"The fishermen, with the way they were coming, they were preparing the fish just for the moment - to be fresh. You would never eat ceviche in the night time," Zarate said.

Rosaline, which opened June 12, is a restaurant named in honor of his mother and is located where Comme Ca was in West Hollywood, according to Eater Los Angeles.

At Rosaline, Zarate has a ceviche bar, where the fish is fresh and it's on ice. He offers five different versions of ceviche, even one made with mushrooms for vegans.

One is made with Baja's fish kampachi, spices, onions, chilies and something he calls "leche de tigre," or tiger's milk.

"This leche de tigre has the onions, celery, garlic, lime juice," Zarate said.

It is this kampachi ceviche that the chef is making for Taste L.A.

That would be this weekend's The Taste, held Friday through Sunday at Paramount's backlot.

It's three days featuring 135 chefs and their favorite offerings in small bites. Zarate will be making about 800 of these ceviche treats.

From Field to Fork to the Sunday Block Party, there will be five distinct events to get your taste buds going.

Rosaline

8479 Melrose Ave.

West Hollywood