— 86-14 37th Ave. in Jackson Heights, near the 82nd St. subway stop

Jackson Heights is dotted with Peruvian restaurants, most of which focus on succulent roast chicken rubbed with spices. The menu at Inti Raymi displays a wider ambition. Serving an array of Lima specialties in a warm, cozy dining room, Inti Raymi is a great place to kick back and enjoy a meal with friends.

The restaurant serves up a veritable survey of Peruvian cuisine, including meaty stews, grilled seafood, and even a few dishes representing the Peruvian-Chinese fusion food known as chifa. Authenticity shows in details such as the drinks menu, which includes imported South American beers, a local herbal tea, "inca kola" (apparently the national beverage), and various fresh-squeezed tropical juices. I was pleasantly surprised by the chicha morada, a non-alcoholic drink made from fresh purple corn and pinneapple juice ($1.75 per glass/$8.50 for a large pitcher).

The meat dishes I sampled, while tasty, were a bit heavy. The lomo saltado ($9.75), which involved slices of sauteed beef arranged over a platter of french fries, seemed to be a favorite at nearby tables, but both it and the aji de gallina (shrededed chicken in a creamy sauce, $8.75) were a little bland and lacked vegetable accompaniment. On the other hand, the arros con chaufa de mariscos ($15), or seafood fried rice, is an improvement over its American-Chinese cousin, generously infused with shrimp and calamari.

However, I was blown away by Inti Raymi's ceviche. I would happily make a meal of one of the generous platters of lime-marinated fish, especially the delectable ceviche mixto ($11.75), with slices of fresh trout, squid, octopus and shrimp. The dish is amazing, simply adorned with cilantro and the traditional accoutrements of yam, large-kernel corn known as choclo, fried corn kernels, potato, and a strong shot of lime and fish juice in a little ceramic cup. Apparently you're supposed to toss back the shot, but I found it made an excellent dipping sauce for the choclo.

For dessert, I recommend the alfajores ($2), little square cookies filled with dolce de leche. They are excellent accompanied by the café con leche ($1.50), which is made with condensed milk, or emoliente ($1.75), a sweet herbal tea.