The quickest path to culinary fame is to do one thing really, really well, and at Rico Rico — a partnership between Matt Monkewicz and Carlos Jimenez — that one thing is Peruvian rotisserie chicken.

The recipe is Jimenez’s, based on his memories of growing up in Lima. His specialty starts with fresh, never-frozen chicken free of antibiotics, steroids and added hormones. It’s marinated overnight in an herb sauce, then cooked over charcoal and kiawe wood.

The resulting golden-brown chicken is tender and flavorful throughout, available by the quarter ($5.99), half ($8.99) or whole ($14.99), served with rice and a pepper and mayo-based sauce made with the yellow pepper aji ama­rillo. There’s no mustard in it, though the sauce tastes like a mild mustard.

Extras include coleslaw, delicious kale salad, pinto beans and homemade “crack” fries, though I could have done without the sweet-spicy seasoning on the fries.

New items have been introduced since the restaurant’s July 1 opening. These include another Peruvian herbed hua­ca­tay sauce, and seafood cevi­che, available only on Sundays for now.

Rico Rico is at 946 Coolidge St., next to the First Hawaiian Bank in the University area.

The restaurant is open 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (or until the chicken runs out) Sundays through Fridays. Call 383-9179.