There are some dishes that are forgotten the moment the door closes behind you as you exit a restaurant. Too many chicken tacos, mediocre meat and bland Caesar salads fall into that category. And then there are those extraordinary dishes that leave a warm glow in your belly, that keep you wistfully saying, “do you remember that dish from that little Peruvian place we had years ago?”

Sometimes it’s best not to revisit those little restaurants, to leave them as mental snapshots of great meals that will never be tarnished. And yet I couldn’t resist finding out if EatPeruvian’s aji de gallina ($12.95) really had tasted as magical as I built it up to in mind some odd years ago.

So I finally bit the bullet and revisited the restaurant – and the dish.

EatPeruvian – which just celebrated a grand re-opening – also offers catering, swoon-worthy ceviche, and empanadas you’ll want to wrap up and take home (and do just that).

But their aji de gallina – which is traditionally made with shredded chicken, bread and milk – had cast such a spell over me that I had attempted to make it at home for my someone special. Unfortunately – though tasty enough to please him – it had been a far cry from the restaurants creation. Though I’d sought it out at other restaurants I had yet to find one that served the Peruvian delicacy until I returned to the little, brightly painted restaurant on Lantana Blvd.

It was just as I remembered it – creamy, soul-filling, rich and delicious with the satisfying crunch of pecans. The sauce of the aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow pepper paste) was rich and perfect for mopping up the rice. It absolutely lived up to my memory – now I just have to make sure that two more years don’t pass before I try it again.

EatPeruvian: 3210 Lantana Road, Lake Worth; 561-965-5559; open Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.