Where You Should Eat Ceviche for National Ceviche Day Today

It's only fitting that we should eat, even crave, ceviche during the first real heat wave of summer. The cool marinated seafood dish - fish, shrimp or scallops "cooked" in citrus juice with accoutrements like onion, tomato and cucumber - is the perfect way to deal with the rising temps, or any time really. Today Peruvians honor ceviche with its own holiday, and Ricardo Zarate is first to celebrate. You can find fantastic ceviches at all three of his restaurants, but for today only, get his classic ceviche made with diced halibut, aji limo, sliced onions, wakame and fresh and grilled choclo at Mo-Chica, Paiche and Picca all day for $10.

Fellow Peruvian patriots that specialize in ceviche include Hollywood's Balcones Del Peru, which has everything from shrimp and fish ceviche to squid and octopus. And at Mario's Peruvian, don't miss the mixto served with toasted corn and sweet potato. Of course, it doesn't always have to be Peruvian to be great ceviche.

Although Nobu Matsuhisa was a chef in Peru before LA, he's still known for his more Japanese creations. But Nobu Malibu has a really delicious lobster ceviche and a great view. At Petty Cash, Walter Manzke makes a richly flavored squid-inked ceviche negro with mahi mahi and mango peanuts. Josef Centeno usually has ceviche or crudo at both Bar Ama and Baco Mercat, if not on the menu than on special; try the chile shrimp with watercress ceviche at the former. Don't miss classics like La Cevicheria, where you can't go wrong with any order, but the bloody clam is pretty legendary; El 7 Mares for its ceviche tostadas; and if you aren't going to get the snook at Mariscos Chente, definitely get the simple and delicious (and hugely portioned) shrimp ceviche.