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| - My first time trying Colombian food and it was so enjoyable!! The service here is so friendly; I was greeted with smiles all around. You can really tell that this is an independently owned mom and pop shop where the owners and employees enjoy the company of their customers. The waitresses exchanged conversations (all conducted in Spanish) with the customers and clients.
I had no clue what to order, and so carefully observed what surrounding tables got. A couple of customers had this big bowl of soup in front of them, served with a heap of rice, a slice of very ripe and beautiful avocado, a banana, and a small container of dairy (full fat cream or milk). Seeing that this was a very popular dish, I asked for it. The soup is called Ajiaco, and it was definitely not the sancocho or mondogo featured on the menu. The waitress told me that this was a special dish served only on Saturdays and Sundays.
The ajiaco soup had lots of potatoes, green peas, chicken breast, and a piece of corn. There were also other herbs and greens that I couldn't quite place my finger on. The small dairy container is meant to be added to the soup - I added a few drops and it really did accentuate and richen the flavour. Without it, the soup is still flavourful but slightly bland.
I also tried my friend's bandeja - if you're looking for the biggest bang for your buck, definitely go for this dish! It comes with a friend egg, chorizo, pork belly, steak flank, beans, and rice. I had a piece of the pork belly and it was absolutely out of this world! It was unbelievably crispy; though erring on the dry side, it was super flavourful and fatty. I'm a sucker for crispy food, and it didn't disappoint.
Additionally, I sampled my friend's appetizer, the salchipapas. Sliced sausages came served on a bed of fries with a small boiled quail egg on the side. This dish tasted absolutely amazing with the salsa. Actually - the salsa really added flavour to everything! It was the best salsa I've ever had!!
We also tried the Colombiana, a Fanta like drink. I didn't find it particularly special, but we most definitely order the lulo juice next time I come! I must also try the empanadas next time.
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