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| - We decided to try The Columbian Spot based on the many positive reviews. Being from South Florida, we've been craving some good traditional Latin food. We went there for dinner on a Thursday evening. Upon entering, we noticed it was fairly small. The sign asked us to seat ourselves, so we chose a table in the center of the restaurant. After a few minutes, the server came over with menus and took our drink order.
After viewing the menu, I noticed the dishes were sort of a combination of traditional Columbian dishes with some other "Latin" dishes mixed in. The arepas and empanada dishes were all traditional, however, there were other items like Ropa Vieja (Cuban), Pernil (Puerto Rican), and black beans (red beans are traditional Colombian fare).
We decided to try the Tostones con Guacamole as an appetizer. The flavor was good and the guac was very tasty. I'm used to getting traditional garlic butter sauce as an accompaniment to the Tostones, so for me, they were a tad on the dry side. However, the amount of guac was good for the price.
For our entrees, the hubby decided on the Calentado con Carne Asada. I opted to try their "Build Your Own Special" and chose the top sirloin with black beans and rice.
The hubby got a decent sized steak, the fried egg on top was cooked correctly and the rice and beans had good flavor. My steak, however, was paper thin. It was literally thinner than a slice of roast beef at the deli counter. Therefore, the steak was terribly over cooked and tough. The black beans were good and I enjoyed them with the rice. They were flavorful and were, for me, by far the best part of my meal.
In the end, the service was prompt and friendly. The convenient location in the South Side will most likely be a draw for the local South Side crowd. However, paying over $45 for a meal consisting of underwhelming food does not bode well for us. We don't feel like this place is worth a second visit, so I'll just continue making my Latin favorites at home.
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