Colombian food in New York?

[bocaraton]

Hey all. I've enjoyed reading all of your posts on the various topics. I decided to give it a try myself because out of the many topics i've not seen one which talks about Colombian food. I know that Jackson Heights is the place to go to get some authentic Colombian food but I was wondering if anyone knew of a Colombian restaurant in the city?

[Suzanne F]

Technically, Jackson Heights IS in the city. It just happens to be in a part other than the island of Manhattan.

A couple of years ago, we ate at Tierras Colombianas, which while in Queens , has a branch in Astoria at Broadway and 33rd Street. The main thing I remember is that the food was tasty, and there was a MOUNTAIN on it.

FYI: if you want to try making it at home, Hippocrene Books should be bringing out an authentic Colombian cookbook in the next few months. It has a wide range of recipes for appetizers, meats, fish dishes, sides, and desserts. (In the interest of full disclosure, I copyedited it, and Swiss Miss is the Editor in Chief. )

[bocaraton]

I know Tierras Colombianas very well and I personally don't like it very much. I prefer Listo el Pollo or Casa Colombia. And yes I guess technically Jackson Heights is the city so to clarify does anyone know of any Colombian restaurants on "the island of Manhattan?

P.S. I should mention that my family is Colombian so I know aunthentic when I taste it. I've been in search of a high end Colombian restaurant in Manhattan for a while now.

[bocaraton]

Jeez...nada huh. Does anyone even like Colombian food?

[jogoode]

Hope I don't come off sounding ignorant, but the Colombian food I've eaten - in NJ - at breakfast has taken the form of generous plates of steak, eggs, sausage, chicarron, beans, and corn cakes...Is this a traditional breakfast? Does this even sounds Colombian to you? What kinds of food characterize Colombian cuisine?

[Pan]

Jeez...nada huh.  Does anyone even like Colombian food?

Don't be so impatient, amigo. It isn't even 24 hours since you started this thread.

I couldn't help you in your quest for Colombian places in Manhattan (though I'd love some recommendations from anyone), but I do want you to give us a list of Colombian places you like in Jackson Heights, because I have friends who live there. They took me to one I liked and it might have been called Mi Tierra, but I'm not sure. It was really informal and specialized in arepas and such-like, I think (it's been a while and I've only been there once - are arepas called something else in Colombia?). The waitress spoke very little English (though she was friendly and helped my friends with their efforts to speak Spanish) and I was glad I had passable restaurant Spanish. Anyway, do you like Listo el Pollo or Casa Colombia or just prefer them to a place you don't like? Are they both in Jackson Heights?

[bocaraton]

jogoode,

That sounds about right in regards to Colombian food. Although a traditional breakfast would be more along the lines of a calentado which rice and beans (usually from the day before) mixed together and heating up in a frying pan. And Pan I didn't mean to be impatient. I'm just very passionate about the food and I love to discuss it. That being said I know that a lot of people don't even know how to describe Colombian cuisine.

[Pan]

That being said I know that a lot of people don't even know how to describe Colombian cuisine.

Undoubtedly, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't like it if they tried it.

[Bux]

Truth to tell, I wouldn't know Colombian food if it hit me in the face. I don't have any Colombian friends and haven't run across any Columbian restaurants. That said, I find Latin American foods interesting because the differences between the foods of each country. What is most distinctive about Columbian food? What would I expect to find in a restaurant that would tell me this was a Columbian restaurant if the menu or sign didn't mention it?

Suzanne, technically, Jackson Heights is in "New York City," but it is not in "the city." Any one who grew up in Brooklyn or Queens, knew very well where you were going when you said you were going to "the city." "The city" is a rather specific part of this city. Londoners don't have trouble with that concept in regard to the The City in London.

[bocaraton]

Pan I know it doesn't mean that you wouldn't like it. All i'm saying is that there does seem to be a lack of knowledge among certain people as to what Colombian cuisine is. The fact that not very many people have responded to this topic is evidence of this.

I'm fairly certain that if those who have never tried Colombian food finally did try it one day, that very many of them would like it very much. Our cuisine ranges from very simple (like a bandeja paisa: a dish that includes white rice, beans, an egg, avocado, arepa, platano, chicarron, and your choice of either a grilled steak or ground up steak) to very multi-dimensional. (steamed fish: this dish seems simple enough but the flavors and the seasonings that go into it have to be shall we say right on the money so as not to over power the taste of the fish so much so that the fish becomes secondary. At the same time the process of preparing the fish before cooking spans a minimum of 10 hours to get rid of the smell so it doesn't over power the dish as well.)

[Pan]

10 hours to get rid of fish smell? Is it salted, dried fish, or is that technique a carryover from the rather recent time before refrigeration?

[bocaraton]

Even if fish is refrigerated it does not avoid the smell when being cooked. To lessen the smell it is soaked in lemon and salt and a special liquid which I cannot recall the name of at the moment. This also allows people to eat the fish without the over powering fishy smell.

[Pan]

I've found that perfectly fresh fish has no fishy smell. But of course, lemon or lime juice is delicious on fish.

[bocaraton]

Yes it also adds an intense flavor to the fish.

Colombian cuisine focuses a lot more on beef and steak dishes as well as various types of soups rather than fish. One thing we are rather fond of though is "mariscos." I can't give much detail on the dishes itself because I couldn't cook if my life depended on it You can try it out for yourself if you'd like pan. It is nice to see that you are so interested in the food. I recommend you come to Jackson Heights since this is where the biggest concentration of Colombian people and Colombian cuisine are in New York. There is quality food at great prices at beautiful restaurants. I'm rather fond of "Listo el Pollo." A very bad name I admit but very good food and great decor.

[Bux]

I'm fairly certain that if those who have never tried Colombian food finally did try it one day, that very many of them would like it very much.

I have not met a Latin American cuisine I didn't like. There may perhaps be a few dishes I haven't learned to like, but there are enough threads of similarity to assure me I will find many things I like in the cuisines I haven't yet encountered.

[Pan]

Thanks for the recommendation, bocaraton. I will definitely be in Jackson Heights repeatedly, certainly as long as I have friends living there.

[Suzanne F]

bocaraton, perhaps you can answer this for me: the cookbook I worked on had recipes for hogaos and guisas, usually within a larger recipe, which seemed very similar in their ingredients and in the ways they were used. The author never really explained the difference. Can you, please?

Much obliged.

[bocaraton]

suzanne,

I would love to help you out but unfortunatly I only know about guisas. (I call them guisos) I would guess that the biggest difference is what part of Colombia the recipes originated from. Hogaos sounds like a word that would come from "la costa." From cities like baranquilla that are right or very near to the water. I am from Pererira and whenever I visit when it is called for "guisos" are involved. As you said they are very similar in their ingredients so more than likely the difference is more geographical than anything else.