"Brooklyn? Really?! Ugh!" That was my first reaction when I was invited to my friend Ashley's farewell dinner in Park Slope, Bk. A common reaction if you live in Manhattan that is shared the other way around also. Although we are all part of the same city since NYC is made up of 5 boroughs (including Staten Island which is treated like another state to be honest) and it is only minutes away in a train, leaving your comfort zone is a big thing. We were not talking about Williamsburg or Brooklyn Heights which are conveniently right over the bridge but Park Slope, right in the heart of Brooklyn.
I had to leave work and hail all the way from the Upper East Side to some Latin restaurant in BK. On top of it all it was Latin and I was worried since me being Puerto Rican has made me very critical of what people serve as Latin food in the city. Most people think that we all eat the same stuff and as long as you add rice and beans its...voilà Latin! Not the case, trust me! In this case it was
Bogotá Latin Bistro. Oh boy was I in for a surprise but thankfully a good one!
At the beginning I was very apprehensive about the place since it was full of the clichés that every Latin restaurant has when it comes to drinks. The usual mojitos, sangrias and even piña coladas (which to my surprise was very well done) filled the drink menu but the standout was the
sangrita which combines sangria and margarita in one frozen deliciousness. Although it has a strong Colombian feel to it with its ballenato music as a background the restaurant combines Latin food from many different countries like Cuba, PR, and even Mexican. Decorated in a very colorful and vivid manner with flying heart signs, paintings and street art that could have any minimalist asking for a Xanax, the real senses overload comes with all the amazing flavors in the food.
From a variety of arepas, empanadas, fried plantains and an assortment of meats this restaurant is very well rounded when it comes to options. It could be a little overwhelming if you are like me that can't have that many options but later I've realized that every single plate is very well crafted. Trust me I've been to a lot of Latin restaurants and the pernil in this place blew me away! Marinated in beer and their orange mojo it was just simply delicious. The winner of this place is their coconut rice, not done in a Thai way but with all the flavors that define a good Latin rice. To end things in a high note the Tres Leches cake is done to perfection but you shouldn't leave without trying their key lime pie.
It's been a while since I've been blown away with food this good. Brooklyn is full of great restaurants and this one is one to add to my list of favorites. The train ride? I guess I'll live!
I had to leave work and hail all the way from the Upper East Side to some Latin restaurant in BK. On top of it all it was Latin and I was worried since me being Puerto Rican has made me very critical of what people serve as Latin food in the city. Most people think that we all eat the same stuff and as long as you add rice and beans its...voilà Latin! Not the case, trust me! In this case it was Bogotá Latin Bistro. Oh boy was I in for a surprise but thankfully a good one!
At the beginning I was very apprehensive about the place since it was full of the clichés that every Latin restaurant has when it comes to drinks. The usual mojitos, sangrias and even piña coladas (which to my surprise was very well done) filled the drink menu but the standout was the sangrita which combines sangria and margarita in one frozen deliciousness. Although it has a strong Colombian feel to it with its ballenato music as a background the restaurant combines Latin food from many different countries like Cuba, PR, and even Mexican. Decorated in a very colorful and vivid manner with flying heart signs, paintings and street art that could have any minimalist asking for a Xanax, the real senses overload comes with all the amazing flavors in the food.
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