more Colombian food

At first, I thought Colombian food would be bland and rather lame. While it is not as good as Peruvian food, I still find winners.  In the last week, I have found some big winners...

in Medellin there is a rib joint that puts out some tender pork ribs with a red sauce that would do well in the States... and does - the owner (Colombian) has two restaurants in New Jersey

on the left is a star-fruit, named because of its star-shape that I failed to capture in this photo.  On the right is a zapata: a red avacado (according to Lonely Planet), though the flesh is clearly red-orange. There is no big seed like a green avocado,  though the flesh was soft. Not sure if it really belongs in the avocado family.

top: empanada with beef and rice filling. What I like about Colombian empanadas are that they are made with corn flour and deep fried. Best eaten when crispy.
bottom:  bunuelo- a doughball made with cheese curds and a little honey... not gooey, a little dry (at least this one was)

In Situ restaurant:  in the Medellin Botanical Gardens, there is a fancy restaurant that is run by the Botanical Gardens, with profits going back into the Garden.

beef tenderloins with coffee rub, steamed spinach and mashed sweet potatoes  (dry and gooey) with shredded Andean cheese

 the view from the small tables leads directly out into the gardens. This ways possibly the best meal that I have had in Colomiba.... this was right after I said I possibly ate the best thing in Colombia a few days before in Sante Fe de Antioquia.  But I was proven wrong here!

appetizer:  grilled beef tenderloin  with a spicy tomato salsa and giant corn ceviche with mint

local fish encrusted with peanuts with a sweet orange marmalade salsa with grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes and black beans.  While the salsa was too sweet and sour, the tenderness of the fish made up for it.

dessert: poached guava filled with price pudding (right) and some yellow fruit that was mushy and bitter, served over a crispy shredded coconut... kinda looks like a smiley face

Then just yesterday, I was lost, trying to find a Creole restaurant near downtown.  After giving up looking for it, I found this restaurant next to a Porsche dealership.  This is blue crab au gratin over coconut rice with fried yucca sticks. The string, I think, is potato flour fried.  This was almost as good as my previous meal at In Situ.

this is my dinner tonight- fried chicharones (pork belly) with side of fries, arepa and salad with  olive oil and herbs. the pork was a bit over-fried, but I think that is a common trait for chicharones in Colombia.  It is actually as crispy as a pork rind.