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El Pollo Real features a host of Colombian foods, not just chicken. (Dean Hanson/Journal)
South American cuisine is still a rarity across the United States, let alone in border states such as our own enchanting home. For many years, we have had the opportunity to be stuffed to the gills at a certain meat-oriented chain claiming South American roots; this makes the lesser-known dishes from any of the other 11 nations a treat, worthy of your investigation. This makes 3-year-old El Pollo Real on Louisiana a trendsetter – and a delicious destination.
It’s hard to miss the joint – bright red signage and a corner location ensnares many nearby lunch patrons Kirtland Air Force Base. Walls adorned with Columbian souvenirs like blankets, area landscapes and knickknacks set the motif, while bright red tablecloths add color to the otherwise white room. Crowds vary from hour to hour – I’ve seen a hopping lunch hour, as well as a nearly empty mid-afternoon.
Begin your adventure with a glass of horchata – if they haven’t run out – and sip the sweet nectar either for pure pleasure, or as insulation against some of the spice to come.
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El Pollo Real LOCATION: 600 Louisiana SE, 266-2305 HOURS: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays NO ALCOHOL |
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Sure, you’ll enjoy tender and spicy roasted chicken at El Pollo Real, but more importantly you’ll be taken on a tour of Colombian treats, many of them fried to crispy perfection. Start with some Patacon o Toston ($3.20) – coaster-sized circles of fried plantain with a citrus dipping sauce. They might make you swear off chips and salsa, at least for a while. Another perfect starter are the pocket-sized spicy Beef Empanadas ($1.40). If you love the heft of fat “steak fries,” order Yuca Frita ($3) and marvel in dipping the crunchy batons into their zippy salsa. Yucca is a bit like potato in texture but lacking much of the starchiness, leaving an impression of cleanliness on your palate.
With a clean palate, you can launch into the heavy hitters on the menu, starting with a platter for any hungry traveler: Bandeja Paisa ($12), an artistic composition of fried egg, rice, beans, plantain, avocado, arepa, chorizo, steak and chicharrones. Each fragrant item is modest in size, yet taken as a meal you’ll wish you’d just come from the gym or a fast. Sampling a bite from around the entire plate is impossible to resist. Those ready to graduate to the next level of decadence (or those who brought along another hungry companion) should order the twin-sized feast called Picada Para Dos ($22). It is similar to Bandeja Paisa but adds black sausage and charred chicken while upping the quantity across the board. Those on gluten-free or Atkins eating plans can revel in much on this platter – the only starch present is the fried sweet plantain.
Let’s talk about that charcoal chicken, shall we? You could go to El Pollo Real and only order a half bird with arepas and tostones for just $9. The skin has been rendered down to paper-thin with blackened spots, leaving the meat underneath juicy, if a bit salty. Little matter if you eat it with bites of buttery arepa, quite possibly the best “corn tortilla” you’ll have all year.
