Years later, and the food is still what keeps bringing us back!…read more
My husband is on vacation this week, so we headed to El Pollo Colorao for lunch today as a party of four. We've been eating here for years, and while we love supporting local, enjoy the atmosphere, and have always found the staff friendly, let's be honest -- the food is why we keep coming back.
We arrived around 1:30 and had two groups ahead of us at the counter, but the line moved quickly. In fact, there was a pretty steady line the entire time we were there, right up until we left around 2:30. Their takeout business was hopping too! Despite how busy they were, we had no problem finding a table in the dining room.
I decided to branch out this visit and tried the #14 Pernil Sandwich with yellow rice. The sandwich has roasted pork and potato straws on their delicious bread, and my first comment after taking a bite was about how flavorful the pork was. It was tender and juicy, and I loved the contrast of the crunchy potato straws with the pork and that soft, slightly sweet bread. So good!
Two people in our group ordered the #2 Tripleta, one with yellow rice and the other with yuca. The Tripleta is actually the favorite sandwich of all three of my family members. They love the combination of meats along with the crunch from the potato straws.
My husband is normally firmly on Team Tripleta too, but decided to branch out and order the Mediodia this time. We were told when ordering that it would take about 30 minutes and were given the option to change his order, which I appreciated. He decided to wait and was glad he tried it. He enjoyed it, but since he tends to prefer savory over sweet, I have a feeling he'll be right back to his beloved Tripleta next time. And, as always, he got his favorite side -- the maduros. Yum!
When everything was ready, they brought our food and drinks right to the table on a tray. The gentleman who took our order was very personable, and Abel came over to our table while we were eating. He recognized my husband and remembered his name -- which really impressed me considering it has probably been about a year since our last visit.
And can we talk about the value? We spent about $60 for four meals with sides, three drinks AND a bag containing two loaves of their bread to take home. Yes, we buy the bread every time. It's that good. Even better, the portions are so generous that everyone took about half of their sandwich home for dinner. They definitely don't skimp on the meat here, so you fill up quickly.
The dining area is comfortable and has some fun, whimsical artwork that gives the place plenty of personality. They also have a nice assortment of drink options and seating by the windows for customers waiting on takeout orders, which seems to help keep the dining tables available even when they're busy.
After all these years and multiple visits, El Pollo Colorao continues to earn 5 stars from us. Great food, generous portions, good value, friendly people, and a locally owned restaurant we're happy to continue supporting.
