I had two hours to kill and randomly stumbled in here right when they opened (they open at 9AM)…read more Serving authentic Colombian comfort food, breakfast, empanadas, and traditional pastries, this casual, cozy, and latino-owned restaurant is a pleasant surprise tucked neatly inside a valley strip mall. But don't let that deter you.
Step inside and you'll be greeted with lovely service, good coffee, and Colombian favorites like arepas, buñuelos, empanadas, and Bandeja Paisa. I wasn't very hungry, but after a peek at their fresh baked goods behind the case, I quickly found a seat for myself where I could watch the tennis match on one of many TVs on the wall. Since I'm a sucker for guava, I ordered a bocadillo. It was layered with light cheese and a guava paste that wasn't overly sweet. There was also fresh guava juice and let's not forget the Colombian coffee that had some perk to it.
The guava bocadilla had a made-from-scratch flavor, and so did the empanadas de carne. They were delicious and filling. The salsa was more liquid-like, but I couldn't slather enough of it on to my empanada de carne. It was so good, I ordered seconds despite my belly already feeling full.
Locals slowly trickled in and before I knew it, the place was full. Every meal that came out - whether it was the banana leaf wrapped tamales that could feed a giant, or the three tier Bandeja Paisa and Montañera platters with arepas on top, each dish looked amazing. So did their lunch menu, which is served weekdays from 11am to 3pm for $14.99 and comes with soup and an entree.
There's a quaint gift shop next door where you can buy nicknacks and small Colombian items. As a bookworm and fan of a good story, it was interesting to realize that this quaint little restaurant was named after the fictional town made famous by the Colombian author, Gabriel García Márquez's novel, "One Hundred Years of Solitude". As I sipped on my coffee, I was given time to reflect on my day and enjoyed a sense of solitude at my own table for one.