Some of the frequenters of this cafe might be annoyed to find it has become so popular, but this…read morerestaurant totally merits being packed from opening to closing. You may wish to make a reservation because this tiny cafe has but a few tables and it gets pretty busy. Take out would also be a suggestion.
This gem of an eatery offers traditional Colombian savory fare such as arepas (ground white corn flour "bread/tortilla" that is stuffed with various ingredients), patacones (plantains stuffed with various ingredients) as well as tropical juices/smoothies, Columbian coffee drinks and some of the most to die-for pastries.
One of my Columbian friends suggested we eat here and I'm so glad she did. I ordered the Arepa con carne, which was a generous portion of shredded beef, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. It was huge-I had to use both hands to hold it (not a complaint-just glad I didn't get more than one!!). They serve the arepas with bottles for the table of a freshly made avocado cream sauce and a slightly spicy vinegar sauce that reminds me of Cholula brand Mexican table sauce. You add the sauces to your arepa, take a bite, add more sauce. The beef filling was very tender and delicious and the sauces added a really nice flavor to the dish. The arepa itself was freshly made and cooked-it was still nice and hot when it came to the table.
I ordered the Guanabana Smoothie with no added sugar and water versus milk, as my friend suggested. Guanabana is also known as Soursop and many people think it's a great cancer fighter. It tastes like a combo of banana and coconut-in other words, it was very good and smooth.
For dessert, she recommended we get the Pastel Gloria instead of Churros, since I've had my lifetime share of Churros before. Her suggestion was another hit.
These delicate puff pastries are filled with a homemade dulce de leche and a guava paste. The combination was out of this world and it was the creamiest, most delicately flavored dulce de leche I have ever tasted. These too were popped fresh out of the oven when served.
My friend told me that she comes here often when she is feeling homesick. She said the owner opened it initially as a Columbian bakery, but people were inquiring about more savory fare, so he decided to do that as well.
I can see why she loves it so much-the food is reasonably priced, authentic and is clearly made with fresh ingredients and to order.
I would definitely come here often if I lived still in QC. It's worth the trip into Limoilou/Beauport.