A Taste of Colombia

Yesterday my cousin Gail and her husband Wes took me out to a restaurant which has been around for a number of years, but which was new to me.  We went to a place called "Barroco" in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood.

(image from the web)

The owner is from Colombia, and the menu features dishes made with "arepas", flat bread made from ground white corn.  It is sort of the South American version of the tortilla.  They are often served like a sandwich with a variety of fillings.

(image from the web)

As a starter I had "papas con maní"... roasted potatoes with slices of Colombian "chorizo" (sausage) in a peanut sauce.   For my main course I had an "arepa" filled with "ropa vieja".   "Ropa vieja" (which means "old clothes"!) is a type of beef stew popular throughout the Caribbean.   In their version the beef was cooked in a sweet tomato sauce with red peppers, black beans and cheese.  It was served with "yucca" (cassava) fries. 
Everything was delicious, but the food is very filling, and I had no room for a dessert of "flan".

Thanks to Gail and Wes for turning me on to this great restaurant.  I will definitely return!