For Pete E, Re:food

[colman]

I believe I know what sauce you are talking about. Well personally I love Colombian food (the ubiquitous arepas con queso and de chocolo and empanadas are ambrosia for me).  Well anyway I make a sauce that is authentically Colombian. My mother showed me and explained she learn from her grandmother whom no doubt was born in the 1800's (my mom is 68). Anyway this sauce is made from beer, onion, green peppers, garlic, and about 6 other ingredients that I wish not to say just in case I spill the secret recipe. This sauce was intended only for chicken but I have spread on to steak and seafood. I have a couple of friends that have tried this sauce and swear they have never tasted a better marinade for barbecueing. They have coined the sauce "mama sauce" and joke about all the time. A few times a year we get together and buy about 10 pounds of carne aguayon (sirloin steak) and have a feast. We invite mutual friends and I cant get enough of thier pleas of extra bottles or the recipe. I have seriously considered placing a patent on it. I have seen similiar bottles at Hispanic markets---but they dont come close. The beer makes it last for centuries and one must know the exact amount of the ingredients to produce it authentically. Anyway I cant blame you for liking and being accustomed with Mexican food. Besides "mama food" I like it also but my personal preferences are Indian (tandoori chicken and curry lamb plus that basmati rice----Jesus!!!!!) and Thai (chicken satays with peanut sauce and jasmine shrip and beef rice) but I have to diagree with you on your opinion on the Colombian restaurant owned now by Mexican people. I seriously doubt they can improve on it as much as a Scandinavian housewife make authentic Cantonese food with the "wok" after-taste. I mean I myself with countless people have tried to cook Manadarin food but can not duplicate the exact flavor as compared to Mandarin cooks (even with the wok and no MSG's!!). Listen I live in Chicago but remembered traveling to NYC about ten years ago and decided to take a culinary trip in the big apple. I saw "Chinese" restaurants serve "arroz con gandules". I saw Dominican restuarants serve "arroz chino" and so on...and was dissappointed immensely. The point is even though NYC can boast a wide range of diversity in its people it was LETHARGIC when it came down to authentic ethnic foods cooked by people other than the ethnic food's corresponding people. On the other hand in Chicago if you want authentic Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi food you go on Devon Ave. in between Western and Kedzie. If your palate convinces you for some arroz con gandules and pasteles "tamales" you go to "Boriquen" Puerto Rican restaurant in Humboldt Park. If you just saw "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" you go to the Parthenon Greek restaurant in "Greek Town" for some Greek lemon chicken and aged Feta cheese. If Chinese food is your deal go to 22nd street and Wentworth (the Pagoda style restaurants are the best) for some Cantonese duck with "authentic eggwrolls" with some real sweet-and sour sauce. If you want authentic "Birria" cooked in huge vats you go to any street corner in "Pilsen" for that authentic Mexican dish.  Ahhh...the potatoe pancakes serve with apple sauce!!!(yes weird at first but makes perfect sense once you have tried it) stuff cabbage, and that authentic polish sausage---your in luck---go to Milwaukee between Belmont and Diversey Ave.  God, those Vietnamese dishes served wrapped in some special "imported" Vietnamese plant leaves. God these Vietnamese will take any morsel and create such spectacular dishes it kinda makes you ever forget about any references to the Vietnam War.........and, and, God the list goes forever but you dont have to believe me any Chicagoan can attest to this....anyway I much doubt that Colombian restaurant will improve with its new owners---been there my friend...God bless---Colman

[Pete E]

... in response to For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by colman on Oct 16, 2002

Colman,
I immagine they will not do Colombian food better than Colombians,which is my wifes fear and we haven't been there since the change.I finally found one thing on the menu I liked,it was steak but you had a choice of the cooking style and you could order it stewed,I forget the word they used.It then comes out tender,contrary to any other piece of Colombian meat I have had.The problem was the last time I ordered it and convinced my friend to it was an extremely fatty piece of meat,still not good.
So I guess my thought was maybe the mexicans might add something to the menu I liked.Maybe a token enchilada.There is a cuban restaurant I like that also serves Brazilian food.Service is slow and it is kind of expensive and my wife doesn't like it.To me its way better than the Colombian place,I like about everything vs about nothing.Its pretty bad when you look at a menu and think I don't want any of this.
My wife does not put beer in her sauce.It might be OK as a marinade but its overpowering with the food swiming in it.I can smell her preparing it and think oh no,not again.
I guess I shouldn't complain.Maybe its a carry over from my last trip to Cali where I was a little sick anyway and nothing tasted good.
Oh,there is one Colombian restaurant I like,Crepes and Waffles.I always have the curry chicken crepes.One of the best dishes I ever had for about $4.But I was having stomach problems and it didn't agree with me last time.

Pete

[El Diablo]

... in response to Re: For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by Pete E on Oct 16, 2002


Pete you gotta try the restaraunt Lenos Y carbon.  It's at both malls and probably the best carne deal in town.  You get a big chunk of nicely prepared meat, papas, yucca, salad and all for about 8,000 pesos.  I'm not a big steak eater but I always get the chicken kabob and my fiancee generally gets trout.  

El Diablo

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by El Diablo on Oct 16, 2002

E D,
I did.The steak was mediocre.But it was the only place in Colombia I have found that had a salad bar with lettuce.

Pete

[El Diablo]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by Pete E on Oct 16, 2002

Well I must admit that I didn't have the steak but the kabob's were great.  If you're a steak man, the best thing I've had in Cali is the lomo viche or baby beef.  I had a good one at Diego's restaraunt a few times and Rancho de Jonas's baby beef was tender and good also.

As far as salad bar's, I agree they seem to not be as popular as here.  I remember one at Karen's pizza and one at a buffet around the corner from Karen's on Av 6a.

But overall I'd say you're a tough critic Pete....I like the food at the Colombian restarant in San Jose but will agree with you that the cuban place is better.

El Diablo

[Craig]

... in response to Re: Re: For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by El Diablo on Oct 16, 2002

You forgot the fried platanos

[El Diablo]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: For Pete E,  Re:food, posted by Craig on Oct 16, 2002

n/t

[LouieB]

... in response to Yep you're right...add fried platanos to..., posted by El Diablo on Oct 16, 2002

I like fried platanos too, as long as they are NOT ripe.  that is,  not sweet.

the first time I ate sweet plaintains I didn't care for them and I actually became violently ill.  (it was not necessarily the plaintains but that is the part I remember because I didn't like them much)  This seems to be the way they serve them in Mexico and C.A.

for years and years I could not and would not eat them.  even getting sick to my stomach from just the smell.

however, in the Caribbean they also cook the unripe plaintain which is NOT sweet.  it is much more like a potato type taste.  you can eat them mashed or fried and I love them.

I even managed to try the sweet variety as well but I still do not care for them