Queens Tribune

With the Colombian Day Parade expected to draw thousands to Jackson Heights this weekend, we figured we would shine a spotlight on some of our favorite Colombian restaurants – places where people can grab a bite to eat before, during or after the parade.

LA PEQUEÑA COLOMBIA

83-27 Roosevelt Ave.

(718) 478-6528

The meal began with some Calamares Fritos ($13). The portion was huge, enough for two or three, and the taste was unique. The calamari had been marinated well (which is probably why it wasn’t chewy or rubbery) and the seasoned flour used to coat it really made for a nice, light breading that wasn’t at all greasy. I should note that all of the restaurant’s fried dishes are prepared in soybean oil.

Churrasco ($19.50), La Pequeña Colombia’s staple entrée, is an immensely popular dish. It consists of grilled prime sirloin steak served with rice beans and French fries. But I decided to order mini Entrana (skirt steak, $12.95, full portion, $19.95) instead. Great decision.

The best part of this dining experience (other than the food) for me was the service. At most restaurants, my interaction is limited to my waiter or waitress alone. At La Pequeña Colombia, the team effort is so apparent, that you feel as though everyone is waiting you on.

MAMAS EMPANADAS

85-05 Northern Blvd.

(718) 505-9937

Inside the toasted, moon-shaped patty, or empanada, can be anything: even Elvis’ favorite sandwich, peanut butter with sweet banana. After watching a documentary on the Elvis and his chef, founder Albert Bastidas of Mama’s Empanadas on Northern Blvd. heard of Elvis’ favorite sandwich, “and I said ‘Oh, an empanada.”

The Elvis Empanada ($1.50) is just one of the fusion empanadas on the menu. The “anything goes” approach to the Spanish staple has taken the empanada menu beyond the confines of Colombian and Ecuadorian bakeries, beyond its distant cousin, the Jamaican beef patty, and into parts of the world it has never seen before, like Bay City, Michigan. That is where Bastidas visits extended family members, borrows their Polish and Lebanese recipes, and comes back with unique new dishes.

The result is an international menu. The Polish empanada is stuffed with kielbasa and sauerkraut; Empanada U.S.A. has apple and cinnamon; the Greek Empanada is filled with spinach, feta and mozzarella cheese.

PAPA’S EMPANADAS

84-17 Northern Blvd.

(718) 507-0400

A welcoming little joint for Queens restaurant goers, the restaurant has two different locations in Jackson Heights and Astoria. It is plain to see that Papa’s Empanadas has a great many delights for all of Queens.

Papa’s Empanadas offers nearly 35 different fillings, with some very original ideas for empanadas. A delicious choice that will delight both kids and adults is the macaroni and cheese. Other great empanada choices from the menu include pizza, cheese steak, oven baked turkey, meatball, and chili dog.

From the restaurant menu, there are a number of full platters that will also delight customers seeking a full meal. Top choices include bandeja tipica, which consists of Sirloin Steak and rice; sobrebarriga, which is a grilled flank steak with rice and beans; chuleta de cerdo, a breaded pork chop; and pechuga de pollo asada, or grilled chicken breast.

When dessert comes around, Papas Empanadas enfolds a great number of sweet delights into their empanadas. Some desserts that are can’t miss include sweet plantain and cheese, guava and cheese, apples and cinnamon, cherry and blueberry.