But that's not the only reason. Open the door to this storefront eatery in West Tampa and you're in for another pleasant surprise. Its interior is reminiscent of a South American village, with a lovely mural covering one wall, original art, wooden miniatures and posters on the others. Pink carnations sit on brightly colored pink tablecloths.
All meals come with a soft-crusted corncake roll called arepa.
For the ravenous, there's Bandeja Paisa, Colombia's most popular dish, piled high with a slab of palomilla beef steak, fried pork rind, fried egg, white rice, arepa, strips of fried plantain and the most wonderful pinto beans. Dishes aren't spicy, but you can order a homemade green salsa called aji that will add plenty of heat. A myriad of fresh juices includes mango, pineapple, guayaba and moro, mixed either with water or milk. Save room for the Salpicon, fruit cocktail in a red juice, or Champus, a sweet gelatin of corn, brown sugar, orange peel and lulu fruit.