La Barra @ Star Vista, Buona Vista

Located at Level 2 of Star Vista, and it looked like a good place to start my maiden Colombian food experience.

menu

food~

cosy interior

The menu focuses on empanadas and arepas, and thus, that was what we ordered.

beef empanadas (@$10++)

For a small eater, empanadas sounds good. Three choices (chicken, beef or cheese) for its filling but one order can only be that one choice. So if you chose beef, all 3 pieces will be beef. There goes the plan to taste all three! I understand from the service staff that these lovely fritters were handmade by the lady boss.

Served piping hot, and with two sauces; Aji (salsa made from tomatoes, chili and corriander) and a greenish sauce, probably avocado mix.

golden corn fritters

filled with strips of beef

The fritter's skin tasted of slight sweetness as one chewed along. The beef filling was good, savoury tasty but yet, mild.

Aji sauce

avocado sauce?

Had the misconception that the Aji sauce would be spicy, but it was not. Gave a somewhat 'green' (probably from the corriander) taste when eaten with the fritters.

Did someone ask for a drink? Haha, of course. Ordered the ladies drink, a Redd's lime flavoured beer. Liked that it was served out in a glass with salted rim.

beer (@$12++)

Redd's beer, served and ready to be enjoyed

My friend had the Arepa Burger.

Arepa Burger (@$18++), served with plantains

onions, tomato, cheese, beef patty and vege sandwiched between arepa

nicely textured, tasty beef patty

 Not quite used to the arepa. Maybe we left it out for a tad too long while we talked. It was a bit hardened when we got to it. Liked the beef patty, the cheese and everything else in the burger. Nice combo, that tasted just right. Have this with a glass of slightly sweet red wine. Yums.

red wine (@$12++)

The Arepa Burger was served with a side of plantain, which is deep fried banana, lightly salted. Tasted kind of like deep fried tapioca, though.

deep fried plantain

How about some Colombian coffee to end the meal? My friend had the espresso. Tiny tiny cup, cute.

espresso

Juan Valdez, signature Colombian coffee

Service was earnest and friendly. Would like to come back sometime, to try the dessert and coffee.