Opened in 1976, the Colombian restaurant El Paisa is perhaps the most highly regarded of an impressive string of Latin American restaurants in Central Falls, R.I. that includes Taqueria Lupita. That's no small accomplishment. This tiny city north of Providence is about 60 percent Latino, and most "For Rent" and retail signs do not bother with English translations. (Listen here to an NPR report about the city's Latino community.) On El Paisa's detailed Web site, a map appears to locate the Dexter Street restaurant somewhere south of Panama.
Sancocho de carne de res, a traditional beef and potato soup. Mondongo, a tripe soup, is also on the menu.
Picada de chorizo, chicharrón, yuca frita and papa criolla, an appetizer platter with Colombian sausage, fried pork rinds, potatoes and cassava fries.
The massive Colombian platter, known as the bandeja Colombiana, includes lean steak, fried pork, roasted plantain, boiled yucca and potato, white rice, red beans and a salad with beats. It's served on two plates.
As always, I did not shoot the best photos above. For that, you have WBRU's Vilay Senthep (above) to thank. At least on the night we visited, Vilay was more talented than the cooks. The sancocho was luke warm, for example, and you can probably tell that many of the dishes, including the empanadas, were overcooked. But it was a Tuesday night, after all, so perhaps El Paisa saves its A-Game for the weekend.
Bonus: Click here to watch a choppy video of Hillary Clinton visiting El Paisa during the Democratic primaries.
