A Decadent Dive into Colombian Cuisine

Aqui Es Santa Fe, located in the heart of town, draws in the eye with its friendly exterior and attracts the hungry with its deliciously simple Colombian cuisine.

Tucked adjacent to Port Chester's train station, this quaint splash of local town color reminded me of a family-owned coffee shop when I first walked in. Chock full of the kitschy charm major franchises simply do not possess, the colorful café has psalms and advice for living a happy life adorning its brightly colored walls.

Although the menu offers dinner, the restaurant proved to be a perfect lunch place for two friends enjoying an afternoon out.

To start, we perused the drink menu and were delighted to find a mass of non-alcoholic homemade fruit juices.

I chose a Passion Fruit beverage, while my date chose a Blackberry. One has the option of mixing the fresh fruit with milk or water, but we determined the latter would be a little bit lighter on the stomach, since we were about eat a big meal. If we had chosen milk, it might have tasted more like a smoothie.

Our delicious chilled concoctions  were delivered at a perfect temperature for a scorching mid-summer. We sipped as we ordered our next installment.

Perfect for two poultry lovers, "The Lot" was shared as an appetizer. This plate was filled with grilled chicken, tomatoes, and baby spinach salad.

With this, we were given a side of homemade guacamole and arepa, a flat patty made of cornmeal. The waiter described it as a Colombian creation of a tortilla. It was topped with a light coating of cheese and egg spread, and drizzled with a decadent cheesy balsamic dressing. All together, the mix of ingredients created a cool makeshift sandwich.

 For the entrée, I chose the "Betel," fried shrimp with grape salad, guacamole and tartar sauce. I was impressed at how many pieces of shrimp I was given for the price I paid. They appeared in pairs of two, joined at the tail. The "Betel" was to be eaten like our appetizer, with the arepa again functioning as a wrap.

The "Bethania" came with steak, guacamole, and my companion's choice of flattened plantains over an arepa. The sweet nature of the fruit surprisingly harmonized well with the taste of the meat and guacamole. The steak was tender and flavorful.

After this, my date and I were absolutely certain we could not possibly eat another bite. This all changed when the waiter asked if we wanted to dessert.

How quickly we bounced back as he described the available options. After much consideration, we chose "Colombian Cheese with Arequipe."

I was very much looking forward to trying the signature caramel and cheese from the country, but with diving into something different came some hesitation. Even though I am not normally a caramel-lover, our server made the treat sound so delicious, I just had to give it a shot. As we waited for it to arrive, we wondered what this foreign favorite would look and taste like. We expected the cheese to be hard, with the arequipe on the side.

Wrong. The waiter brought out a large bowl of cheese doused with chocolate syrup melted into Colombian caramel. The arequipe was very different from regular, mass-produced caramel: it was sweeter and tasted like there was a bit of butter woven in. 

Having completed our first experience with Colombian food, my friend and I happily paid the price for our introduction to a new culture.

This charming (and delicious) South American pocket of Port Chester is a great place to take the edge off of a grueling work week.

Aqui Es Santa Fe Cafe is located at 123 N. Main St.