By Kimberly Porter
Of the five boroughs of
New York, Queens is the largest in size and the second largest in terms of population. If flying in to New York, both John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports are located in Queens. Queens even has the New York Mets and hosts the U.S. Open tennis tournament. There are a lot of reasons to visit Queens, just one of which is the local flavorful Colombian restaurants.
Para Ti Colombia Con Sabor
Sign on to Para Ti Colombia Con Sabor's Myspace page and you are immediately greeted by the bright and colorful yellow, red and blue theme--also known as Colombia's colors. This restaurant, located in the Jamaica area of Queens, is open seven days a week and serves up Colombian favorites. The restaurant has daily soups and daily specials that include green plantain soup, oxtail soup, fried pork ribs, rice, beans sweet plantains and potatoes. Other menu items include beef empanadas, chorizo, shrimp with guacamole and traditional desserts like figs with cheese.
Para Ti Colombia Con Sabor
172-35 Hillside Ave.
Jamiaca, Queens, NY 11432
(718) 298-6096
myspace.com/paraticolombia718
La Pequena Colombia Restaurant
La Pequena is a Colombian restaurant in Jackson Heights, a Queens neighborhood. This local restaurant holds true to its name, meaning "Little Colombia." Here its specials include chorizo (a Colombian sausage), arepas, skirt steak and its plato montanero, or a traditional mountain platter. La Pequena Colombia is open for lunch and dinner during the week and then also opens for breakfast on the weekends. Restaurant employees say that visiting this Colombian restaurant, located in a Colombian-American neighborhood, will really make you feel like you're dining with a large family. Other menu items include the likes of fried steak with rice and beans, chicken in a lemon sauce with rice and vegetables and pork, liver, vegetarian and seafood dishes as well.
La Pequena Colombia Restaurant
83-27 Roosevelt Ave.
Jackson Heights, Queens NY 11372
(718) 478-8700
pequenacolombia.com
Natives Restaurant
Natives is not only a Colombian restaurant, but it is also a theater and a bar. It is open seven days a week, Thursday through Sunday,and it is even open 24 hours a day. Its menu specialties include carne asada with rice and beans, carne asada with arepas and cheese and trays with ground beef, rice, beans, pork skin, eggs and avocado or a fried meat platter with pork, sausage, tostones, yucca, potatoes and arepitas served with celery and bleu cheese for dipping. Other entree options include churrasco, fried pork loin, shrimp in garlic sauce and paella. The theater area near Natives often showcases bands, comedians, full plays and theater events.
Natives Restaurants
82-22 Northern Blvd.
Jackson Heights, Queens NY 11372
(718) 335-0780
nativesrestaurant.com
About the Author:
Kimberly Porter is a writer based in Miami, FL, first published in 2004 when she was an intern with "The Miami Herald." Since then she has interned with "Ocean Drive Magazine," and worked as a contributing writer for "Social Affairs Magazine." Porter currently writes for Trails Travel, GolfLink, eHow, LIVESTRONG.COM and USA Today Travel Tips.
