Stay in with homey Colombian fare from Davie's La Placita

Rochelle Koff10/9/2012

You don’t have to be Colombian to enjoy the hearty fare at La Placita in Davie, where aromatic dishes entice you from the packed dining room.

Crisp-shelled Colombian empanadas and pan de queso (cheese bread) beckon from a display case, but La Placita isn’t just about snacking. Whether at breakfast, lunch or dinner, it is about value. Many customers come for the classic bandeja tipica — grilled beef, chicharron (fried pork rinds), chorizo, eggs, plantains, beans and more, all for $10.95 — and the most expensive items are generous portions of churrasco or tilapia for $14.50.

We opted for a comforting platter of arroz con pollo, a mound of yellow rice with carrots and peas and lots of chicken serve with fries and a small house salad. The thinly sliced steak in the carne asada was flavorful and juicy but a little chewy. The plantains had those wonderful crisp edges, and the Colombian red beans tossed with rice were delicious.

Among the sweet treats, there are the usual flan, tres leches and rice pudding plus our pick, milhojas, like a Colombian napoleon — layers of light puff pastry with a rich dulce de leche top. The trick is saving it for dessert.