Las Tablas

Leo took me on a date last Saturday to Las Tablas. (Not the above location, but the one below.) It's a Colombian Steak House. It was so delicious!!!! Now you might question us on the veracity of that claim, because we, at least Leo might be a little prejudiced. However, it is rated as one of the top 20 best steak houses in ALL of Chicago. And Chicago has a lot of steak houses!
We were expecting a shabby place, no offense, like most ethnic food restaurants you see. Like Los Llanos, another Colombian restaurant we passed on the way, or the Ecuadorian restaurant I saw recently. (We also passed a German, Polish, Indian, Greek, East African, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Italian, French, Mexican, and Moroccan restuarants on our drive there, and I've seen Persian, Mediterranean, Malaysian, Chilean, and Israeli retaurants other places among ones I've forgotten.) When we arrived we were worried we had picked too expensively for our wallets. It was really chic. It was decorated all in Botero prints and copies of Colombian native gold figurines. Really nice and upscale. There's live music on the weekends too.
And this is what we ordered. Now, don't judge it till you try it. The steak is to die for. So tasty. Leo's right, it's some of the best steak I've ever had. The tabla (platter) comes with Entraña skirt steak (house specialty), rib-eye steak, pork loin, and chicken breast all grilled and sliced into small pieces. Also comes with homemade chorizo, pork ribs, arepa, crunchy green plantain, fried sweet plantain, yuca and potato. It's completely authentic Colombian food. Leo was in heaven. I was surprised they didn't have Pony Malta or papas criollas on the menu though.

Okay, I do have to admit that after all those carbs and meats, I was dying for something green or fruity, but then usually they serve a fruit dish for dessert, we just didn't order one. Anyway, we ate all of ours. The waiter said did a good job. Hee. Hee. I guess he's not used to how much a skinny guy like Leo can eat.

Also, Leo told me a funny story while we were there. They serve a drink called Refajo, which is a mixture of a light beer and Colombiana (my favorite pop ever). Leo said when he was a kid that was what his mom used to send in his lunch bag with him to school. I laughed so hard, I mean just think, a little Catholic uniformed school boy, drinking his beer with his empanadas for lunch. Hee. Hee.

Well, anyway, another reason to come visit me--we might go out for some authentic Colombian food. Or I can just make you pandequeso at home as I've promised to do for Kayli every time she comes from now on.