Mis Tierras Colombianas

"This cheerful, lively Colombian restaurant in Woodside makes a great bandeja paisa. It’s also a fun spot to watch soccer on a projector screen, especially when Colombia is playing. There’s a solid chance of there being a yellow, blue, and red flag right on your table, and possibly an even smaller one in your drink. The portions here are generous, the lunch specials are a good deal (especially the $13.50 quarter rotisserie chicken with rice, beans, and sweet plantains, available every day), and you should not allow even a drop of their bright, punchy green sauce to go to waste. Mis Tierras Colombianas often commands a long line on weekends—you may find it busy even in the middle of a sleepy weekday afternoon—but the service is efficient, and they can accommodate big groups. photo credit: Kate Previte Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Bandeja Mis Tierras All the proteins on this platter are good, especially the chicken, but even the supporting players are strong. The fries are crunchy and well seasoned, and the nicely caramelized plantains retain impressively non-mushy structural integrity. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Sancocho De Carne If you happen to stop by Mis Tierras on a Tuesday, consider yourself lucky: This beef stew with tender meat will be the soup of the day, and you should order a bowl, especially if it’s a little chilly out. photo credit: Kate Previte Jugo De Lulo The smoothie made of sweet-tart lulo (a.k.a. naranjilla, a tomato-adjacent fruit) is summery and refreshing. Get it with water rather than milk. Empanadas As much as we enjoy most of the food at Mis Tierras, we’ve found the empanadas to be inconsistent. Try Rico Pan Bakery a few blocks down to satisfy that particular craving." - Molly Fitzpatrick