Tom N.
Yelp
New Colombian restaurant just opened up on Spring Cypress near 45 and 2920 this week. The restaurant is located in the same shopping center as the ill-fated Mabuhay Filipino Buffet and the defunct Koya Asian Kitchen. Apparently there are 2 other La Olla's in Katy/West Houston. Walking in, the atmosphere is lively and inviting with its pastel colored walls and decor. Didn't have time to eat, so ordered to-go. Staff seems friendly but they seemed to speak little English which is no bueno since my poquito Espanol es muy pathetico. Only thing I'm familiar with Colombian food is empanadas that I used to eat regularly in SW Houston, so I'm in over my head on this one. Ended up ordering soup-of-the-day, sancocho de cola (oxtail stew), pechuga de pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken breast), and empanadas.
Starting off with the empanadas de carne, the filling contains a mushy mix of corn meal with ground beef encased in a deep fried corn casing with some kind of green salsa dip.
The sancocho de cola (oxtail stew) was decent. It's a thick hearty stew with potatoes, yucca, plantains, corn, and of course oxtail. The oxtail wasn't bad, meat was quite tender. The broth was quite starchy from the potatoes and yucca soaking up the stew. Reminds me of comfort food, but somewhat bland and lacks a packing punch I like in my oxtail stews I've had in other cuisines (Cuban, Vietnamese, Spanish).
Last dish, pechuga de pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken breast), was a plain grilled chicken breast. Accompanied with salad, fried plantains, rice. Wish I had more of their salsa to flavor up the meat in.