Chris V.
Yelp
Now I'm hoping for a sequel called Flavor.
Aroma Latin American Cocina is a relatively quiet foodie darling that currently boasts a 4.9 Yelp average rating. I've been driving by them ever since they opened in the plaza with La Bonita in late 2021, but I finally convinced someone to come along with me today.
Aroma is right next to Thai Chili and not much else, so parking spots are abundant. They happened to have a large group come in before us, so our food did take a while. I was fine with that, but our server seemed to forget our water for a while and took more time than expected on the to-go box.
She also asked whether I wanted the appetizer order first, so we did get the Chilito Relleno Tempura ($13) out before the rest. It was a delicious start, with a crispy brioche bun and light tempura contrasting against a puree-like beefy interior. My friend astutely likened the filling to a chipotle black bean burger patty, in a good way. The meal was off to an exuberant start.
Unfortunately, not everything else was as immaculate. The Carne Asada Taco ($7) had plenty of meat, but it was heavily gray and underseasoned. The cotija, guacamole, and salsa don't compensate enough for the asada, and the tortillas are a little rare for my liking.
The Pork Belly Taco ($7) was better seasoned, but I actually waited until after digging into entrees. In my mind, I was potentially saving the best for last. However, I think the fat had slightly congealed when it cooled down to merely warm, so its effect on the mouthfeel was slightly unpleasant. Otherwise, it might have synergized spectacularly with the tender meat of the belly.
The Gaucho Sandwich ($19) was another high, thankfully. The hoagie was crunchy outside and soft inside, and it had a generous layer of garlic butter. That combined with the dressing and other accoutrements to make the pink picanha a tasty mouthful. The side of fried potatoes were cooked and seasoned enough, but they could have benefited from extra cooking to make the edges crispy and caramelized.
The Enchiladas ($24) were not bad. The tender shredded chicken was enhanced with gochujang and subtly aided by the mild salsa verde. I did not appreciate the kimchi rice accompanying the enchiladas though. It seemed a bit lacking in heat and, more importantly, had unwieldy huge pieces of cabbage. They should cut the pieces smaller to make them easier to handle in the same compact spoonful as the rice. Also, the furikake was more of a garnish than a real topping due to the small portion. Finally, the pricing is also the hardest to stomach out of all the mains because it's chicken.
I wanted to love Aroma as much as everyone else seems to, but it feels a bit unrefined still. It is still worth a try if you temper expectations and order the right items, but it's more of a hidden costume jewelry than a true gem.