Colombia Organik started out around 2010 as hole in the wall coffee joint that did flat whites and bacon and eggs to backpackers and office workers. At first the only hint of anything Colombian about this place was the name and a couple of Colombian pastries amongst the banana bread and muffins. Over the years they have expanded their Colombian repertoire and developed quite a following. We especially like to eat here on Saturday morning when the joint is like an unofficial Colombian social club. We close our eyes and listen to the happy Spanish chatter, pretending we're somewhere far more exotic than the arse end of George Street.
There's only a few tables but we usually manage to score a seat, though it's a good idea to have a 'plan b' just in case. As their popularity grows we wonder if Colombia Organik will move to a larger premises at some stage. We like the place how it is.
Oh, the food is good too. We know zilch about Colombian food but we know good homestyle cooking when we taste it. Colombia Organik is one of our very favourite spots in Sydney. And hey, you can actually call this street food.
The menu has grown from standard coffee shop fare to standard coffee shop fare with a bunch of wazzo Colombian dishes as well.
Exotic drinky poos! Colombiana la nuestra tastes like creaming soda. Pony Malta is a very different bevvy, tasting of caramel and beer (but non alcoholic).
The ajaico - chicken soup (about $14) is awesome. This tastes like real home cooking, a simple chicken soup with potatoes and a piece of corn, served with rice and avacado on the side. Man we love that rice, it tastes a little salted and oiled or buttered, we could eat it by the bucket.
But wait there's more...
The soup comes with a little a little tub of fresh cream, we assume you pour this in the soup. The cream transforms it from a nanna soup to a Scarlett Johansson soup. Wazo.
The caldo de costilla - rib soup (about $14) also tastes of real home cooking. There's a big hunk of lardy beef rib in the middle, with some tatties beneath the surface. The avocado and rice on the side make this soup a meal.
Arepa mixta - about $8. A flat, chewy, not-so-exciting corn tortilla topped with rather-exciting shredded chicken, avocado and cheese.
Coffee is dang good, it's Colombian after all. The flat white comes in quite a large cup yet it's not milky as large coffees can be. Happy.
The pastry is called pasteles de Gloria and is most interesting. Take a bit and think: "puff pastry - yum"; "ooh - a little sweet caramel goo in the middle - yum". Then there's a surprise salty hit from a layer of savoury cheese. This sweet\salty combo really works. $6.60 for the coffee and a sweety. Pasteles de Gloria also comes in guava flavour.
Colombian hotdog - $8. A regular dog with a little coleslaw topped with stringy cheese, bacon strips and potato chips crumbies. Yeah baby! Then there's artful swooshes of tomato sauce, American mustard and what looks\tastes like tartar sauce. This is highly recommended if your in the mood for a serious junk food fix.
This frijole or red bean stew - about $14 is as much a soup as a stew. There's loads of kidney beans and chorizo-like sausage in a hearty gravy topped with corn, avocado and potato chip sprinkles. We want to add crushed chippies to everything. Comes with rice on the side.
Empanada - about $4. The casing is crisp and has plenty of corn flavour to it. The filling is a light potato moosh. The dunky sauce has spicy fruity kick.
The tamale arrives wrapped in banana leaves. We usually find things wrapped in banana leaves to be better in theory than flavour, but we love this tamale to bits.
It's all purdy inside.
A thick casing of soft steamed cornmeal filled with chicken, pork chop, carrots, peas and potato. Simply homely flavours cooked so well.
Colombia Organik is at 810 George Street, Sydney (near Central Station). Phone 0433 500 502. Open weekdays 7am-6pm and Saturday 8am-6pm.
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how amazing is the rib soup!! it's like one giant hug!
ReplyDeleteyes, it's like grandma made it just for you. So good.
DeleteI am beyond happy to read this post! I've found arepas at Frenchs Forest market, but no other Colombian food in Sydney. Can not wait to try it out!
ReplyDelete