Sanpocho Restaurant

This Little Havana Colombian restaurant takes up an entire stripmall on Calle Ocho. It’s one of the city’s most  popular Colombian spots, and the place can get packed on weekends so expect a wait. The ambiance feels like a party, especially on weekends when the vallenato/salsa/cumbia is blaring and people are chugging enormous glasses of refajo, a mix of beer and champagne cola. The walls are colorful, there are some traditional crafts on the walls—straw hats, figurines, and other knick knacks—and even a loft space that looks like a balcony in a colonial Latin American building. It kind of reminds us of being on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. And while we like it inside, the food is mediocre. Dishes are cooked properly but lack flavor. The whole fried snapper has a crispy crust and moist, flakey meat but almost no seasoning at all. Similarly, a bandeja paisa looks delicious with its impressive roster of meats, but after a few bites you’re left wondering if you have a cold and are losing your sense of smell because it’s hard to believe a platter that looks so appealing could be so flavorless.