Quest for Colombian
A South Side adventure
There’s no better place to start your new gastro adventure than Mekato’s Bakery and Cafe, the only Colombian restaurant in the state.
“We’re proud to bring something different to Milwaukee, something they don’t have here,” says owner John Bohorquez, who hails from Medellin, Colombia. “People are so used to Mexican food. Having a Colombian restaurant gives them a new taste.”
When Bohorquez opened Mekato’s with his wife and two children in 2006, the original plan was to run the business as a bakery, but after three months of listening to customers request full meals, Bohorquez was happy to oblige by expanding the menu to include more than 20 different plates.
Bright and cheery, Mekato’s is decorated with imports from Colombia, including original artwork and souvenirs. “We also import a lot of ingredients and our breads are made from machines brought in from Colombia,” Bohorquez says. “If they’re not made with those machines, they just don’t taste the same.” The fresh breads fill the long bakery case in neat, labeled sections, some familiar, some completely for eign. Turnovers, donuts, cakes and croissants sit beside bunuelos (rolls of soft, subtly sweet cheese bread), dulce de leche (sweet milk pastry) and brevas con are quipe (delicate figs topped with caramel).
Apart
from being enormous, Mekato’s bakery selection is wonderfully
inexpensive. It practically begs curious customers to experiment with
unfamiliar flavors and exotic ingredients, without the worry of
spending money on something they may not like. With the exception of
large cakes and pans of firm, sweet flan, baked goods run from 35 cents
to $3, with most of the items costing about a dollar. Coffee is one of Colombia’s most prized exports, so for a complete experience, don’t go away without trying Mekato’s cafe con leche.
With
savory, moist empanadas and papas relleņas, Mekato’s excels at the
fried arts. A nice balance occurs when you dip them in a flavorful and
piquant green salsa called ahi. Included in this esteemed category of
“frituras” are arepas, round corn cakes similar to a tortilla.
In Colombia
they’re considered a snack or side dish and are often served with
cheese, eggs and sausage. Arepas also make an appearance during
Mekato’s small but sufficient breakfast. Mekato’s menu of authentic
Colombian dishes reads like a menu from a Mexican restaurant, but isn’t
served as such. Instead, seafood, pork, steak and chicken are served
with sides of fried plantains and yucca.
We should consider ourselves lucky to live in a city of diverse, rich cultures, where Colombia is as close as the corner of National Avenue and 35th Street. Let your adventure in gastronomy begin!
Mekato’s is located at 3500 W. National Ave. For more information, call (414) 383-2233. Open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Patio seating and parking are available.
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