If you're traveling to Colombia, odds are at some point you will encounter the traditional Colombian meal called bandeja. This meal has many different variations across the country and almost every restaurant has its own take on it with varying degrees of quality, but one thing is for sure: no matter where you eat it, it will be a massive amount of food.
Meat Overload
This meal is not for vegetarians. The main component is meat, and lots of it. Some places seem to be trying to break a record for how many different kinds of meat they can throw onto one plate. Usually there are at least three different kinds: some type of sausage or chorizo, a seasoned ground beef, and chicharron. Sometimes there will be chicken or other meat, too.
The meat was usually not my favorite part of the meal; it was generally fatty and salty and we normally only ate a small portion of it.
The other components of a bandeja plate typically made up for it, though: beans, avocado, an arepa, a fried egg, rice, and a plantain. When you hear this list of ingredients, and even when the plate appears in front of you, it seems sort of random and just like a bunch of disparate things thrown on the plate. You first wonder how on earth it will all go together. But when you break into the egg yolk and smother it over the rice, or when you get a bite of the sweet plantain with the salty meat, or when you taste the tangy sauce on the beans with the rich avocado, you realize it all somehow miraculously works.
Some Okay Items, Others Are Great
The arepas we had on bandeja plates in Colombia were nowhere near as tasty as ones we got from, say, street vendors. The arepas we had in bandejas usually seemed dried out and flavorless. But have no fear- there are plenty of other things on the plate to keep you full.
Probably my favorite thing about bandejas is the sweet/salty contrast between the plantain and the meat- which is funny because the first time I tasted the plantain I initially thought, "Why is there dessert on my plate?" But this combo really does work and it makes you wish other cultures utilized this great contrasting flavor combo more often.
When it's all said and done, a single bandeja plate will keep you and at least one other person full for just a few dollars. It's definitely nothing fancy, but it's hearty and a great insight into the food culture of Colombia. We can't wait to recreate bandejas at home, or even just grill up some plantains to serve with meat.
