South American - Brixton? [London]

[angolino]

I have been told there are some good South American markets/restaurants near Brixton station. Can anyone recommend a particular one?

Thanks for your help.

[emusinthezone]

El Rancho de Lalo's bandeja paisa is an awesome one plate meal, and for £10 you get 3 hunks of meat and about 6 different types of protein making it one of the best value restaurants in the market. The chicharron and the kidney bean stew are probably the stand-outs. They also do very good homemade empanadas (a shade better than Las Americas's) and Columbian drinks (I had a very simple sugar cane and lemon drink there last time that went perfectly with the food).

The arepas at Las Americas, as limster said, are fantastic when the old man is outside the shop cooking them to order. I'd probably go there first for a snack and then head to El Rancho de Lalo.

[JFores]

I haven't eaten at El Rancho de Lalo, but I used to eat at the previous Colombian occupant of that market storefront (Coma y Punto) pretty often. Is it the same owners with a different name or has it actually changed hands?

[ShekhaV]

When I went there a coupla months ago the staff were completely different but the menu is exactly the same...

[limster]

Two Colombian places that are great

El Rancho de Lalo for chicharron, as part of their bandeja paisa -- inside Brixton Village, across from LabG, the gelato place.

Las Americas for various snacks, on Pope's Road, just outside Brixton Village. My favourite is the bunelo; arepas are excellent when there's lots of turnover and they're made fresh. Empanadas also good.

Separately, been quite happy with the Brazilian place in Brixton Market - Feijoa de Luis. Good feijoada, fairly enjoyable and inexpensive picanha with a nice rim of fat.

[angolino]

Thanks limster, I'm headed there tomorrow so I'll be sure to try at least one of your recommendations.

[angolino]

I tried El Rancho de Lalo last Friday ... it was great , thanks for the rec.

[limster]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. What did you have?

[angolino]

They had a menu del dia with sopa de mariscos, pescado frito con arroz, ensalada y platano for 6 pounds, so I enthusiastically went with that. Will definitely be back soon (hopefully Friday) to try out more of the menu. Really great atmosphere there. Thanks again for the suggestion.

[limster]

You're very welcome. Thanks for the report, would love to hear more about the other dishes once you try them.

[brokentelephone]

I went there and made the terrible mistake of ordering a £6 steak and something or other. I feel bad that I gave it a negative review, but really, my fault for ordering a steak for £6 (I didnt realize i was ordering a steak, in my defense).

[cathodetube]

Agree about the arepas needing to be fresh. Sometimes they have been hanging around and/or appear undercooked. I also don't like it that they use margarine on them.