How to Choose Latin American Food in Melbourne

Melbourne is awash with Latin American food eateries that offer great cuisines from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and many other Latin America countries. For the foodies, there are plenty of restaurants and dishes to choose from, and they will feel as if they are in South America, but they are in Australia.

While the people of Melbourne love Latin American dishes, some people, for example visitors, may not be so well-informed with how to choose them. Here are some tips on picking Latin American food while in Melbourne:

Meals for breakfast

Breakfast means different things to different people or regions. While considering Latin American food, there are several great breakfast meals depending on their country of origin. You should give the following meals a thought:

Medialunas (Argentina)

These are almost like croissants in that they are buttery pastries with a crescent shape. They are best when smothered in the dulce de leche (a sweet syrup made of condensed milk and sugar) and served alongside milky coffee.

Bolo de laranjá and tropical fruits (Brazil)

If you choose to eat breakfast the Brazilian way, you will realize that Brazilians have lots of different items for breakfast. Among the items always on offer for breakfast are delicious exotic fruits.

You may also be taken aback to learn that cake is usually eaten in the morning. Among the most common cakes is bolo de laranjá, a very delicious orange cake.

Salteñas (Bolivia)

Salteñas are delicious baked pastries that are stuffed with beef, chicken, or pork, or sometimes even vegetables such as peas. They are smaller versions of empanadas, their Argentine equivalent.

Desayuno chapín (Guatemala)

Chapin is the nickname for Guatemala. If you want a Guatemalan breakfast, then you are in for a real feast. Desayuno chapín is a tasty hearty combination of refried beans, scrambled eggs, fried plantains, bread or tortillas, cheese, chirmol (tomato sauce), and there could be other foods like pancakes and sausages. These are served with lots of coffee.

There are other breakfast meals that you can pick from or even ask the restaurant staff to help you select one that suits your needs and imagination. You can be sure to get great meals that will leave you fully satisfied and with fond memories.

You may make arrangements for a hearty breakfast or any other meal while in Melbourne by visiting the Vamos website. Once there, you can place your order as well as make reservations for yourself and your guests so that you have a space to enjoy sumptuous meals and drinks as you catch up or cut business deals.

Other meals: lunch or dinner

Here are some Latin American meals that you may consider for lunch or dinner:

Churrasco

This is a Portuguese and Spanish term for grilled meat or beef. It is a common feature in Latin American cuisine. Most of the time, restaurants will offer the patrons an all-you-can-eat churrasco buffet, which involves waiters slicing meats onto the patrons’ plates as is commonly done in Brazil.

Bandeja paisa

This is a platter-style meal served in a big oval tray and comprised of generous portions of different foods. Some of the traditional food items in the dish are white and red beans cooked with pork, ground meat, plantains, fried eggs, arepa (flatbread), avocado, lemon, hogao sauce, chorizo, and morcilla (black pudding). You could accompany the meal with wine, coffee, ice cream, or soda.

Pabellón criollo

This is traditionally eaten for lunch and is perceived by many as a Venezuelan national dish. The dish consists of rice with stewed black beans and shredded beef. Most of the time, the dish is served with tajadas (fried plantain slice) together with a fried egg, or just one of them.

Some people may add granulated sugar over the beans or flavour the meat with hot sauce. Instead of the beef, shredded caiman meat, freshwater fish, or chigüire (capybara) can be used depending on the region and season.

The meal may be washed down with whisky, as is common among the Venezuelans, or with chicha andina, a popular drink made from fermented pineapple juice and rice or corn flour, but even coffee can do.

Conclusion

When it comes to how to go about choosing Latin American food in Melbourne, you are spoilt for choice and your taste and preferences are your main guides here.

You may also eat snacks or tapas with a drink such as coffee or wine. Some tapas include patatas bravas and patatas alioli (fried potatoes smeared with tasty sauces), cheese, croquettes, Spanish omelletes, and others.