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Business & Tech

Kantuta's Brings a Taste of Bolivia to Wheaton

Get there early to secure one of the five tables.

 

Bolivia’s national flower, the kantuta (a.k.a. cantata) tricolor is a red, yellow and green blossom that echoes the colors of the Bolivian flag.

Located at 2463 Ennalls Avenue, pays homage to those colors not only in its sign and some of the décor, but also in some of the unique and savory dishes that are native to the South American country.

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Ines Negrete opened Kantuta’s in April 2008, and her authentic Bolivian food has served as the establishment’s calling card, carrying tremendous word of mouth power, virtually negating the need for extensive advertising.

Alejandro Vargas, who had stopped in Kantuta’s for a trancapecho (a “silpancho sandwich” if you will) take-out had overheard two men at a bus stop in the Wheaton Triangle raving about a new place to get food from Bolivia.

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“They were talking about the restaurant [Kantuta’s] as if the meals had come from their own mothers’ kitchens,” Vargas said. “I like to find authentic food and when I do, I am very loyal, and Kantuta’s, I am very loyal to.”

Kantuta’s has two different menus, one for weekday—which features some Bolivian food, but some general Hispanic selections as well—and one on weekends, which has a much tighter focus on traditional Bolivian cuisine.

The silpancho, a very common Bolivian dish, is offered in two sizes – the regular, which can easily satisfy two hearty eaters, and the medium, which I decided to order. After a brief wait in the always-buzzing atmosphere (I counted more than 15 patrons in the time I spent there) my “medium” entrée arrived at the table.

Stacked almost four inches high, the smaller size silpancho could still feed two lighter eaters. A beautifully prepared dish, the colors evoke the colors of the flower – rich red tomatoes, green peppers and the bright yellow of eggs – and that’s just in the top two layers! Silpancho begins with a base of rice on one side and sliced and fried potatoes on the other. A lightly breaded flatiron steak is placed over the base, with fried eggs next and finally a finely chopped relish of tomato, red onion and spicy green pepper.

The plate felt completely new and very familiar at the same time. Just having been through another Thanksgiving, the silpancho felt like comfort food – a great juxtaposition of hot (beef) and cold (relish), soft (egg) and crunchy (relish) and pleasure-inducing starches (the rice and potatoes). The dish is accompanied by a tiny bowl of llajua (ya-hoo-ah) sauce, a stunningly spicy combination of green peppers and jalapenos. Unless you have an unusually high tolerance for heat, I’d suggest going light on the llajua!

Maria, who was working as server, greeter and busser, recommended that I try api morado, a traditional Bolivian drink. While mentioning that it is generally served with breakfast due to its sweetness, she said that many people come in for the hot beverage on cold days, just to warm up. A cross between a chai tea and spiced cider, api is a purple corn-based liquid combined with orange juice to give it a very hearty texture. The cinnamon and clove spices give it a very exotic bent, but the spice level is not overpowering at all.

Kantuta’s prices range from $3.00 for the saltenas (like an empanada) and $6.00 for the trancapecho or salchipapa (hot dogs with potatoes) to $12.50 for the silpancho, carne asada and other main entrees.

The restaurant is on the small side, with only five tables and a few counter stools, so get there early if you don’t like waiting.  

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