Colonia Verde features Latino American cuisine in a charming and softly lit atmosphere located in Brooklyn. The brick-like tile floor is reminiscent of a farmhouse interior. The table, chairs, benches, and bar at the entrance are made of wood, lending a rustic flavor to the decor. The back of the restaurant has a different feel due to its glass roof; it’s a bright winter garden and the open-air patio is an oasis on a warm day. It’s especially pleasant for weekend brunches.
Our dinner was quite jovial as we were celebrating, yet again, my son’s graduation. It was a lovely family reunion with our three children and two grandmas and one grandpa coming from Brussels. Given the company, the evening was starting off quite well. Colonia Verde did not disappoint us as everything went smoothly from the reception to the food and service.
We ordered different appetizers to share, as is our family tradition. We love ordering almost all the dishes on the menu, dispatching them around the table, and poking our forks into every single plate. Sounds uncivilized but the result is so convivial! After sharing the dishes we share our opinions – yes, we are a family of foodies! In a nutshell, all the dishes were delicious; I could’ve gladly added hot chili pepper to the salsa.
We started with a couple of cocktails: La Picosa, a Tequila and mezcal based drink, and The Tickled Pink, gin with crema de mezcal. Nothing lip-smacking but both were refreshing and pleasant.
The sausage and veggie Parrillada was served on a wood board with mini arepas and queso fundido (hot melted cheese and spicy chorizo usually served flambé), a rustic presentation that went right along with the décor.
The dish is meant as an appetizer to be shared for the table but it can easily be served as an entrée for one person.
Pulpo al Pastor served elegantly on a slate with pickled onion and cilantro coulis. The octopus melted in the mouth, it was so well marinated and grilled.
Duck confit tacos wrapped with avocado, cilantro, and pickled onions. This is where, in my opinion, hot chili added to the sauce would’ve been an improvement.
Carnitas tacos, coffee-rubbed braised pork served with onions and cilantro on four soft tacos.
The Pork Belly Arepa was a bit difficult to share. It came with bean puree, maple syrup, and cotija cheese with fresh watercress on top. The two dishes were served on a wood board and looked amazing.
Chef’s Steak, 30 to 45 oz bone-in ribeye: if you are a meat eater, don’t miss this one! Unless you are an ogre it’s a dish to share with one to two people. The meat was tender and fat, amazingly grilled with rosemary and garlic. We ordered it rare and that’s exactly how it came! Juicy and all red on the inside, crispy and well seared on the outside.
The sirloin steak was tasty but not as good as the ribeye.
Brussels sprouts with chorizo and orange zest as a side. The orange is a nice touch to reduce the bitterness of the sprouts.
If you don’t want to eat meat there are a few options. My daughter ordered the Poblano Pepper Pasta: fresh fettuccine and sautéed poblano peppers. The mild chili pepper made it more Latino than Italian. The pasta was well cooked and the sauce was tasty.
The wine list at Colonia Verde is quite interesting and their approach to wine is even more so. They feature some unusual bottles, such as Dirty & Rowdy or Du Soil… They support small vintners and believe in the delicacies and intricacies of female winemakers. We opted for the Grenache Mourvedre blend from the Languedoc region of France, with this play on Shakespeare’s words on the bottle: En attendant la pluie, tout bu or not tout bu. (While waiting for the rain, to have drunk all or not to have drunk all).
Dessert is a must: Little Piece of Brazil was a good choice, tapioca coconut cake topped with whipped cream and lime zest. I love coconut and all desserts that have this ingredient.
Warm pear and apple “Espichao”, cooked in red wine and flattened on the grill, served with ice cream. Not a bad idea to end the dinner with some fruit.
Colonia Verde
219 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY
📞 347-689-4287
Price range: $$$
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Wednesday: 12 – 4pm, 5 – 10pm
Thursday-Friday: 12 – 4pm, 5 – 11pm
Saturday: 10am – 3:30pm, 5 – 11pm
Sunday: 10am – 3:30pm, 5 – 10pm
