El Cartel

The flavors of Colombia sizzle beneath green lamps at the wooden tables in El Cartel. Chefs form corn masa into patties for arepas filled with shrimp or beef, and pile the bandeja paisa plate with an assortment of meats—savory Colombian-style sausage, grilled steak, pork crackling, and blood pie. They fry green plantains for tostones and yucca to create earthy root-vegetable fries, and cook sweet plantains until they caramelize or admit where they hid the diamonds. Beer, wine, and juices squeezed from blackberries or passionfruit wash down delectable bites.