Orinoco A Latin Kitchen Orinoco Latin Kitchen Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen

Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen

477 Shawmut Ave. (Concord St.)
Boston, MA 02118
617-369-7075
Map
Cuisine: Venezuelan
Inspired by the Venezuelan roadside cafés called "taguaritas," this South Ender inspires us to return for its empanadas and costillitas.
Openings: Lunch Tues.-Sat., Dinner Tues.-Sun., Brunch Sun.

Features


Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen Restaurant Review:


It's not just that we're charmed by the brightly colored, folk art-dotted, rustic look of Orinoco, though there's that too; it's more that the dining experience is so nicely balanced between the casually low-key and the gastronomically memorable. While the menu is sizable, with salads and entrées that are more elegant than you might expect, it's the small plates of Spanish flatbread and shredded beef empanada mechadas that keep us coming back for more. Main dishes are preceded by intense mouthfuls of arepas, Venezuelan grilled corn sandwiches stuffed with everything from cheese and plantains to shredded chicken and avocado. Unlike most of the chow that passes for Latin cooking in Boston, these flavors are complex, sophisticated and most importantly, authentic. Beers and wines from below the border enhance it all. There are other locations in Brookline Village and Harvard Square.