Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine
4723 Common Street. Lake Charles
My first Orinoco experience was a few years ago. Some of you may remember, before there was a restaurant, a little black food trailer began making appearances across Southwest Louisiana. It was during the 2023 Chennault International Airshow that I spotted the trailer, the symbolic toucan logo and Orinoco emblazoned on all sides, contrasted in brightly hued lettering.
Although it was close to 130°F on the tarmac, and an ice cold dessert would’ve been more refreshing, the street tacos pulled me in. The perfection in flavor from the grilled corn tortillas, tender seasoned steak to the cilantro, onion, and homemade green salsa made me a regular.
The food truck grew in popularity and so began plans to open a full service restaurant. In 2024, that dream came true for sisters, Yuliana and Lina. Colombian born and raised with learned recipes from home. Lina began serving the LakeArea dishes out of the back of her van after Hurricane Laura decimated much of Southwest Louisiana. With the progression from food truck to brick and mortar, the sisters were ready to present Lake Charles with a truly authentic South American cultural cuisine experience.
I had every intent to feature Orinoco during its grand opening. My wife, Shyla and I planned well in advance to attend the monumental day, only to find that everybody else had the same idea.
In all reality, it would’ve been very unfair of me to have any expectations –good or bad– and put them into an article. When it comes to new restaurants, I really do like to give them time to mold themselves into the setting that best fits their model intention. As busy and as well received as it was during the public opening, we were able to grab a drink, congratulate the women on their milestone, and vow to return.
So, yes, some promises take a little longer to come to fruition than others. With empty stomachs and ample time to linger through dinner service, Shyla and I planned our return trip.
We approached the entrance with the sun behind us casting long shadows and debated whether to dine on the outdoor patio or sit at the quaint bar with available seats earning the spot of choice while upbeat and festive music plays throughout the restaurant.
We’re promptly welcomed by several of the crew. Behind the bar, Michelle introduces herself as our server for the evening. New to the Orinoco environment, she’s guided through the nuances, and prepares a couple of mojitos.
Shyla and I flip though the many pages of the menu, realizing the restaurant has definitely evolved since its food truck days. Orinoco has a lot to offer. Everything from a weekend brunch menu, to a vast variety of traditional Colombian and Venezuela dishes, and even a kids menu.
By now, most of you know how we operate. Shyla and I like to pick our way through an appetizer or two, before either committing to more appetizers or moving on to an entrée. Tonight, I choose to start us off with the Caribbean shrimp ceviche. Served with crispy thin sliced plantains, this ceviche packs an abundance of shrimp in lime twang and a nice spicy jalapeño bite.
Shyla continues our appetizer journey with a plate of subtly sweet, sautéed plantains to then dip into the crumbled cotija and fresh crema. This, on the surface, sounds so simple. And it is. But the distinctive flavors and the combination of the three ingredients is rather complex and truly amazing.
For good measure, we add in an order of mini empanadas. If you’re familiar with tamales, these empanadas are along the same line, almost. Using the cornmeal masa to create a dumpling pocket filled with a blend of shredded beef and potato, then fried to a gentle crisp, served with a Colombian aji, a salsa-like spicy sauce, but with more of a deeper, roasted flavor.
When we’re both prepared to move onto the entrée portion we remind ourselves that half the fun is being adventurous and going with the unknown. The other half? Googling food, ingredients or techniques to make it sound like I know what I might be choosing when I order.
Shyla goes with her personal favorite: fajita. This, a marinated thin and tender skirt steak. Not to be confused with a Mexican-style fajita plate, peppers, onions and tortillas, are not part of this meal. This simple fajita is grilled to perfection, served with roasted potatoes and an avocado salad.
I go with the Caribbean Passion Red Snapper. With so many amazing dinner options to choose from, this particular dish stands out. As Michelle places our entrées before us, both the aroma and the way it looks lets me know I’ve made the right choice. Paired with a refreshing Paloma and its tangy salted rim, a trio of fresh tail-on grilled shrimp are placed upon a thick red snapper filet, smothered in a herbaceous and garlicy red sauce. Served with coconut rice and tostones, this beautiful red snapper is firm and flaky, with not a hint of gaminess, and the sauce is undeniably essential to what makes this dish amazing.
It’s almost a shame we waited so long to revisit Orinoco. Or, is it? I have to admit, I believe the evolution of the menu and the creative dishes over time have become cultural dining excellence for Southwest Louisiana. There isn’t one dish we tried that night that I would hesitate to order again. In fact, to duplicate what we experienced, from the service, to the atmosphere, to the foods, I would do it all again exactly the same way. But, with all the variety that Orinoco offers, it would be a disservice to ourselves if we didn’t explore everything possible.
PS: Yes, I had to Google ‘tostones.’
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