Latin American cuisine fuses aromas and flavors from the pre-Hispanic era on the continent, as well as from Europe, Asia and Africa. These flavors are kept alive in the stoves of Latin Americans across South America who defend the authorship of their dishes. Some of this cuisine has reached Omaha through entrepreneurial Latino immigrants.
While Mexican cuisine is still the predominant force in Omaha, there are others that have made their typical dishes known.
Culinary explorers can sample from the Andean countries — Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela — where corn is the main carbohydrate. They can find specialties from the Caribbean, whose cuisine is defined by beans, corn, yuca, bananas, potatoes and rice.
And while many Latin American countries share dishes with common ingredients, they are often presented in a new way or cooked slightly differently. Such is the case of the Peruvian ceviche, which has a Japanese influence and differs from Mexican ceviche, which is more of a seafood salad.
For a Mexican, “real” pico de gallo includes chile, but for the rest of Latin America, where food is not as spicy, it might not. The famous Puerto Rican mofongo is prepared with fried green plantains, while Dominican mangú is made with boiled plantains. Ropa vieja is a Cuban dish that is similar to the Venezuelan pabellón criollo. The Colombian bandeja paisa is similar to the Brazilian feijoada or the Costa Rican chifrijo.
Below is a sampling of several emblematic dishes from various Latin American countries and where you can find them in Omaha. We know this list does not include everyone, but we hope it’s a helpful guide to start exploring the Latin American cuisine Omaha has to offer.
MÉXICO
Tacos
Corn tortillas were part of the pre-Hispanic diet. Their name derives from “tlahco” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. The Aztec emperor Moctezuma, who reigned in the 1500s, purportedly used thin corn tortillas made over hot stones as spoons. Nowadays tacos are available in many types, with all the meats or vegetables that you could want, and you can try them fried, cooked as suadero, canasta, placero, ahogados, with stews and more.
You can find tacos in almost any Latino restaurant in Omaha. So without starting a debate over who has the best tacos in the city, we’ll limit ourselves to mentioning three prime spots.
Tixteco
2203 S. 16th St.
El Jalapeño
2809 Q St.
Dos de Oros Taco Truck
3310 S. 24th St.
EL SALVADOR
Pupusas
Pupusas are also part of the corn culture of the Mesoamerican region. According to the Royal Spanish Academy’s dictionary, the word comes from the Nahuatl “pupushawa,” which means “swollen.” This is a swollen tortilla, cooked with a cheese filling, and filled with your choice of chicharron and vegetables.
La Choza
5133 S 25th St
Guacamole (formerly Chiltepes)
2308 N St.
GUATEMALA
Garnacha
While some believe garnacha is a dish from Mexico, historians claim that the garnacha is from Guatemala, the result of a combination of pre-Hispanic and colonial dishes.
Guacamole
2308 N St.
NICARAGUA
Mondongo soup
Even though Nicaragua shares many dishes with its Central American and Caribbean neighbors, mondongo soup is representative of this country because it’s eaten any time of the year. It’s made from tuber, mondongo (cow stomach) and rice. It’s also very nutritious.
Mi Bella Honduras
5023 S 24th St.
HONDURAS
Baleadas
After the introduction of wheat from Europeans, locals began making baleadas, a flour tortilla that is folded and filled with beans and other ingredients, such as shredded cheese, ham or sour cream.
La Catracha
1206 S. 24th St.
Mi Bella Honduras
5023 S 24th St
PANAMÁ
Chicken sancocho
Although it’s also eaten in other parts of the Caribbean, chicken sancocho hails from Panamá. It is chicken soup with yam, coriander, onions and oregano. The origins of this dish are thanks to the mix of indigenous people and Spaniards. The closest dish that is similar to chicken sancocho in Omaha can be found at Guacamole, formerly known as Chiltepes.
Guacamole
2308 N St.
CUBA
Cuban sandwich
The typical dish of Cuba is congri, which is made of rice. However, the Cuban sandwich was born when Cuban immigrants arrived in Florida in 1900, and it was adopted as a very popular dish. You can find this Cuban dish at:
The Hunger Block
11036 Elm St.
PUERTO RICO
Mofongo
For those who love plantains in any presentation, mofongo has its origins in the African fufu. Africans who used to live in Spanish colonies introduced it. It’s made from mashed green plantains mixed with pork chicharron and spices such as garlic.
The Chinchorro Boricua
Food truck; call ahead: 402-215-1375
COLOMBIA
Bandeja paisa
This dish is consumed in the Antioquia region. It’s an abundant and lavish dish with a ton of flavor. It has white rice, chicharron, fried eggs, slices of ripe bananas, arepa, tostones, red beans, avocado and minced meat. This dish is believed to have been created in the early 1960s.
The Hunger Block
11036 Elm St.
Latino Legacy Restaurant
7755 L St, Ralston
PERÚ
Chaufa
This dish was born from the Chinese migration to Perú in the mid-1800s. The word “chaufa” comes from the Chinese Word “chaufan,” which means “fried rice.” It’s a mix of fried rice with vegetables such as chives, as well as small omelet pieces and meats, cooked over a strong flame.
The Hunger Block
11036 Elm St.
VENEZUELA
Arepas
Even though there’s an ongoing, eternal dispute over whether arepas are Colombian or Venezuelan, the Venezuelan arepa is a round sandwich of roasted corn that you can fill with whatever you want. It’s believed the word arepa comes from the indigenous word “erepa”, from the Caribbean Cumanagotos tribe that lived in the northeast region of the country. For those who are ready to try it, you can order a Colombian arepa with cheese added to the dough before it’s cooked.
El Arepón
3618 Farnam St.
The Hunger Block
11036 Elm St.
ARGENTINA
Parrilla
Even though each country has its own way of grilling meat, Argentinians are true masters at it, and their specialties include chorizos, morcillas, sausages, kidneys and innards, such as chinchulines, intestines, morcilla, cow udder, kidneys and bull testicles, which they eat with bread, chimichurri sauce and some good wine. The chorizo, meat and chicken with chimichurri can be bought at The Hunger Block with its mixed grill dish.
The Hunger Block
11036 Elm St.
*The writer has occasionally worked as a waitress at The Hunger Block