Crazy...Crazy...Crazy Nights

I never would have imagined that this restaurant that this restaurant would become the "thing" that it has become. Of course, when it's slow (for instance on Mondays and Wednesdays) it is slow. But when it rains here...it pours. Today, as soon as we opened our doors at 5:00 pm, the customers began pouring in...and pouring in ... and pouring in.

It's 10:30 pm...and the place is still packed. I stopped, amidst the mayhem that is Bogota on a busy Saturday night, and had to ask myself, "Why am I doing this!?"

Look around. People EVERYWHERE. Busboys, servers, bartenders, George, myself, food runners, customers, customers and customers all over the place.

No, I"m not complaining. It's a good thing but people should know: if the place looks busy, it is and you can bet that there will be a delay for drinks and food. We do our very best.... That much I can definitely tell you. We are doing our best and will continue to look at ways we can continue to keep being what I am convinced is the hottest restaurant right now on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Why do I say this? Well, I frequently make a point of leaving the restaurant for occasional strolls and peeps into the other dining establishments along 5th. Quite a number of other places are either relatively slow or empty when we're in the middle of a the Bogota Rock and Roll Show.

This Week's Specials 1/19 - 1/25

Bogota Latin Bistro Specials

1. Portabella & Goat Cheese Empanada (argentinean style dough) sautéed portabella mushrooms & roasted red peppers with goat cheese, served with a chipotle sauce $5

2. Lentil Soup with Chorizo lentil soup with carrots, cilantro, red peppers & chorizo $6.

3. Tortilla Chicken Soup shredded chicken in a spicy chipotle broth, topped with tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, jack cheese & cilantro $8

4. Grilled Shrimp with Roasted Polenta roasted polenta cake topped with grilled shrimp, served with roasted red pepper cilantro coulis & crème fraiche $10

5. Skirt Steak Salad grilled skirt steak, watercress, roasted red peppers, blue cheese & chimichurri vinaigrette $14

6. Grilled Trout grilled brook trout topped with poblano cactus salsa, served with potato yam gratin & sautéed julienne
vegetables $18.

7. Moqueca De Peixe (brazilian seafood stew) tilapia, shrimp and calamari in a spicy coconut broth, served with white rice & farofa (ground yucca mixed with eggs & red pepper) $18

8. Sweet Potato Plantain Mash (side dish of the week) sweet potato & ripe plantains mashed with egg yolks & coconut milk $5.

9. Bread Pudding baked bread pudding topped with a rum chocolate sauce & a scoop of vanilla ice cream $6.

10. Tres Leches sponge cake soaked in three different kinds of milk, topped with fresh strawberries $6.

Drinks:
Beers – Modelo Especial (Mexico) & Quisqueya (Dominican) $4.
Wine - White Zinfandel $6 / $23
Hopscotch – baileys, stoli vanilla, butterscotch schnapps & cream $7.
Mora (blackberry) Fruit Shake – made with milk or water $5.

Colombian Tamales at Bogota Bistro in Park Slope

January 17, 2006

Dear Farid,

I wanted to thank you for the great hospitality we had in your restaurant. I am the mom who emailed you about "Tamales". I didn't see them in your menu and you told me it was in the appetizer section. Last night My daughter Melissa, her future husband Sean & the rest of my family had dinner in your restaurant. I have to say everything from your delicious drinks, mouth quenching appetizers, scrumptious dinner and delightful desserts were fabulous!. We live on Long Island and taking the ride was worth it!.

Hope to visit your beautiful restaurant soon,

Mrs Magaly V.

Magaly...next time please ask for me...I'd love to say 'hello!'