Surf and Turf With a Colombian Twist at El Portal

“Surf and turf” may conjure images of a filet mignon and lobster tail, perhaps with a hearty baked potato. But, at  on Speedwell Avenue, the words "tierra y mar" carry a similar connotation, with a Colombian twist. Think rice and fried plantains alongside a sirloin steak and piece of South American fish.

Morristown residents should be no strangers to Colombian food, as several Latin American eateries line the stretch of Speedwell Avenue beyond the movie theater. Like many of those eateries, El Portal displays a Colombian flag in the dining area and plays Univision from a TV in the back. The menu includes a "tipica" Colombian plate, usually a piece of steak, chorizo, pork rinds, rice, plantains, a fried egg and more.

When it comes to this region of the world, I am partial to authentic Mexican food, but I enjoy trying the food of any Latin American country, in part becomes it often comes with an opportunity for me to practice my Spanish. El Portal was no exception. 

The 14-table restaurant has a lengthy menu, with scores of beef, pork, chicken and seafood dishes. I focused on the El Portal specialties section, which starts with the Tierra y Mar plate. I asked my waitress, in broken Spanish, if she recommended it or if she would instead suggest another favorite dish. The "tipica" plate, she said is by far El Portal's most popular dish. But having eaten a similar plate at  a few months ago (and enjoyed it), I stuck with my original pick, which she also said was a good choice.

The meal started with a simple salad–shredded iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato and red onion, and three cucumber slices. A creamy Thousand Island-like dressing from a squeeze bottle added some flavor to this starter.

Next up was my appetizer, an arepa with cheese (the arepa is also offered plain, or topped with chicken or beef). This appetizer looked like a mini-pizza, but was in fact a half-inch-thick savory white corn cake topped with a semi-sharp white Latin American cheese placed under a broiler until the cheese started to brown. I almost ordered the plain arepa; thankfully I went with the cheese, as it added good flavor to what would have otherwise been a bland corn cake. 

While I was still enjoying the arepa, the Tierra y Mar arrived: a long piece of sirloin steak, browned nicely on the outside, a filet of corvina, found mostly in the Pacific off the coast of South America, three fried plantains and white rice.

I started with the corvina, which appears throughout El Portal's seafood menu. Seasoned, lightly breaded and fried, the filet was moist and flaky. The seasoning, however, tasted too much like packaged American seasoned salt. The steak carried a bit of the same flavor, but much more subtly. My disappointment here was that the inside of half the steak was raw. Had I not been sated from the arepa and all the other items on my plate, I would have sent it back to be cooked further (and the polite server, I'm sure, would have happily done so). Instead, I enjoyed the other half of the steak, with a nice brown crust on the outside and cooked medium on the inside.

The sides–white rice and plantains–were, like the white corn meal, void of much flavor. The plantains were dry, though the rice was not.

All in all, the meal lacked the authentic flavors I expected, and instead relied on salt and fresh wedges of limes for its flavor, both of which are good at complementing Latin American food. But something was missing.

The lesson to be learned here might be to stick to recommendations, though I did not want a meal too similar to what I had eaten a few months ago two blocks down the street. I give credit though to El Portal for making everything to order. The bubbling cheese on the arepa, the flaky fish and the browned steak were all clear signs that the dishes were made fresh. 

Perhaps the highlight of this meal was the limonada, or limeade. This is made just behind the counter with limes squeezed to order and sugar, blended until the top is frothy. Sweet and tart, it was one of the best non-alcoholic summer drinks I have ever had, and I again give credit to El Portal for not using a bottle or a cooler and instead whipping this up fresh. I drank two glasses full and could go for two more as I write this. 

El Portal missed the mark a bit with my surf and turf, but some things here were well-executed. 

What has your experience been with El Portal? And what is your favorite Latin American eatery in town?