by MARK SLUTSKY

Situated in a small storefront on St-Laurent just above Mont-Royal, Coco Coqueto has been open for barely a year now, though it's quickly gaining a reputation for its hearty, affordably priced Colombian food, warm atmosphere and some of the friendliest service you'll find on the Main. Decorated colourfully, though not garishly, the place is cheerful and welcoming, and the family who runs it is invariably cordial and ready to answer any questions you might throw their way.

Colombian cooking resembles other South American cuisines, though it tends to be less spicy and puts more emphasis on the potato. A common item, either served on its own or alongside other dishes, is the arepa, a sort of puffy cornmeal pancake. Coco Coqueto excels at these, and you'll find them on both the breakfast and dinner menus.

It's definitely worth going by to check out this resto's breakfast, which they only serve on Saturday mornings. You've got a few options here. The self-titled Coco Coqueto ($7.95) comes with a hot arepa, a fried egg, a wedge of avocado, cheese, a sweet fried plantain and a bowl of calentao, an addictive mixture of beans, rice and meat. The dish also includes your choice of coffee or hot chocolate. Unless you absolutely need a coffee, go for the chocolate! Made with cloves and cinnamon, it's rich and not over-sweet. Strangely (and excitingly) enough, it also comes with a thick stick of mozzarella cheese on the side, which you're instructed to dip in the brew. As shocking as that might sound (unless you're a fan of Ween and their LP Chocolate and Cheese), it's incredibly great. Cheese sticks are the new donuts!

The Colombiano ($6.95) is basically the same meal, though hot chocolate isn't an option. You get two eggs instead of one, and the calentao is replaced by a rasher of crisp bacon.

Coco Coqueto also offers a version of huevos rancheros ($5.75), which consists of two fried eggs covered in a subtle red salsa (with just a hint of spiciness) and a mess of beans. Of all these, the Coco Coqueto breakfast is the one to beat, though they're all very satisfying.

There's lots more to choose from if you can't make it by on a Saturday, or you want to eat lunch or dinner. The bandeja paisa ($9.95) actually has a bit of a breakfast feel. Like a Colombian version of steak and eggs, it's a plate of shredded beef alongside a mixture of rice and chopped-up fried eggs. Also included on the side for good measure, is a shank of deep-fried pork (which was actually a little dry). Avocado's also included.

The tacos ($7.95) are available in either beef or chicken versions, or you can mix it up and get one of each. With shells somewhere between crisp and chewy, they're drizzled with the same sauce that accompanies the huevos rancheros and served with beans and rice. Soup or salad are included with the meal (as with the bandeja), and the soup I went for, a yellow-lentil number, was a delicious mélange in a golden chicken-stock broth.

Finally, you'll be missing out if you don't try any of Coqueto's fruit juices ($2.25) or batidos (smoothies, $2.75). You can go for the tried-and-true and order strawberry or raspberry, but you're highly encouraged to go for some of the more indigenous South American fruits. The mango juice, unsurprisingly, was thick and superb, and you can also dive into passion fruit, the creamy guanbana, or the acidic lulo.

On a chilly winter's day, Coco Coqueto is a relaxed and comfortable place to remind yourself of the existence of a world without slush, and to go home full and satisfied.

Coco Coqueto
ADDRESS: 4563 St-Laurent
(just up from Mont-Royal)
PHONE: 281-8407
HOURS: Mon–Wed 11AM–8PM; Thu–Fri 11AM–10PM,
Sat 9:30AM–11PM, open only for large parties
(reservations required) Sun evenings
BEST FEATURES: The cornmeal arepas and
rich hot chocolate
ALCOHOL: No
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $7–$15 per person, before tax and tip
RATING: *** out of ****