Although Donde Carlos in Shepherd’s Bush didn’t open its doors until 2008, Don Carlos has been serving London’s Latino community since 2000. Starting with restaurants such as Cafe Mambo, the owner and his wife have since won over the hearts of London, after tempting them time and time again with delicious Colombian food. The team say that their aim is to represent Colombia in the best possible way, by showing customers each time they visit just how friendly and accommodating Colombians really are. The food is made using Grandma’s recipes, and you can’t ask for a more wholesome experience than that.
In 2013, Donde Carlos moved into larger premises on Goldhawk Road, and the team are now exclusively based here, bringing the Colombian flavour to London. The food is prepared fresh daily, so the lunch specials change each day, guaranteeing you’ll always find something new and tasty on the menu.
If you’re visiting for breakfast, enjoy the calentado sencillo, with refried kidney beans mixed with rice, Colombian scrambled eggs and cornbread. Starters at Donde Carlos include the empanada de carne, a fried beef patty, along with the maduro con queso derretido o casero, which is yellow plantain with homemade or melted cheese. Other dishes include the calamari rings deep fried in flour with bread, lemon and homemade garlic sauce, along with fried cassava sticks.
For mains, enjoy the bandeja paisa, which is a typical Colombian dish with red kidney beans, rice, yellow plantain, cornbread, egg, steak and pork belly, and Colombian chorizo with salad. In the evenings, a Mexican-Colombian fusion menu brings dishes such as birria tacos and quesadillas. Be sure to try the desserts, too, whether ordering the three milks flan, rice pudding, or figs with arequipe and fresh cheese.