{"id":2332,"date":"2016-05-12T16:26:49","date_gmt":"2016-05-12T20:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?p=2332"},"modified":"2018-12-25T11:55:55","modified_gmt":"2018-12-25T16:55:55","slug":"llame-a-la-llama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?p=2332","title":{"rendered":"\u00a1Llame a la Llama!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bolivian<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSalte\u00f1as!\u201d the jazzy sign exclaimed. \u201cNot an Empanada!!\u201d
\n\u201cHey look!\u201d the passerby exclaimed. \u201cEmpanadas!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Um, not quite. Bolivian Llama Party is all about setting the record straight and the way they’re going about it might just get you hooked. The salte\u00f1a is Bolivia\u2019s answer to the empanada and to all outward appearances, they do look similar to other Latin American offerings. But take a bite (carefully \u2013 you\u2019ll see why in a minute) and you\u2019ll realize that that\u2019s where the similarity ends.<\/p>\n

First, the dough is not merely a delivery system for the filling; it\u2019s flavorful in its own right \u2013 hand crafted, golden with aji amarillo<\/em> (yellow hot pepper) and baked to perfection. And then there\u2019s the delicious savory filling (do I hear music?) known as jigote<\/em>. Juicy like a stew, you\u2019ll find four varieties here: Beni (grass-fed beef), Chimba (free-range chicken), Cliza (mushrooms and quinoa), and Toco (three kinds of pork and extraordinarily scrumptious), all named for locations in Bolivia. Even the dark green hot sauce is outstanding, imbued with quillqui\u00f1a <\/em>(Bolivian coriander), but don\u2019t fear the spice level \u2013 it\u2019s easily managed and an integral part of the experience.<\/p>\n

Biting into one of these treasures can be a bit messy \u2013 the word \u201cgush\u201d comes to mind \u2013 and there\u2019s even a wry, tongue-in-cheek sign, \u201cHow to Eat a Salte\u00f1a (Without Wearing It)\u201d, outlining three skill levels for pulling off its consumption: Beginner, Enthusiast, and Master. Think of it as empanada meets soup dumpling.<\/p>\n

The first Bolivian restaurant in Manhattan, Bolivian Llama Party is owned and operated by three brothers, all natives of Bolivia. Alex Oropeza (aka Llama Whisperer) explained the painstaking care that goes into making these authentic delights: one day to make the dough, another to create the filling, another to assemble them and braid the dough. Crafting that braid perfectly is one of the keys to success, because if one salte\u00f1a breaks while baking, a pool of filling will escape and ruin the entire batch. Alex told me that the level of expertise required by a salte\u00f1ero to perform that magic is akin to that of a skilled sushi chef \u2013 they both devote years to their training. As a matter of fact, Patrick Oropeza (BLP\u2019s chef and salte\u00f1ero) has been so swamped in the kitchen that, as of this writing, he hadn\u2019t yet had time to visit the Turnstyle venue that opened at the end of April.<\/p>\n

\"Toco<\/a>\"Triple<\/a>\"BLP<\/a><\/p>\n

But wait, there\u2019s more! BLP also offers a couple of Sandwiches de Chola, Bolivian street style sandwiches, available in brisket and triple pork (the standout of the two). Eliana (she’s a sweetheart) works the register; when you order, be sure to ask her for extra aioli for the sandwich. During my last visit I found a new addition \u2013 BLP\u2019s version of an huminta<\/em>. Humintas are tamales traditionally wrapped in a corn husk; these snacks are little cornbready treats in the shape of a madeleine, filled with quesillo cheese, kissed with fennel and anise, and served with seasoned butter on the side. Get them while they\u2019re still hot if you can.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t even attempt to describe the hip, colorful, crazy d\u00e9cor, but it pairs perfectly with the food. Check out their website<\/a> for additional seasonal locations and more information. <\/p>\n

Trust me, these guys are beyond awesome. Drop everything and go there. Now.<\/em>
\n 
\n 
\nBolivian Llama Party can be found at Turnstyle, the food court in the subway tunnel under Columbus Circle. Use any entrance (A,B,C,D,1 trains) at West 57th\/58th Street and 8th Avenue.
\n 
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cSalte\u00f1as!\u201d the jazzy sign exclaimed. \u201cNot an Empanada!!\u201d \u201cHey look!\u201d the passerby exclaimed. \u201cEmpanadas!!\u201d Um, not quite. Bolivian Llama Party is all about setting the record straight and the way they’re going about it might just get you hooked. The … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3336,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[37],"class_list":["post-2332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-good-eats","category-stories","tag-bolivian"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2332"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2365,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332\/revisions\/2365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}