SPLASH OF FLAVOR 2013

Chicken Quesadillas at La Casa De Pedro

By ISAAC G.

Watertown Splash staff reporter

     When walking in to La Casa De Pedro in Watertown, lively Latin music and bright, tropical colors greet you in the restaurant’s spacious lobby. Latin American art line the walls and tropical plants wave in the corners of the restaurant. The tropical air inside the restaurant gives is a pretty interesting contrast to the mud, sleet, and slush of outside.

     The restaurant, not surprisingly, offers a wide variety of Latin American food, specifically Venezuelan cuisine. But the best dishes on the menu are often the simplest. The Chicken Quesadillas, probably one of the simplest items, is the most delicious.

     Smoky grilled chicken with sizzling melted cheese and onions between crispy tortillas make a delicious dish. Guacamole, sour cream, and salsa complement the dish, each adding unique flavors to the dish. The guacamole’s smooth, creamy -- yet spicy -- flavor adds heat and refreshment at the same time, while the salsa gives a fresh, zesty taste to the dish.

     On the the side are fried yuca. The potato-like vegetable is fried until it has a crispy outer layer, and a firm, smooth, starchy inside, garnished by refreshing, crisp cilantro. 

     As well as yuca, sweet, caramelized plantains add a soft, sugary side dish and an an interesting variety of flavors.

     La Casa De Pedro’s menu offers a lot of good food, but the Chicken Quesadillas is the most delicious dish it has to offer. 

     (La Casa De Pedro, 343 Arsenal St., Watertown, 617-923-8025, 

http://lacasadepedrolatincuisine.com/)

     (To help pick the 2013 Splash of Flavor competition winner, cast your vote at http://tinyurl.com/3h532cs. Voting is only open for three weeks and ends March 25, 2012.)

     (For write-ups and pictures of the 20 nominees for 2013, read the story, “Where is my favorite food?” in the Watertown Splash’s food section at  http://goo.gl/aIiMD. Once there, you will find separate links to each nominee.)

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     (For the 2012 Splash of Flavor nominees, go to http://goo.gl/qjSPT. Once there, you will find separate links to each nominee.)

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     (For the 2011 Splash of Flavor nominees, go to http://tinyurl.com/6y4z3x6. Once there, you will find separate links to each nominee.)

--March 4, 2013--