Rinconcito/La Brasca - Colombian
Nakano **** ?!?!

Address - Nakano-ku, Arai 1-2-11 2F. Opening hours - Open every day from 12:00 pm to 5:00 am. Rinconcito open after 8:00 pm Map - See directions Telephone - 03-5343-2477 Menu - in Spanish and Japanese Credit Cards - No

Some time ago I went to Nakano to see a Cuban friend of mine, and he suggested we go to eat at La Brasca, a Colombian restaurant nearby. Since I am a sucker for rare cuisines, I agreed immediately. Rinconcito/La Brasca, as the place is called, occupies a whole, albeit small, building. The left side is a salsa bar (Rinconcito, or "The corner") with live concerts and a salsa DJ on Thursdays, while the right (La Brasca, meaning unknown) is a Colombian restaurant. Not being interested in Latin music or dance, I haven't been to Rinconcito, but I know La Brasca.

The place is as authentic as they come, a piece of Colombia right above Waseda Dori. Most of the customers are Latin Americans, even though the menu is written in Japanese too. Japanese and English are hardly spoken at all: to eat here, you have to go native.

The menu is rich of unheard-of dishes, with a prevalence of meat and deep fried stuff. No wonder the waiters and customers are are all so stocky.
With my limited Spanish I ordered several of the most interesting plates, and the result was an interesting meal. Manuel, the Cuban guy, says the stuff is very similar to Cuban food. I said it's interesting, rather than good, because it isn't for gourmets. It's very simple food, stuff that knows no sophistication; fried bacon ("Chicharron), fried bananas, plus French fries would be a typical meal.
This is not to say that it wasn't enjoyable but, after trying it a couple of times, I can think of better places to eat. After the first, necessary and memrable experience, you may find La Brasca's cuisine insufficiently attractive.

Where it is:

From Nakano Station's North exit, go straight and turn right on Waseda Dori. Walk along the left side of the street and keep you eyes open: Rinconcito/La Brasca is the two-story building right after the ramen shop, some 300 m from the intersection between Nakano Dori and Waseda Dori
Follow the link for some more info about the place (in Japanese)

November 2005

BTW:

A friend, after reading my review, sent me the following message:

I read your review of the Columbian restaurant in Nakano. My wife and I went a couple of years ago (like you, we couldn't resist trying something new). I remember having to try to order in Spanish and getting some rather "stodgy dishes". It certainly seemed authentic and the only other customer was Columbian but she didn't like the food and even I would say it's as bad as the most basic British dishes. I would tell someone to go once for the experience and the atmosphere but, unless they want to practice their Spanish, not twice.