Little Colombia in Brixton - Coma Y Punto, Brixton Market

I have never been to South America, so nearly everything I know about the continent is based on what I've seen on TV. So Brazil is samba, caipirinhas, Copa Cobana and beautiful people. Argentina is the tango, malbec, steak and beautiful people. And Colombia is ... drugs and beautiful people. Of course that's a ridiculous thing to think, but I think it's fair to say that Colombia has an image problem.

Rolling through Brixton Market on Saturday and the Northerner and I were a tad hungover after a session in two of our favourites the night before - the Old Red Cow in Smithfields and Brazas in Tulse Hill - and I most definitely was in need of food. And plenty of it. 

The market was rather untypically crowded with tourists - clearly Time Out has been going large on promoting Brixton - which meant that many of our favourite eating spots were full of people with backpacks or cameras or both. Fortunately the Northerner remember a cafe which we now know as Coma Y Punto, sitting in the heart of what is Little Colombia in South London. 

There's a hackneyed old phrase that says you can tell the quality of the place by the people who eat there, and the fact that Coma is full off Colombians - old and young, family groups and couples - is testimony to the wonderful South American ambience, and hearty portions of top quality Colombian food on offer. The portions are simply massive, yet our slender South American co-diners seemed to demolish their plates with ease. The Northerner and I started with a divine shared starter of Yuca fritters - I'm not quite sure what they are, but they're delicious, before attempting and failing to complete our mains. These dishes that included fried fish, pork belly, beans, corn bread, salsa, avocado, more yuca fritters and the best sausages I think I've ever tasted. And trust me, I've eaten my share of sausages. Something that is very evident when you see me.  The food was simply superb ,and the South American family ambience, complete with a large plasma TV showing a very long video promoting Colombia (what else) was lovely. You can't get a beer or wine there, but that's not the point of the place. You  get great coffee, and you get to practice your Spanish with some lovely Colombians. Time Out voted this place one of the better Cheap Eats. I'd go as far to say as its one of the best. But maybe I'm biased. 

Brazas, Tulse Hill

After several months of trying to get it together, the Rock Star, his other half and I finally met for dinner at his favourite haunt, Brazas in Tulse Hill. Many places claim to be family run, but Brazas, with Mom and Dad in the kitchen and son out front of house, is the genuine article.
The Northerner and I have eaten there several times for lunch so are fairly well known by the team. However the Rock Star and his partner are in a different league, having eaten there for at least once a week since it opened over a year ago. Mind you, given the combination of hearty food a great selection of Portugese and South American wines and the loveliest service you're likely to find in the Dirty South I can see why. Brazas does big well seasoned mains, complemented by big flavoured wine, and delicious desserts of which the portions are massive. In fact, to use that most hackneyed of advertising expressions, the only thing that isn't big is the prices !!!
I shan't run through the menu as it something you should discover for yourself, but I'm especially fond of the spicy fishcake starters and any of the panfried salmon, Sunday roast pork, or steak main courses. While you can't go wrong with any of the dessert choices, from pavalovas, to oven baked cheesecakes.
You never have to book and you are never dining alone. The Rock Star is worried about how it will survive given it's Tulse Hil'ish location and the credit crunch. I think with the combination of food, service and price that it offers, it will be just fine.