Provecho Bistro Latino, An El Rancho Grande Spin-Off

Lee Klein

Provecho's empanada Colombiana: $1.75

Provecho Bistro Latino opened its doors on 15th Street off of Alton Road a few months ago (in the space where Cha Cha Cha Cafe performed a rather short dance). It attracted little notice in the local food media, surprising because it comes from the same owners as El Rancho Grande, the long time Mexican restaurant on South Beach (now on 72nd Street in the Normandy Isles neighborhood). I've had breakfast and lunch at Provecho so far, and this much I can say: The Rancho folks do a better job with Latin American cuisine than they do with Mexican fare.

Lee Klein

Arepa con queso y pollo: $3.50

The breakfast I tried, huevos rancheros, is, um, Mexican -- yet it's not only tasty but a real good deal. A pair of fried corn tortillas are topped with fried eggs, tomato-chile sauce, white cheese, sliced avocado and bacon. The price, $7, includes a cup of Colombian coffee and milk.

Eight appetizers ($1.75 to $8) include a very flavorful fried beef empanada Colombiana (the owners are from Colombia), the crunchy corn wrap encasing minced meat ($1.75); it comes with a garlic-cilantro dip. Arepa con queso is a pancake-size rendition topped with savorily cooked shreds of pulled chicken (beef is also available) -- delicious, although there isn't much cheese ($3.50). Diners may also opt to start with fried plantain topped with guacamole and ceviche; yucca poppers stuffed with jalapeño and cheese; and shrimp cocktail.