Arepas, Empanadas and a Bandeja Paisa Platter: Mi Bella Colombia Opens on North Thompson Lane
North Thompson Lane has never lacked for places to eat, but a new arrival there adds something the strip has not had: a full Colombian menu. Mi Bella Colombia is now open at 452 N. Thompson Ln., in the former We Love Empanadas space near Moe's and Marble Slab Creamery, and the dishes on its list are a good reason to try something different on a weeknight.
The platter to know
If you only order one thing, order the bandeja paisa. It is the signature plate of Colombia's Antioquia region, a big platter meant to be shared across a table or tackled alone on a very hungry day: rice, beans, grilled steak, a fried egg and sweet plantain, usually joined by a corn arepa and avocado. The kitchen also lists arepas, empanadas and picada platters, which suit a group that wants to sample several things at once.
The rest of the menu
Beyond the main plates, the restaurant lists buñuelos (the fried cheese-dough fritters that show up at Colombian holiday tables), tamales and flan de coco for dessert. To drink, there are natural fruit juices in flavors such as lulo, a tart citrus-like fruit that is hard to find outside Latin American markets, and passion fruit.
A simple way to order for two: split a bandeja paisa and add an order of empanadas to start, then finish with the flan de coco. The empanadas are the quick, hand-held end of the menu, and a good test of whether a Colombian kitchen knows what it is doing.
Prices and hours
Entrees run from $13 to $22. The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., which makes it an option for an early breakfast-style plate as well as dinner. The phone number is 629-259-4331.
A busy corner of town
The opening is one of several along the Thompson Lane corridor this fall; Bubba's 33 recently opened on North Thompson Lane as well. And with Downtown Murfreesboro's restaurant week starting Monday, Oct. 5, the city's dining scene is in the middle of a particularly full stretch. Our downtown restaurant week guide has the participating spots and dates if you want to plan a week of eating out.
For anyone who has been looking for arepas that taste like the real thing, or just wants a plate with a fried egg on top that does not come from a breakfast chain, Thompson Lane now has an answer.
