Have you been to Conga Latin Food?
If not, come with me as I try it for the first time.
I learned about Conga Latin through Groupon. I love trying new restaurants and new foods, but hadn’t come across anything in a while, so the email piqued my interest.
Located on East Main Street next to Niedlov’s, the name Conga Latin might not sound familiar to local foodies, but it will look familiar. Until a couple of years ago, it was known as Taco Rico. The owners, a young gentleman and his mother from El Salvador, wanted to differentiate themselves from the glut of Tex-Mex fare in Chattanooga, so they changed the name to better reflect the kind of food they serve: authentic Latino fare.
I didn’t know what that would be. Viewing their menu on urbanspoon.com, I saw strange words like “pupusas,” “ceviche” and “yucca.” I knew being unable to pronounce them wouldn’t be a problem since I have a lot of experience slaughtering unfamiliar words while pointing at a menu. But I also saw words my wife, who’s part Puerto Rican, taught me to love, like “empanadas,” “tostones” and “enchilada.” So I knew I’d find something I’d enjoy.
Walking in the door at 11 a.m. on a Monday morning was a pleasure. It was a beautiful day, Latin music was pouring through the open door, and the young lady scribbling the day’s specials on a chalkboard greeted me with a smile big enough to make me forget about my deadlines.
I quickly realized Conga Latin is no Tex-Mex redux. Almost immediately after picking a booth and taking a seat, the elderly woman I mentioned earlier brought a basket of fried plantains (a vegetable that looks similar to a banana) and a trio of salsas to my table. It was a refreshing change from complementary chips you get at most Mexican restaurants. I asked if any of the salsas were mild, which appeared to amuse her, and decided the mango sounded the least incendiary.
It was delicious.
A few minutes later, the kindly old woman brought a chicken tamale wrapped in a steaming plantain leaf to my table. “You will try this,” she said. Who was I to argue? As I took my first bite, I instantly fell in love with Conga Latin. The plantain leaf gives the enchilada a unique flavor different from those wrapped in a corn husk, for example. But my enjoyment was based on more than one subtle difference; from the corn-based dough to the filling, the tamale tasted wonderful, like something lovingly made by hand only a few feet away.
The surprises were far from over. Determined to try something new, I pointed at and mispronounced “pupusas” when the server took my order. Pupusas are thick corn tortillas stuffed with any variety of fillings and cooked on a griddle. I ordered two stuffed with beans and cheese.
I chose wisely.
Conga Latin server pupusas with a side of slaw unlike any I have tasted. After a couple of bites, I ditched the slaw and ate just the pupusa, which like the tamale, tasted incredible.
I topped off my meal with a crepe stuffed with Nutella and strawberries. As I ate my fill and the lunch crowd poured in, I wondered if I’d have anything unenthusiastic to say about Conga Latin. I guess the decor is a little sparse, but with food as good as they serve, who cares?
I became instantly addicted to Conga Latin. The next day, I returned and ate vegetarian tostadas, which come with beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream and avocado slices piled onto a homemade fried corn tortilla. They were, without reservations, the best tostadas I’d ever eaten. Washing them down with a “500 ML” bottle of Coke made them ever better.
Chattanooga has its share of standard Mexican fare but also its buried treasures. Conga Latin is one of the latter. If you enjoy Mexican or Latino food, it should be at the top of our list to try.
Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.