Papa Vomito: a taste of Colombia in Iloilo

Some precious gems are hidden but people travel far and wide to find them. So much like Papa Vomito, the only Colombian restaurant in Iloilo City that is located in Jesena-Guzman Street, district of Mandurriao.

Upon entering Papa Vomito, we were greeted with festive Cumbia music that instantly put us in a lively mood. The restaurant is small and cozy and the design gave us a peek of Colombian culture.

Papa Vomito’s best-sellers: Papas Super Vomito, Mundialistas and Mazorca Salchica

As we waited for our food to be served, we looked at the mural that shows a bit of Colombian culture.

There is an image of a couple dancing to Cumbia, a popular Latin American courtship dance.  Both are dressed in traditional Spanish attire whose main features are the woman’s multi-layered skirt and the red scarf around the man’s neck.

Papas Super Vomito – cheese, sausages, ham and papitas

The wall art also shows football players which reflects Colombians’ love for the sport. According to Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), there are 3,043,229 football players in Colombia alone. Their football team ranks seventh in the FIFA World Rankings.

The mural also shows alcoholic drinks and fruit drinks. Colombian people love drinking beer, whiskey, tequila, gin, and their very own aguardiente (alcoholic drink derived from sugar cane and flavored with anise), among others. Papa Vomito’s alcoholic drink is Mojito de la Casa. They also serve fruit beverages, high consumption of which, is noted in Colombia. At Papa Vomito, they mix them with mint (which makes the juices refreshing), and serve them in mason jars.

Mundialistas – hamburger that consists of beef patty, bacon, ham, sausage, cheese, and coleslaw

Papa Vomito serves Papas (potatoes), Mazorca (corn), Hamburguesas (hamburger) and Perros (hot dogs).

Potatoes are a common ingredient in Colombian food. At Papa Vomito, the feast comes with cheese, sausages and more. Their varieties are:

·  Papas Super Vomito – a best-seller with its huge serving of fries, cheese, sausages, ham and papitas (sliced fried potatoes a.k.a. French fries)

·  Salchi Pollo - sausage, chicken, cheese and papitas

·  Papas Sencillo - sausage, cheese, eggs and papitas

·  Chili Papa - Spanish chorizo, cheese and papitas

·  Papas El Rodadero - sausage, ham, chicken, cheese and papitas

·  Papas Vomito Mixta - sausage, chicken, bacon, cheese and papitas

Perros Chilli con Carne 

Hot dogs and hamburgers are popular street foods in Colombia. Papa Vomito’s hot dog varieties are Classica and Perros Salvaje while their hamburgers are:

·  Sencillo – beef patty with chorizo, cheese and coleslaw

·  Mundialistas – beef patty with bacon, ham, sausage, cheese and coleslaw

Their corn dishes are:

·  Pollo (Desmenusado) – corn with crumbled chicken

·  Salchica - corn with sausage

·  Mixta – corn with chicken and sausage

Mazorca Salchica - corn with sausage

They have four special sauces that make their dishes taste special. In Iloilo, only owner Rachelle Date knows how to make them.

Rachelle and her husband Daniel have traveled to many countries and they swear that Colombian food is the best they have ever tasted. So, she learned their cooking style and their special sauces and then brought these to Iloilo.

Cumbia is a Latin American dance that is popular in Colombia. While it looks Spanish, the dance has an African origin.

They are open from Monday to Saturday from 3 pm to 9 pm. However, when Rachelle is not around, the restaurant is closed. This is my observation after my failed second and third visits.

Yes, I traveled the distance (I live outside the city) just to experience again Papa Vomito’s delicious offerings. Rachel said that they will open in Megaworld soon. By then, they will have found a way to prepare their special sauces ahead and store them so that when the owner is not around, the staff can prepare the dishes.

So, if you are planning to visit, inform them ahead. Send a message to 0999 717 8027. Their mouth-watering offerings will be worth your trip. For updates, you may visit their Facebook page: Papa Vomito /