Maybe it was the sun, salsa music or the small disco light, but Wednesday night on Aberdeen’s Belmont Street had never felt so balmy.
Forgetting the mid-week troubles and tiredness, as my mum and I clinked our fresh juices at La Tiendita del Sabor, we felt like we were on holiday.
The draping coloured flags, yellow roses on every table and vibrant decor only added to this feeling.
With my foodie mum freshly arrived in Aberdeen, I decided to treat her to somewhere new and La Tiendita del Sabor had been on my list since February.
Our evening ended up including not just incredible food, but live music, a bit of salsa and a night we would never forget.
But I am getting ahead of myself…
About La Tiendita del Sabor
A family-run business, La Tiendita del Sabor is run by Carmelo and Glenda Diotaiuti and their two children, Camilla and Victor.
The family of four have been offering Venezuelan delights to the city of Aberdeen for four years.
However, this year they decided to open a restaurant, first being based above Foodstory before moving to their premise on Belmont Street in May.
Before moving to Aberdeen, they were well-known in London for their beautiful cachapas where they served numerous customers for nine years – apparently even including the likes of former Prime Minister Theresa May.
Inside the Venezuelan restaurant on Belmont Street
After navigating Belmont Street’s cobbles with a wheeled suitcase, we stepped through the restaurant doors and were greeted warmly by mother and daughter, Glenda and Camilla.
Only one other table in the surprisingly well-seated small space was taken so we opted for a window seat.
Grabbing the two menus – one for meat eaters and another for vegan and vegetarian options – we were impressed by the amount of dishes on offer.
A pictured menu at the front of the restaurant also helped to keep first-timers like ourselves understand what each dish looked like.
However, 10 minutes in Camilla could see we were struggling to choose and offered her advice.
Gratefully nodding our heads, she suggested the beef cachapa (£14) and chicken and chorizo arepa.
After saying yes, I also went up to add two of the fresh drinks to our order: the Papelón con limón (£6) and tres en uno (£6).
Decision made, we sat back and enjoyed watching Glenda and Camilla at work.
The restaurant is set up with a kitchen in the front of house so customers can watch how the food is made.
With all their dishes being homemade, even their cheeses and sauces, Glenda said proudly their food is healthy and natural, and a lot of it is also gluten-free.
As such, they like people being able to watch them prepare their delicious goods and know they are in good hands.
The food at La Tiendita del Sabor
Once our drinks were ready, I quickly grabbed them from the kitchen.
The Papelón con limón was a sugary boost.
Made from rapadura (brown cane sugar), water and lemon juice, it is a Venezuelan beverage that often pairs well with arepas and cachapas.
Being very refreshing, I could see why it is popular in the hotter climate.
My favourite though was the tres es uno. Bright pink in colour, the drink is made of beetroot, carrot and orange.
This might sound like a strange mix but the result was a very fresh-tasting and light beverage that I could not stop sipping.
Then Camilla announced the food was ready.
Presented on a bright yellow plate in an enamel bowl, our eyes popped when we got our first glance at the arepa (£12).
It was filled to the brim.
The homemade gluten-free flatbread had been cut and stuffed with a creamy chicken mix, pan-fried chorizo, avocado, cheese and topped with a fresh sauce.
The bread made with cornflour was fluffy and paired well with the shredded chicken mix.
Adding in the saltiness of the chorizo and the creamy freshness of the avocado, it was a unique and yummy mix.
The avocado and spicy salsa sauces, which were served with the dishes, made for a lovely addition, especially towards the end when it was mainly chicken and the bread left.
After eating my half, mum and I swapped plates.
For those unfamiliar with a cachapa, it is a savoury-sweet corn pancake usually stuffed with cheese and filling.
And after hearing mum delighting at every bite, I was excited to try it.
Diving in with a knife and fork, it did not disappoint.
The corn pancake was crispy and fresh and provided a slightly sweet base to the dish.
The pulled beef was juicy and lightly spiced while the stewed black beans, gooey cheese and fried plantain was a wonderful mix. Particularly when adding in the fresh baby spinach and sliced avocado.
With so many fillings, every mouthful tasted different making it very easy to devour despite how full we quickly became.
Eventually admitting defeat with a few traces of our food left, we went up to pay.
We also grabbed a £6 quesillo (a Venezuelan flan) to take away in case our appetite returned.
An unforgettable night
When were asked how it was by Camilla and Glenda, my mum told them it was the best she had eaten in a long time – high praise from a former chef.
As we chatted about the food, we asked about their family and business and the four of us quickly became fast friends.
Speaking with a mix of English, Spanish and expressive gestures, we swapped dog photos, stories of our grandparents and a shared love of food and family.
At some point, do not ask me how this happened, the mums did a bit of salsa dancing and Camilla, who we found out is also a professional singer, gave us an impressive performance from behind the counter.
An hour later, as some more customers came in, we thought we should probably get our bus and hugged our new friends goodbye.
But as mum and I walked down Union Street with our quesillo in hand, we could not stop smiling or chatting about our night and realised we had experienced something special at La Tiendita Del Sabor.
And we would not be forgetting it any time soon.
The verdict
Our time at La Tiendita del Sabor was a memorable one.
The food was fresh, healthy and delicious and the portions were very generous.
The restaurant itself is colourful and full of character and the warmth and friendliness from Camilla and Glenda showed their pride in their family business and joy in serving and speaking to people.
Their restaurant is a welcome addition to the heart of Aberdeen and their friendliness and the quality of food mean the next visit is never far away…
Information
Address: 8 Belmont Street, Aberdeen AB10 1JE
W: instagram.com/la_tiendita_del_sabor_/
Price: £44 for two mains, two drinks and one dessert.
Disabled access: Yes (just not a lot of space in the restaurant).
Dog friendly: Yes.
Scores:
- Food: 5/5
- Service: 5/5
- Surroundings: 4/5
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