Centro Latin Kitchen

Elite '08

5

24

Dulcie F.

Longmont, CO

When I first read that Centro was opening, I remember that the owner said the food would be very reasonably priced with nothing over $14. Well, I've been a couple of times for dinner and almost everything is over $14! Last time my husband got a 16 dollar burrito! It was a fancy burrito, but it was still just a burrito. I don't even think it came with a side. The entrees are good, but we haven't found anything spectacular. I like the taco platters (these are in fact a mere $12) and have gotten the garlicky shrimp and the chicken.

The reason I give 4 stars is that I love the happy hour. $2 tacos (now we're talking) and $1.50 modelo especials. It has a great atmosphere, a nice patio, and the drinks are yummy. Just wish the happy hour was longer! It is from 3:30 to 5:30 everyday.

Also recommended, the (outrageously priced) Centro avocado salsa ($8). Have a couple of Dark & Stormy's and you'll forget you paid close to a tenner for some really delicious Guac.

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2

17

Lawrence W.

New Haven, CT

The wife and I were taken to Centro with some new friends.  We were really prepared to love it, but the food just didn't do it for us.

The service here was great, as was the case everywhere we've been in Boulder.  The waitress was very attentive and helpful, and the manager spent quite a bit of time at our table, chatting and even considering suggestions for improvements.

We all shared a salsa sampler appetizer -- for me this was the highlight of the meal (besides the fantastic company and aforementioned great service).  Each of the salsas had a distinct flavor, the best being the sweet and wonderfully spicy mango-habanero salsa.

I ordered the chicken and yams enchiladas.  I really wanted to love these, but they fell way short of my expectations.  The problem arose I believe from the fact that the 'yam' aspect of the enchilada actually featured the skin off of the yams, which if anything detracted from the other flavors.  The rice and enchilada sauce were also somewhat bland.  The butter beans accompanying the dish though were pretty tasty.  Wife had the rotisserie chicken, and was also disappointed with the lack of flavor and the taste of the tortillas (she did however really enjoy her Mojito).

For dessert, we had the churros, which were a crowd pleaser, but I couldn't get behind them (they tasted too much like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal).

At the end of the meal, we learned from the manager that all of Centro's offerings are gluten-free.  I doubt however that the lack of gluten impacted my impressions of the meal, but perhaps.  I suspect that if I drank alcohol, I might have enjoyed my Centro dining experience more.

That said, it was a very fun location for a meal -- certainly somewhere to go with a crowd.  However, if you're looking for a more of a great food experience, you might want to try elsewhere.

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43

385

dj soundra w.

San Francisco, CA

It has taken me time to realize that this restaurant is no longer Rhumba, but now I see. . .  The decor is most fabulous - of course, the location, outdoor patio and center-aisle bar are not hard to work with.  But, there was something; the chair was not on level-ground, so had to pick another chair :  ( ; then there was our waitress. . .   That is all I will say [for I also suffer with affliction, being a horrid waitress]; besides this, the  f o o d s  are truly delightful.  spinach, mushroom, bean tacos!  oh my.  and the grapefruit margs were not half bad themselves.  in fact, crystallized sugar beads dot the rim!  Must say, the drinks were very well-executed.  Beautiful - Mr. Bartender! . . . Not a lot of people in our age box tho, so. . . So, we paid and left.  The green salsa is fantastic!

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1

3

Delphine F.

Boulder, CO

I wish I could review the food here, but I didn't make it past the bar list. And after two caipirihas, the appetizer menu was as far as my eye could get too.

Those were fantastic caipirinhas - just the right mix of lime and cachaca, sweet but not too sweet. Strong, but not tasting quite as strong as they must have been... This place apparently prides itself on the margaritas, and, judging from the sip I tried, they certainly were good, but anyone can do a margarita - the caipirinha takes a little more skill...

Appetizers were good and reasonably priced - dinner entrees were a little too upscale for us that evening, but certainly looked delicious as they went by ($15-20 range - I had to give this place 4 stars as the appetizers were good and entrees looked good, but since I didn't try them, I wouldn't want to up anyone's expectations too high...).

The atmosphere friendly, the waitstaff entertaining (though our waiter did have a snake-skin belt that looked more snake than belt - slightly creepy, but cool. but creepy). The patio was gorgeous, for a Colorado summer evening. The lamps, bar and table settings were trendy in a hip nuevo Latino way. It would be a great place to impress a date. I would happily go again. If someone took me. (she types wistfully).

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3

14

Lisa R.

Boulder, CO

Great food, especially for the price. I also like the drinks although I think they were better back when the restaurant was called "Rhumba".

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Elite '08

71

94

Jessica B.

Golden, CO

On a hot Sunday afternoon, after wandering though Pearl Street, a french/latina friend and I (the whitest half Puerto-Rican on earth) dropped in to Centro after being told that Bacaro does not open for another half hour. We were greeted by a latin-american band belting out fantastic dance-inducing tunes.  We felt right at home, and ordered a round of Mojitos.  They were just the right mix of sugar, lime, rum and soda, but they were small.  My heart sank.  Until I saw a man with a pint glass-sized Mojito.  Time to call Matteo, our hot waiter.  Matteo promptly brought me a tall Mojito, and stole my heart. So the drinks are great, and can be large if requested.  We originally had not planned on stopping for food, but were tempted by the menu.  

Problem is, the Mojito's have clouded my memory about what exactly we ordered.  What I do remember is that the food was great.  

One star for hot, friendly waiters.
One star for effective beverages
One star for great latin-american comfort food
One star for a great band
-1 star because nothing is perfect.

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0

9

Sarah S.

Somerville, MA

I could've done without constantly having to shoo flies away from my food. I don't know if it was because they had the door opened or what, but I felt like I was eating in a barn.

The atmosphere in general was great, however. We got there a little early before a big rush of "hipsters", and while it got a little busy farther into the evening, the end of happy hour (dollar rum and cokes and 2 dollar tacos!) was very enjoyable.

My flank steak was really good. The flavors were bold and the meat just fell apart. My biggest complaint? It was Swimming in sauce. It was almost like an oily soup--totally drenched the bed of greens the steak was on. If I go there again, I'd ask if they could either use no sauce, or a 1/4 of what they usually put on the plate.

I'd definately go there again though. The guacamole is extra chunky-huge pieces of avacado really set off how fresh it is. Never browning or sloppy. It's clearly made to order. As it should be.

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