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Tomato Cocina Latina
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
70 Westgate PkwyAsheville, NC 28806
(828) 254-5046
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Tomato Cocina Latina
Review Highlights
"Delicious sangria and amazing chips and salsa."
(in 3 reviews)
"all served with rice and beans, plantains, and fresh salsa."
(in 3 reviews)
"Oh, and the fried plantains."
(in 6 reviews)
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30 reviews in English
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Review from rhonda w.
Asheville, NC
4/13/2011
We're locals of Asheville and love this place. It's our own little hidden gem, but we want them to stick around so we don't mind sharing. The Papusa's are amazing, and the free chips & salsa... yummmm. We both get La Kristina, I think it's called, and love love love it. We usually eat here for lunch, about once a week.
It has delicious veggy options. The place is huge so it feels empty. It's quiet and easy to have kids at. EarthFare is next door so you can get some shopping done after.
One of the best in Asheville, but no one knows yet! -
Review from Jill G.
Raleigh, NC
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
We stopped here for lunch just as we arrived for our weekend in Asheville thanks to the high rating on yelp.
Was a little surprised it was in a strip mall, but that didn't detract from the experience. We both glanced at the menu for about ten seconds before deciding we'd just do buffet bc we could just try so many more things, and for such a great deal!
I realllly liked the rice and beans, and there was a beef and mushroom dish that was great! My bf enjoyed the veggie pupusas and ropa vieja. Save yourself room for something better and skip the chicken enchiladas. -
Review from Alicia S.
Weaverville, NC
12/28/2011
Food is good Latin ( not Mexican) food. Slow service and the kitchen had a hard time keeping food on the buffet. At least it was hot and fresh, you just had to keep waiting for food to be put out which was a bit of an incontinence
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Review from Doug D.
Los Angeles, CA
5/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Four stars for Asheville.
I've been looking for a real Mexican food place in town. I think I've found it. It is really salvadoran with lots of Mexican and Central American items.
Good lunch buffet for $7.50!
Next to earth fare. -
Review from Jared R.
Asheville, NC
10/30/2011
Good buffet. Reasonable Price. Location is not the greatest. Would return again
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Review from Chris S.
Asheville, NC
Went here for the first time tonight, based on all of the great reviews. I was not disappointed. Food was excellent. I hesitate to give it 5 stars until I have eaten there at least 2-3 more times. I can't believe I had not tried it before, considering I go to Earth Fare regularly. Great service as well!
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Review from Michael L.
Decatur, GA
11/5/2010
Wow. Seriously, Wow. Having had my share of "latin" food in Atlanta (Papi's, Havana's, La Fonda) and tons of Mexican in San Diego, I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary at Tomato.
But.....there is LOVE in this food! Some seriously passionate LOVE!
Here's what we had:
Chicken Tamale- the four of us split this just for an appetizer, and were pretty blown away by how CREAMY the cornmeal was, and how flavorful the chicken was inside it. Best tamale I've ever had...this coming from someone who went to school in San Diego....
Entrees
1) Bandeja Salvadorena- Grilled skirt steak cooked medium, chicken, shrimp, avocado and chimol, black beans and rice ($13.50). Sounds pretty ordinary, no? But everything was done PERFECTLY.
The rice had the perfect texture (no hard dried up bits), not too wet, not dry, just right. The touch of avocado slices atop the rice made the rice that much more delicious.
The skirt steak, while not of the highest quality, was cooked perfectly, and seasoned with just enough flavor so as not to mask the flavor of the meat, but complement it with enough salt and a tinge of pepper.
The white filet of chicken breast looked quite like an ordinary grilled piece of flattened white meat. But it tasted so good. Again, not too much salt, just right, and not overdried, which isn't always easy to do.
The shrimp, though it definitely tasted like it was from the freezer, was grilled and seasoned to perfection. Ok, I know that sounds weird that I give a pass on frozen shrimp like that, but seriously, it was good.
The black beans....were also THE BEST I've ever had by far. I can't believe it was this good. Not too watery, yet not overcooked to the point where the beans were dissolving into mush. Wasn't overly salty. Just right. (getting the trend here?) Oh, and the fried plantains? You guessed it. Perfect. Not greasy! Crispy outer shell. AWESOME. (5)
2) Seafood Paella- Again, I'm going to give them a pass on frozen seafood, because it's Asheville, not Vancouver. This paella is on the wetter/soupier side. No complaints from us. Plenty of shrimp, mussels, scallops littered throughout the dish, complemented with some chorizo sausage. All kinds of tasty. (4.5)
3) Ropa Vieja- I only got a bite of this dish, but yea, it was awesome as well. Beef wasn't overcooked- it's easy to overcook whenever you stew beef... augh. Just Tasty. (4)
I forgot the 4th entree we ordered....but suffice it to say, everyone cleaned off their plates. There was literally nothing left on each of our plates. We were pretty blown away by this food. This is the first "blown away" restaurant we've been to in Asheville....and it's not even in downtown!
Forget going to the super popular breakfast places- get you and your friends here to eat...and you will NOT be disappointed.Listed in: A trip to Asheville, NC
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Review from Rebecca B.
Asheville, NC
8/5/2011
This is definitely more El Salvadoran than anything. I really had a great meal and will be a repeat customer.
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Review from H P.
Asheville, NC
6/29/2010
Really great latin food, super cheap too. At lunch less than 6 bucks gets you a huge entree that comes with fresh chips and salsa.
Fried yuca, pupusas, tamales all great. Tacos are the real kind with soft corn tortillas and cilantro. Beans are black beans, not refried.
Everything has tons of flavor. Good vegetarian options. -
Review from Jon J.
Rock Hill, SC
6/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hands down the best Mexican / Latin food I have had in a while. The Chile Relleno is astounding!
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Review from Lori O.
Asheville, NC
9/26/2008
I've eaten at Salvadoran restaurants, general Latin American fusion-type places, tapas bars, Mexican and Tex-Mex joints, and I think this place rates very near the top of the list. Delicious, abundant food, friendly and fast service, very reasonable prices, and a fun atmosphere.
First of all, I think the tomato salsa they serve with chips is the best anywhere. Last night my dinner companion and I shared a bandeja salvadoreña, a huge platter of black beans, faintly tomato-ey rice, skirt steak, chicken breast, shrimp, fresh pico de gallo, beautiful avocado slices, and perfectly fried plantains. Central American food at its absolute best. One plate was more than enough for two good eaters to share, honest.
I can't wait to bring my whole family here. My only problem will be deciding whether to repeat that terrific or try something else on the menu, which is full of options, from Spanish to Latin American (from paella to pupusa, you might say). -
Review from Margaret G.
Weaverville, NC
8/4/2008
This is the best Mexican restaurant in Asheville, hands down. The salsa is chock full of fresh cilantro, the tortilla chips are handmade and the steak is perfect!
The Sangria is quite lovely, but watch out because it tends to evaporate quickly.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Rosalind C.
Atlanta, GA
1/4/2009
In true Asheville fashion, this place serves up some great meatless options. For starters, the papusas. Incredible is the word to describe the squash and cheese papusas. Great texture and flavor, I am sure the meat filled ones are delicious as well.
I had the veggie paella and it was delicious, with a great assortment of fresh vegetables mixed in to the rice mixture.
Just one note of warning if you are a thin tortilla chip fan, these bad boys are thick! I enjoyed them, but living in Tejas the past four years, I know that some people are particular about the their chip thickness. Try this place out, it's really good! -
Review from guido s.
Candler, NC
3/6/2009
I agree with the others, the first thing you eat here is their yummy salsa. Very red, thick, and full of goodness!
I tried their Yuca. I still have no idea what Yuca is, but it's one of the best apps I've had anywhere, hands down. Extremely good.
The paella wasn't real 'paella' by any stretch of the imagination, but OK otherwise. Other entrees plus dessert were great! This isn't your "Chapala" combination plate with brown sauce covering everything kind of place. It's not Mexican food at all. The place reminds me of La Fonda down in Atlanta, which is also great! Prices are very reasonable for what you get. -
Review from Beverly B.
Asheville, NC
3/11/2009
Excellent food - have been here several times, once with visitors to Asheville. Their salsa and chips are to die for - fresh. Shrimp with red sauce delicious. Pupusas tasty, potato chips tasty, veggie tamales fresh.
We asked questions the first time we were in and the waitress was replaced by a very pleasant young man who has since stepped up to our table whenever we go and remembers us.
we have tried the 'tres leches' - awesome - and the 'flan' - also awesome. slight nod to the 'tres leches' because i had never had it before. -
Review from Roger H.
Asheville, NC
7/25/2010
Great great Latin food in a nice atmoshere. Not a taqueria! Which I love of course, despite the More upscale setting, it has traditional food. The papusas are simlpy amazing and I couldn't believe I found them in Asheville! I had a fresh trout dish serves Honduran style... Melted in my mouth. Served with black beans, plantains and saffron rice!!! Highly recommended! Lots of food and very reasonably priced.
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Review from Tim W.
Asheville, NC
2/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent carne asada. Presentation could be improved.
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Review from Lydia R.
Asheville, NC
4/18/2009
Really good food here. Each dish has a nice variety of foods, not just a meat with one side. The vegetarian option La Kristina is so tasty - rice and beans with avocado, plantains, a soft, tortilla-like bread and cheese. Had a non-alcoholic drink called Horchata that was a very yummy vanilla/peanut/sesame seed combo. The Sangria tastes better than at the more pricey Zambra.
The only minus is the location of the front tables, which are right beside the front door and really exposed to cold draft in the winter. Otherwise it's cute and atmospheric with a guitar player wandering the restaurant. Check it out! -
Review from Brian M.
Atlanta, GA
Updated - 7/5/2011
We stopped here on the way down to Atlanta purely based on the Yelp recommendations. We were very very happy with the results. Be careful with the milkshakes though - they have coffee in them (which I hate).
1 Previous Review:
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3/26/2011
Stopped in based on Yelp recommendations on the way down to Atlanta. Nothing short of amazing.
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Review from Stephen N.
Atlanta, GA
7/2/2011
Went to dinner last night. Chicken tamales were a big hit. Could have made a few of those as an entrée portion. The carne asada-style skirt steak was a bit of perfection. Go, enjoy.
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Review from Opal L.
Asheville, NC
8/23/2008
This really isn't a Mexican restaurant; they offer food from a variety of Central American styles. And that's one of the reasons why it's so good - it's not the typical bland Tex-Mex found around here! Cocina Latina's food will make your tongue sing, and as far as I can tell, nothing is canned. Make sure you get the tres leches cake. Trust me.
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Review from David D.
Asheville, NC
5/10/2011
I've been a fan of this place since it's old location on Patton Avenue. I was really excited to hear they now have a lunch buffet, but a little worried the quality might drop off a little on a buffet. No need to worry - the buffet is great and will sure to become really popular once the word gets out on how good it is and what a good value for $7.49. Everything tasted so fresh and I tried everything on the buffet except the plantains. It's got a good mix of pork, chicken and beef dishes and enough choices for a vegetarian to be satisfied. The only thing it didn't have was desert. But other than that it had plenty of food. There wasn't anything on it I didn't like. This is one of the best buffets I've had in quite some time and one I'm sure to enjoy again and again.
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Review from Alli M.
Asheville, NC
3/11/2008
OMG this place is glorious. It's a cute little family restaurant run by Salvadorian folks. They've been in business for a few years now and over time have built up both the menu and the decor. What started as a bare-bones establishment now looks like it was decorated by Pier One and then menu has lots of tasty offerings that you won't find on a typical Mexican food menu. Papusas, fried yucca, squash in a cream sauce ... all served with rice and beans, plantains, and fresh salsa. The wine list is a worth a mention, too. All Spanish and South American wines, very reasonably priced and wonderful to sample.
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Review from Stephen L.
Asheville, NC
8/7/2009
Real name of place it Tomato Concina Latina. Interesting little place is the best way to sum it up due to it's Salvadoran cuisine, with Cuban and Spanish influences. But have enjoyed every meal I've ever had there despite not being familiar with the cuisine. I generally ask for a recommendation from the server and haven't been steered wrong yet. Okay, so food is great but for some reason the decor doesn't work for me. Not sure if it's because I feel a bit closed in when I'm there or it just doesn't appear to be a clean as I think it should. But it's still on my list of places to dine when I can't think of where to go and need a change of pace.
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Review from Kelly K.
Fairfax, VA
3/19/2011
This was a nice surprise, the food was authentic and unique. Lots of vegetarian options, not sure about vegan.
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Review from Nathan C.
Durham, NC
11/10/2009
Amazing. Not Mexican but rather Salvadoranian. Lunch is cheap and so good.
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Review from Dani M.
Portland, OR
1/21/2010
Delicious sangria and amazing chips and salsa. The steak was perfect as well.
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Review from cindy t.
San Diego, CA
7/6/2010
so, so good! first off, everything on the menu sounded so delicious which made it hard to pick what to eat for dinner. i ended up getting the bistec somethin. the portions were just enough and came with everything...rice beans, salsa, etc. i tried some other dishes as well and everything was good. the chips & salse were good too. i could have made a meal out of that and would have been happy, but my actual meal was above and beyond... if i lived in asheville, this definitely would become one of my fav restaurants.
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Review from Someone S.
Princeton, NJ
1/8/2011
Located near EarthFare in WestGate, this was a surprising find. Good Latin/Caribbean cuisine (not Mexican). The Carne Asada, Argentine Grilled Steak, Patatas Bravas, and Tres Leches were awesome. The Ropa Vieja was good. The chicken (Pollo ala Plancha) was a little dry and tough.
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Review from Ezra G.
Asheville, NC
1/10/2009
Hands down, some of the best food in town. The Tipico might just be the perfect lunch, filling, lots of flavors, not heavy.
