Tezenda - Carmen de Viboral

If you like good burgers and great chicken wings, Tezenda, El Oriente's newest roadside pub will hit the spot. Tezenda is situated in the beautiful countryside of El Carmen de Viboral between La Ceja and San Antonio de Pereira. The restaurant recently opened with an energetic young owner/operator, named Juan, at the helm. The restaurant reminds me of an old-fashioned roadhouse on a country US highway. The restaurant is spacious and would have no problem accommodating a ho-down if cleared of chairs and tables. I was surprised to find a general store in the back that sells clothing, dry goods and equestrian gear...a concept very similar to the Cracker Barrel Restaurants back in the States. The ambiance in this restaurant is casual and comfortable with plenty of room to accommodate even large groups. There is a fully stocked bar which includes imported liquors and beer. All of us ordered different variations of hamburger combos. I selected the house special, the Tezenda burger, which consisted of a burger topped with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and a sweet jalapeno sauce. Customers have their choice of three kinds of rolls and a host of sauces to make their burger complete. The menu advertises a burger weighing 150 grams (a little more than 5 ounces.) My burger seemed to be significantly less than that, and I told Juan so. But having said that, my burger was delicious. one of the best in El Oriente. I will also remember to order my burger rare next time, because my medium rare burger was slightly overcooked. The steak fries which accompanied my burger were exquisite. Having said all that, the burger platter set me back about 20,000 pesos ($6.60 US,) and I was still hungry! I asked my wife and niece if they were still hungry, and would be willing to split a platter of 12 chicken wings. they both agreed that they were still "a little hungry." The 12 wings arrived smothered in sweet mustard sauce, and were among the best I have eaten in Colombia. The wings were juicy and tasty. and mildly seasoned to make them tantalizing. We were finally satisfied after finishing the wings. I shared some ideas with Juan regarding the menu which he seemed to appreciate. The check came to a little more than 100,000 pesos ($33 US) drinks and tips included. I would have given 5 stars to Tezenda because of the excellent quality of its food. The reason I only gave 4 stars is not because of quality, but because of quantity vs price. If Tezenda were to be a little less stingy with the size of its burgers, I might be a little less stingy with my grading. Overall, Tezenda is a great little roadside hang-out, and a spot that we will be vising again real soon.