TIERRA: IT’S CERTAINLY INSTAGRAM WORTHY BUT DOES IT TASTE AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS?
The Cost -$23 per person
The Atmosphere – You enter Tierra from a street that looks a bit like an alley but there is nothing alley-like about the restaurant once you walk in the front door. One of the most interesting features of the interior is that you walk down a narrow path that separates the two parts of the open kitchen immediately upon entering the restaurant. It is definitely an immersive way to begin your dining experience. Tierra features a lot of wood and brick and is decorated nicely. It is a good place for all kinds of meals including special occasions, dates, and gatherings with family and friends. Reservations are accepted and relatively casual attire is acceptable (though we wouldn’t recommend athletic wear).
Opened in 2019, Tierra, which is located in the Chapinero district of Bogota, is a modern, Japanese-Peruvian restaurant that has a beautifully curated Instagram feed. From its cocktails to its desserts, everything at the restaurant seems to photograph well and that seems to be a well-thought-through part of your dining experience. What doesn’t seem to be so well-thought-through is the menu; its lack of focus and cohesion is a bit unnerving. You can not only choose from sushi and ceviche options (which you would expect from a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant) but tacos, burrata, and pasta dishes as well.
The Order – Croquetas de Jaiba, Pulpo al Carbon, Ceviche Mixto, and Asado de Tira.
The Good – Three of the four dishes ordered received a Good rating, meaning that they were satisfying but that they aren’t something we’d rush to order again. The Croquetas de Jaiba, crab croquettes, came four to the order and were stuck to the plate with a bit of potato puree. They were garnished on top with some tomato and served with a leche de tigre dip, which was good but wasn’t easy to combine with the croquetas because of the textures. The crab filling, the most important part, was solid, but isn’t anything that is going to blow your mind.
The Pulpo al Carbon, a grilled octopus dish, wins this meal’s award for best presentation. The long octopus tentacle is plated in a circular shape over a bed of mashed plantains that have the texture of a smooth applesauce. The plantains are cold, sweet, and quite good on their own but unfortunately did not combine well with the hot, savory octopus or the tomato and onion salsa that was also part of the dish. Individually, these ingredients were great but in this case, the whole was not better than the sum of its parts.
The Asado de Tira, a slow-cooked bone-in short rib, was the only main course ordered. The meat came with a panela glaze and the entrée also consisted of some corn, beans, creamy mashed plantains, and microgreens on top. The short rib was tender but while it was flavorful, it was overpowered by the very strong microgreens which ruined the otherwise tasty meat. The restaurant likely added the greens to assist with the presentation and photographability of the dish, but that was a huge mistake.
The Okay – The Ceviche Mixto seemed like a great choice based on its menu description – fish, octopus and shrimp ceviche in aguachile and suero costeño with cucamelón and crunchy corn pieces. However, the execution was not good. Between the quality of the seafood ingredients, which were not up to par, and the fact that the octopus was served warm which made the otherwise cold appetizer lose its feeling of freshness, the dish was a miss. The feeling of freshness is one of the most important things in a ceviche and the fact that this ceviche did not have it was a big problem. The dish also felt a little bare, with most of it just tasting like seafood in lime juice; more corn and a better suero costeño would have helped.
The Verdict – If you are looking for a meal to impress people with on Instagram, Tierra is a great option. However, if you are looking for a restaurant with great food, Tierra is certainly not the best spot in Bogota. Check out some of our other Bogota reviews to get a better idea of where you might be able to find some tastier options and better values.