You will never hear me complain about having too many pizza joints, ever.

I'm proud to live in a part of the country where every strip mall has a pizzeria and nail salon, maybe even a Chinese restaurant.

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Sometimes, though, it's healthy to expand your horizons and try new types of cuisine.

I can't believe I just wrote that sentence. This comes from the person who could eat grilled chicken every day for a lifetime. Exciting, right?

How familiar are you with Columbian food?

Food from Columbia is all about flavor.

This is bandeja paisa. It's a popular lunchtime meal for Columbians and it is made with rice, plantain, arepa, which is a corn cake, avocado, minced meat, chorizo, black sausage, and fried pork rind, and there’s a fried egg to top it all off.

Bandeja paisa is the official dish of Columbia.

Photo by WOM | Creative Studio Verona
Photo by WOM | Creative Studio Verona
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Many think that empanadas are a Spanish dish, but no. Its roots are in Columbia.

Empanadas are stuffed pastries that are traditionally filled with meat, chicken, or cheese.

Empanadas are popular all over Latin America, but you know you're eating a Columbian empanada when they are deep-fried.

That is the Columbian signature.

I'm excited to announce that we can now enjoy authentic Columbian cuisine right here in Ocean County.

Facebook via Mendoza's
Facebook via Mendoza's
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Mendoza's Columbian Cafe is now open at 2770 Hooper Avenue in Brick right near Lidl.

Along with the delicious food, there's also legit Columbian coffee, too!

Best of luck to the crew at Mendoza's, and welcome to Brick!

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

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