Pollo Dorado

Ay carrumba! More great Latino food in Beltsville! In the mood for chicken, thought I'd try the new shop. It faces route 1 despite the side road address, just north of Powder Mill. Counter with sides on a steam table, tables and chairs pushed back in the corner, a rack of Latino baked goods next to the register. A bit of communication issue, but I ordered a half chicken by pointing to the menu, and headed home to enjoy it.The chicken was deeply marinated, tender and smoky. Black beans perfectly cooked and savory. Yuca a little crusty but good. Tasty sauce, medium had just enough kick. Generous serving, delicious food, and I got change from a $10. My nuevo favorito since Sardi's started getting corporate. Eager to try their other meats.

Think of this place as a solid Latin-American version of an old-school Jewish deli: various traditional dishes at the counter, you point to which one you want, and then choose 2-3 sides (like rice, beans, or a selection of salads - the Central American coleslaw being my favorite). I've been here 3 times and really appreciated the employees taking the time to explain to me what each dish was, bringing it to my table, and then not overcharging on anything. Also, it looks like there's a Latin bakery in the rear, so lots of good baked items to choose from. With the nice wood trim on the walls and customer service, they're really taking pride in the place, so I highly recommend.