What Is a Picada? The Latin Platter for Sharing

A picada is a Latin platter of meats and sides made for sharing, and at Sofrito Latin Cafe it comes as the Picada for Two. It puts tenderloin steak, chicken, pork belly and chorizo on one order with fried yuca, tostones, mini fried arepas, queso de mano and salad. Here’s how it compares with the Argentine and Colombian picadas, and whether it suits your table.

Key Takeaways

A picada is a shared platter, and the Picada for Two at Sofrito Latin Cafe sits in the Classic section with nine printed parts.

It’s on the lunch and dinner menu with two tags: GF (Gluten Free) and “Sofrito Special”, not a country.
The steak is tenderloin, not the skirt steak used for churrasco.
Its meats, yuca and arepas line up with the Colombian picada far more than with the Argentine one.
You can share it in the dining room or order it online for pickup.

One Word, Two Platters: Is a Picada Argentine or Colombian?

Argentina and Colombia both serve a dish called picada, but the Argentine board and the Colombian platter are built from very different foods.

In Argentina and Uruguay, a picada centers on cheeses, cured meats, fermented sausages, olives and peanuts, according to Wikipedia’s Rioplatense picada entry. For Argentines, it’s a big snack tray and a reason to gather, as America’s Test Kitchen puts it.

The Colombian picada is a different platter. Wikipedia’s Colombian picada entry says the word means chopped and lists steak, chicken, arepa, potato, yuca, morcilla, chorizo, chicharrón, pork and plantain, usually fried and served on large platters at gatherings.

What Comes on the Picada for Two at Sofrito Latin Cafe?

The Picada for Two at Sofrito Latin Cafe lists nine parts: four meats, fried yuca, tostones, mini fried arepas, queso de mano and a salad.

The menu prints it exactly like this: “Tenderloin steak, chicken, pork belly, chorizo, fried yuca, tostones, mini fried arepas, queso de mano & salad (Sofrito Special).” You’ll find the Picada for Two in the Classic section of the lunch and dinner menu.

The steak is tenderloin, not the skirt steak used for churrasco. Two parts also show up on the menu as sides: fried yuca and tostones.

The menu tags the platter “Sofrito Special” rather than naming a country, and it also carries a GF (Gluten Free) tag.

How Close Is the Picada for Two to a Colombian Picada?

The Picada for Two matches the Colombian picada on meats, yuca and arepas, then adds queso de mano and a salad of its own.

Both lists include steak, chicken, chorizo, pork, yuca and arepa. The Colombian list also names potato, morcilla and chicharrón, and none of those appear on the printed menu line.

The details differ too. The Colombian list just says steak and pork, while the menu names tenderloin and pork belly. The arepas come as mini fried arepas.

So the platter sits much closer to the Colombian picada than to the Argentine board. The menu still tags it “Sofrito Special”, though, and that’s the label it goes by.

Who Should Order the Picada for Two?

The Picada for Two suits a pair who’d rather share one platter of four meats and five sides than order two separate plates.

It fits a couple splitting dinner in the dining room, or two hotel guests on Palm Parkway taking it back to the room. It’s also an easy first order for anyone new to the menu, since one platter covers steak, chicken, pork belly and chorizo.

If you’re picturing the Argentine board from the first section, this isn’t that platter.

The Short Version

A picada is a Latin platter for sharing, and the Picada for Two at Sofrito Latin Cafe holds four meats and five sides. It sits closer to the Colombian picada than the Argentine one.

FAQ

A picada is a Latin platter of meats and sides made for sharing, and Sofrito Latin Cafe serves one as the Picada for Two.

What steak is on it?

Tenderloin steak. It’s a different cut from the skirt steak in churrasco. The menu prints tenderloin steak first on the Picada for Two, ahead of the chicken, pork belly and chorizo, so the steak shares the platter with three other meats rather than standing on its own.

What is queso de mano?

It’s the cheese printed on the Picada for Two, and the queso de mano guide explains it in full. Don’t mix it up with the menu item named Queso de Mano, which is an arepa. On the Picada for Two, the cheese shares the platter with fried yuca, tostones, mini fried arepas and salad.

Is picada the same as picadillo?

No, they’re different dishes. The Beef Picadillo on the menu is ground beef, while a picada is a shared platter. At Sofrito Latin Cafe, the picada comes as the Picada for Two. It puts tenderloin steak, chicken, pork belly and chorizo on one order with fried yuca, tostones, mini fried arepas, queso de mano and salad.

Is the platter gluten free?

The menu tags the Picada for Two GF (Gluten Free). It includes fried yuca and mini fried arepas, so guests with gluten concerns should ask the staff about shared fryers. For more, see the gluten free guide to Latin food near Disney Springs.

Can I order it for pickup?

Yes. You can order online for pickup and collect it on Palm Parkway in Orlando. It works for two hotel guests on Palm Parkway taking it back to the room, and you can also share it in the dining room if you’d rather eat in. Sofrito Latin Cafe is five minutes from Disney Springs.

Where Can You Share a Picada Near Disney Springs?

Sofrito Latin Cafe is on Palm Parkway in Orlando, five minutes from Disney Springs, and serves the Picada for Two at lunch and dinner.

Sofrito Latin Cafe

8607 Palm Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32836

(407) 778-4205

Hours: 8am to 9pm Sun to Thu, 8am to 10pm Fri to Sat

References

Picada (Colombian cuisine), Wikipedia
Picada (Rioplatense cuisine), Wikipedia
The 9 Essential Elements of Picada Argentina, the Country’s Snack Board, America’s Test Kitchen