Photos: El Meson Criollo in Van Nuys
![Sancocho de cola, Colombian beef soup with potatoes, cassava and green plantains, and salad.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc88c49/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x402+0+0/resize/586x402!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F50%2F37%2F92ba3d13714a1410c961e7979467%2Fla-fo-find01-lc9h8xnc.jpg)
Sancocho de cola, Colombian beef soup with potatoes, cassava and green plantains, and salad. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
![El Meson Criollo / Van Nuys](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/29f7e26/2147483647/strip/true/crop/241x425+0+0/resize/241x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F20%2F4c4c77716cfd499fc0793491bc06%2Fla-fo-find02-lc9h8inc.jpg)
Empanadas as served at El Meson Criollo. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
![El Meson Criollo / Van Nuys](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/61de597/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x430+0+0/resize/586x430!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9e%2F7e%2Fec1baa4be08f2949fd2b8d694845%2Fla-fo-find03-lc9h7xnc.jpg)
The colorful dining room at El Meson Criollo. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
![El Meson Criollo](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eadd90f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x442+0+0/resize/586x442!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F59%2F92%2F3e0c96a4d44c21c91e6dd47dc88c%2Fla-fo-find04-lc9h9onc.jpg)
Bandeja messon criollo: rice, beans, carne asada, fried pork, egg, fried banana, avocado, pork sausage and arepa. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
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![El Meson Criollo / Van Nuys](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7c965e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/280x425+0+0/resize/280x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcb%2Ff1%2F0b6621d645d7c9d9dfae408d656b%2Fla-fo-find05-lc9h74nc.jpg)
Figurine of a classic chef in front of El Meson Criollo. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)