Orinoco Harvard Square Menu (Update 2025)
Welcome to Orinoco Harvard Square, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Cambridge, MA, specializing in authentic Venezuelan cuisine. Here, every dish tells a story, blending rich flavors and traditional recipes to captivate your palate.
The menu features an enticing array of antojitos such as the delectable datiles, bacon-wrapped almond-filled dates, and the savory mini costillitas, tender baby-back ribs coated in guava BBQ. Don’t miss the comforting sopa de calabaza, a roasted butternut squash soup that’s delightfully creamy without the cream.
For a heartier option, indulge in the empanadas, especially the mechada, filled with stewed shredded beef. Wrap up your meal with a rich dessert like the torta fluida, made from fine Venezuelan chocolate, ensuring a sweet end to your culinary journey at Orinoco.
Antojitos
Cocas
Spanish flatbread, two types:Championes: sauted oyster & shitake mushrooms with garlic, manchego cheese, arugula, shaved black truffles, porcini glaze; or Guayaba: guava preserve, goat cheese, arugula, fig glaze.
Datiles
bacon wrapped, almond-filled dates.
Empanada Single
traditional corn flour turnover.
Maracuchitos
queso paisa wrapped in sweet plantains.
Mini Costillitas
apple cider, slow-steamed, baby-back ribs with guava BBQ, tapas-style.
Tequeos
guayans cheese wrapped in crisp dough and served with chipotle ketchup.
Trio de Empanadas
queso blanco, domino, and mechada empanadas with signature mojo.
Sopa de Calabaza
Roasted butternut squash soup with coconut milk and tajada (does not contain cream).
Quesillo
homemade traditional Venezuelan custard with caramel.
Torta Fluida
molten chocolate cake made with 100% Venezuelan dark chocolate.
Desserts
Empanadas
Empanada Mechada
Venezuelan style stewed shredded beef with a fresh greens salad tossed with queso blanco, sherry vinaigrette and mojo criollo.
Family Meal-Costillita (2)
Passionfruit babyback ribs and yuca fries with mojo for 2 people.
Family Meal-Costillita (4)
Passionfruit babyback ribs and yuca fries with mojo for 4 people.
Family Meal-Pabellon (2)
Shredded beef, rice, sweet plantains and black beans for 2 people.
Family Meal-Pabellon (4)
Shredded beef, rice, sweet plantains and black beans for 4 people.
Family Meal-Pollo Adobo (2)
Pollo Adobo with rice & beans and sweet plantains for 2 people.
Family Meal-Pollo Adobo (4)
Pollo Adobo with rice & beans and sweet plantains for 4 people.
Family Meals -Takeout Only
Main Dishes
Adobo Smoked Churrasco
12oz quick smoked strip-steak churrasco, char-grilled with a panela-red- wine-glaze, arugula salad in a balsamic vinaigrette.
Atun
adobo-rubbed high-grade yellow-fin tuna seared and served with arugula sun-dried tomato vinaigrette salad and toasted pepitas
Chuleta
Dry chile-spiced rubbed Pork Loin chop with orange mermelada and French fries.
Cordero
pistachio-panela-plantain crusted NZ lamb chops with mint mojo, arugula/Cabrales cheese salad.
Costillita
apple cider juice slow-steamed baby-back ribs with guava BBQ sauce & yuca fries.
La Primera Burger
Pork/chorizo patty, Manchego cheese, Peruvian criollo salad. rocoto aioli, chipotle ketchup. On a brioche bun with truffle-salted hand cut fries.
Pabellon Criollo
shredded beef, white rice, black beans and plantains.
Panela Salmon
panela-Rum marinated salmon, cook to order, served over Aji Amarillo creamed quinoa with jicama/arugula salad and broken olive vinaigrette.
Parrilla Caraquena
grill plate with a seasoned 4oz strip steak, 1/4 marinated chicken, chorizo, guasacaca, and yuca frita with mojo.
Pollo Adobo
adobo criollo marinated-halved chicken with oregano oil and grilled scallions...17add malanga gnocchi in a trumpet mushroom cream (5.50)
Polvorosa de Pollo
Criollo chicken guiso in a polvorosa (flaky) dough pie served with spring mix and mango chutney.
Roasted Portobella Arepa
portabella-filled arepa made with sweet roasted corn and anise seedswith sauted wild mushrooms, sweet corn and spinach and huitlacoche sauce.
Ensalada Orinoco
grilled chicken breast, fresh greens salad with red onions, green grapes,tossed in a sherry vinaigrette, topped with toasted almonds.
Ensalada Palmito
heart of palm, fresh greens and red onions, tossed in a Cabrales cheese vinaigrette, with bacon wrapped dates.
Ensalada Remolacha con Cabra
roasted beets twith a fresh green salad, red onions, in a sherry vinaigrette with fresh goat cheese and pine nuts (add chicken 3.00).