North KC Colombian restaurant braces for World Cup fans. ‘It’s out of control’

Kansas City streets will soon be painted in yellow as Colombian fans make their way to the Round of 32 match on Friday against Ghana.

While locals are excited to have the fiesta in their backyard, one of the few Colombian restaurants in the city is feeling overwhelmed.

Paisa MX is a new Mexican-Colombian fusion restaurant that opened at 1621 Swift St. earlier this year in North Kansas City.

From flautas to arepas, the restaurant has a menu dedicated to the two cultural cuisines. Co-owner Antonio Romanis said people frequently went to the previous Mexican restaurant, Chef Tito’s, to watch soccer matches, so they continued the tradition.

“We were ready, we’ve been doing Colombian matches and it’s always had a positive response, a lot of people have gone, but now I’d say it’s out of control,” Romanis said.

The first few watch parties were disorganized as they had a high turn-out, but they recently started a reservation system to ease the process, he said. In preparation for the large crowds this week, Romanis told his staff they won’t be able to take days off.

“Believe me, we’re prepared, but we’re anxious, I’d even say scared, because we expect a ton,” Romanis said. “You see on TV how Colombians follow the team a lot, and we are anxious and prepared for a lot of people.”

On Saturday, the restaurant held yet another party for the anticipated Colombia versus Portugal match. The match determined what country would lead Group K into a Round of 32 match against Ghana in Kansas City. Still, the restaurant is excited to welcome anyone who wants to celebrate in the lively environment.

In Colombian fashion, the watch party featured Latino dance music and was emceed by promoter and radio show host Alex “DJ Pajaro” Herrera. He learned how to hype people up from experience with watch parties for Kansas City Chief games.

“We will put on the games, but at the same time in between the game, I will put music and start getting people to be excited,” he said.

Herrera emcees a lot of Latino music events, and he tailors his Colombian events to focus on vallenato, cumbia and salsa music. Each watch party since the World Cup started has garnered a lot of attention, and the most recent one was fully reserved in a day. Herrera said there was excitement with the possibility of Colombia playing in Kansas City.

“Our hearts are going to come out of our bodies,” he said prior to the match.

Locals ‘have goosebumps’ as Colombia comes to KC for Round of 32

Andrea Lugo sat at the front of the venue near the screen with her family for the match against Portugal on Saturday. She’s been in Kansas City for four years, and has regularly gone to the location to watch matches. She loves being able to celebrate each match with her entire family.

“What more than to teach [our kids] our roots, our passion, our soccer?” she told the Kansas City Star. “For us that live away from our family, our country, we feel like we’re at home.”

Despite not knowing who would end up in Kansas City, she bought tickets to the Friday Round of 32 in hopes it would be Colombia, having never been to a match for her own country.

“If we’re able to join together in this horrible heat, you can’t imagine being able to do a banderazo,” Lugo said.

Martha Alviz-Gransee moved from Colombia 23 years ago, and now lives in the Northlands. She went to a Paisa MX watch party for the first time Saturday, and was not expecting to see so many people, as she doesn’t know any Colombians in the area.

“I was really excited to go to find the community, but to see and listen to the music, it’s like feeling at home,” Alviz-Gransee said. “I’m extremely happy because I am surrounded by Colombian people.”

Despite her love for the event, she has had some caveats with the way the city has managed the World Cup, allowing businesses to “take advantage” of foreigners.

“I feel a little bit embarrassed that I live in Kansas City, a town where they may be taking advantage of them,” she said. “Other than that, the spirit of the people is fantastic.”

Laura Herrera is thrilled the city will soon welcome thousands of Colombians.

“It’s going to be so cool. I’m going to get goosebumps, literally,” Laura Herrera said. “There are no words to explain the emotion that you feel when your own country qualifies for a World Cup.”

For her, the experience is euphoric, even if she doesn’t end up going to the match itself and just stays with the crowds outside.

“Just to go to the stadium knowing the players are close to me, playing a game that is so important for a whole country,” she said.

Lugo said during the matches in Mexico, the games were covered in a blanket of yellow as thousands of Colombians travelled to support the team. She expects Kansas City to soon be the same.

“It’s something that unites us, something we love simply for being Latinos, for being Colombian,” she said. “We carry that in our blood. It’s a very passionate community.”