This unique Colombian café entices the diner in many ways. First, upon entering, one notices that the décor is colonial yet up to date and full of regional accents. Second, upon opening the door, combinations of seasonings enter the nose and salivation begins; there is no getting around it. Third, first glimpse of the regional empanadas  offered revealss them to be culinary works of art, beautifully shaped and baked to a golden glow. That is without even tasting, the final enticement. And that is not to mention the desserts!

The menu introduces the diner to empanadas, or meat pies, from Argentina and other regions in South America; you cannot make a bad selection. Every one we tried was savory and satisfying. Salads are offered to round out the meal and are also delicious and well prepared. In order to taste a number of the varieties, we ordered different varieties and cut them in half.

Leave room for dessert as there are some beautiful pastries to tempt as well. The service is excellent, the staff friendly and the prices very reasonable. Convenient from the subway in the center of Medellin, Versalles is on Pasaje Junin, o. 53-39, on the walking street that offers a beautiful respite from heavy traffic. Versalles may be a little more pricey than a corner café but the quality and presentation of the food make it well worth it. Sorry, no pictures. It took us a few days to realize how safe Medellin is and to start taking our camera.

Although we are not historians, the name of the café caught our attention and we investigated. Fifty years ago, it was a literary salon where writers such as Jorge Luis Borges met and perhaps shared their works. Argentinians living in Medellin met at the salon to exchange ideas. Even soccer players from Argentina gathered here when in the region. Today it appears to be simply an excellent café and retains its original name but it may be worthwhile to investigate whether literature is still a focus.