Restaurant King Patacón Opens in Former Barranquero Café Location

Another restaurant that puts a Colombian twist on American favorites has filled the State College storefront that once housed Barranquero Café and Touch of Colombia.

King Patacón, owned by Karen Rusinque, opened last weekend at 324 E. Calder Way with an American-Colombian fusion menu that includes choices like nachos, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. The restaurant has vegan and vegetarian options as well. You can either order straight off the menu or build your own rice bowl.

“I would describe it as something new and different that I want people and students to experience,” Rusinque’s husband, Edixon Zorro, said through a translator.

Barranquero closed its doors last September after serving Columbian coffee and finger foods on Calder Way since the spring of 2016. The restaurant briefly reopened in February as Touch of Colombia .

King Patacón began as a pop-up restaurant formerly housed in the Bagel Crust location next door. Bagel Crust would use the location during the day, and King Patacón would take over at night.

King Patacón recently opened at 324 E. Calder Way, State College. Photo by Cassady Potts | Onward State

Rusinque’s son, George, explained that they opened the after-hours operation to see if it could survive on its own.

“At first we wanted to see how it would go, so we would open after Bagel Crust was done on Fridays and Saturdays,” George said. “It was actually pretty successful.”

While the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, it is available for late-night eats until 3 a.m. Friday through Sunday.