Long Beach chef Carlos Jurado was a teenager when he first returned to his birthplace in Colombia. And nearly 20 years later, the sights, the smells and the tastes he experienced stuck with him as he aims to amplify his native cuisine with his new restaurant Selva.

“I got to really experience the culture by seeing it and feeling it and eating it myself,” said the 34-year-old chef.

Located in the Zaferia District in a spot that once housed The Hideaway steakhouse, Selva, which means jungle, opened Feb. 4 with a menu driven by the Colombian cuisine he experienced on his trip back to his birthplace.

“There’s a lot of amazing Mexican food around but I don’t think there’s too much South American that stands out. So you come here to get traditional Colombian dishes with Colombian cocktails but you also get to experience all of South America,” said the chef, who moved Long Beach when he was two years old.

Jurado graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and has previously worked in the kitchen at respected restaurants such as Border Grill and the celebrated but now shuttered Red Medicine in Beverly Hills.

For Selva, he has partnered with Geoff and Karna Rau, who also own the Roundin’ 3rd Sports Bar and Grill next door.

Colombian cuisine, the chef explained, relies heavily on the use of beans, rice, corn and meats such as pork and chicken.

“There are a lot of grilled meats, a lot of beans stewed with pork belly, smoked belly, really buttered rice with avocado and a sense of smoke and fire along with all those dishes. It’s also very heavy on cumin, cilantro and garlic,” Jurado said of the Colombian cuisine.

And to welcome new customers to the jungle, the chef recommends pairing these dishes together

Starter: Arepa

Cost: $6 for three or $9 for six

This is a staple at most Colombian tables, Jurado said. It’s cornmeal that’s been dehydrated, steamed and then blended with butter and queso fresco. “It’s an appetizer served with anything. In the South they have cornbread, this is our version of cornbread and it goes with everything,” He said.

Main course: Smoked chicken

Cost: $22 for half bird or $32 for whole

It takes three days to make this chicken. It’s brined on day one, dried out on day two and smoked and grilled before being served on day three.

“In Colombia it’s very heavily made with cumin, so as it’s being grilled we brush it with cumin and butter. In Colombia it’s all about chicken, rice and beans so this is my take on that,” he said.

At Selva the dish is paired with rice and beans. For the rice the chef uses his mom’s garlic rice pilaf recipe and the beans are made with a base of smoked pork belly trimmings that are leftover from other dishes, plus onions and cumin.

Dessert: Oblea

Cost: $6

This sweet dessert is found on most street corners of Colombia, so it’s a must-have in order to get that truly authentic experience at Selva, Jurado said. The oblea is made up of two thin flat wafers with dulce de leche in the middle and a house-made jam.

“It’s just a sweet, crunchy treat,” he said.

Drink: Refajo Colombiano

Cost: $5

While there are several cocktails on the menu, Jurado suggests this Colombian specialty for a first visit. It is a mix of a lager beer and a Colombian soda called the Colombiana.

“That is just a nice super refreshing drink that makes your beer a little sweeter,” he said.

Selva

Where: 4137 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday

Information: 562-343-5630 or selvalbc.com