![]() By the way, I sure hope "the city by the bay" is really a nickname for San Francisco, because I'm not editing this blog. Well, that, and maybe a more liberal, bohemian mentality than Santiago. While Valparaiso is hilly in nature, that is about the only trait it shares with the city by the bay. The guide books will say something akin to "this place reminds of San Francisco," but I'm not buying it. Definitely the most important of Chile's port cities, Valparaiso's nickname is "the jewel of the Pacific," and while much of the city may have fallen into poverty and disrepair over the last century, it is still tremendously enchanting. Seriously.Īnyway, two weekends ago, I (along with my fellow US study abroad students) visited the quaint port city of Valparaiso-about one-hour-and- a-half from Santiago as the bus drives. To the half-handful or so who may be following this blog, sorry about that. This will be on our list of required stops in Valparaiso for years to come.So I guess it's been about 10 days, or so, since my last entry. We walked in on a week-day evening after being underwhelmed by a well-reviewed restaurant nearby, and liked it so well we went back for lunch the next day, and were treated to exactly the same experience and food as the night before, despite the different mix of customers with more locals and faster tables. The ornate presentation seems almost out of place, but in no way detracts from the outstanding care the kitchen obviously takes in selecting ingredients, controlling freshness, and executing recipes with excellence and consistency. This is very hearty gourmet food, or very gourmet hearty food. Flavors are fresh, permeating, and not overbearing, with a harmonious combination that manages to compliment the identity of each ingredient in a way that belies the heavy Asian influences in traditional Peruvian food. ![]() Perfectly cooked rice, firm but tender calamari, and fish marinated to perfection resting on artfully contrasting sauces. These plates are large and very ornate, with bright pink sauce drizzles and architectural yam and yuca stilts strategically planted over carefully molded rice and thoughtfully distributed ingredients, announcing that this is no ordinary plate of food. Someone in the kitchen is not fooling around. Many dishes look a little like tropical birds. ![]() ![]() The first surprise with the food is that the presentation is very showy. Two to four servers manage about eight tables downstairs and a banquet-room upstairs without missing a beat, moving very swiftly around the floor while being courteous & relaxed with customers, never making you feel rushed. Quick, polite staff give you a run-down of what’s what, take your order when you’re ready, and turn it around very quickly. For the die-hard aficionado, finds like this don’t happen every day. With a bottle of wine to accompany our meal, we had an extremely good experience and I would highly recommend this place.Īn unassuming exterior, clean, unpretentious décor, and relatively high traffic, including a lot of Peruvians and other foreigners, is the first clue that this is a place out of the ordinary, where the marketing plan is basically that people who love food offer the food they love with great professionalism to all comers, and forget about the window-dressing. We ordered a second one and were stuffed. An entire plate-size octopus came - the meat was tender and succulent, the grill taste and sauce a «delice». We had a warm dish - a marinated and grilled octopus. The came in very elaborate arrangements enhancing the experience. Oh ma! We had several ceviche (comes in large portion) which were extremely fresh and savory. The place was full of locals, dining in a non pretentious decors - usually a good sign, we went in. Do ot let thi stop you - Let me say ahead that the whole staff was very helpful, extremely friendly and accommodating. We were also worried as we did not speak Spanish (no English menu) and the staff was not English-aware. This place did not seem like much from the outside, located close to plaza and in street where you would not be expecting a gem.
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