Hola, Santiago de Chile

Well where to start.

A great shuttle dropped me at my home for the next four nights. A very basic apartment but it is clean and has everything I need. As I was dropped off I saw a cafe downstairs so as soon as I was checked in I made a beeline for that. I’d hardly eaten all day and was starving.

As they saw me coming they shut the door so I kept walking. A whole new world opened up when I got to the corner of the street. Lastarria Street is literally wall to wall funky restaurants. My biggest issue was which to choose and eventually settled on one at the start of a little lane full of restaurants where I enjoyed a delicious meal of gnocci with ossobuco sauce, and of course a glass of malbec. The best meal since I left home and was thoroughly enjoyed.

I ate and the basically went home to bed. It hadn’t been a long day but it felt as though the whole day had been a struggle so sleep was welcomed.

Next morning I was booked to go on a Bites of Santiago tour. Not having any idea where I was or where I had to go I got up early, got to the train station, grabbed a travel card and set of in search of the meeting place. Easy peasy. With the help of one helpful lady I found the statue of Salvadore Allende right in front of the Palace.

The guide, Nicholas soon arrived as did the two other people on the tour, a young couple from Colorado and off we set. It was freezing cold (the temperature dips each day at 9am then slowly gets warmer, so it was only about later in the day).

Throughout the day Nicholas pointed out places of interest, told us a bit about the chequered history of Chile and of course about the political issues, but today was a day for food so we wont go in to the rest of the stuff. I have included a few pics to show how lovely it is.  There are more photos on Facebook. 

Our first stop was a wee hole in the wall restaurant for breakfast called Salvadore where they have a daily special which is always a traditional Chilean fare. Today it was pigs tongue in a broth with herbs and chilli (called Paila Salvadore). Nicholas refused to order for himself as he ‘doesn’t eat that sort of thing’. We didn’t get a choice and just as well as it was delicious. Beautifully presented and so flavoursome, the tongue was melt in your mouth and the broth just divine. Drool stuff and too good be able to put into words. And this was a standard breakfast meal. What a way to start the day. 

We then stopped at a massive palm tree, one of many in the square, which have a type of sap that resembles honey (in fact they call it honey), very expensive and only available here in Chile.

From there we walk to the fish markets. Smelly but vastly cleaner than any fish market I have ever seen. Nicholas explained about all the varieties of fish and you could see how very fresh it was, lovely sparkly eyes and pink gills. Chile is a bit like Argentina where the Empanada is a staple food so that’s what we had for a snack from El Galleon. A shell fish Empanada that was so delicious that I wanted another. Beautifully light pastry, crisp on the outside stuffed with a variety of shellfish and then baked. They came with tartare sauce and a chilli sauce and both were just perfect with the seafood. As well as the snack we also had a pisco sour.Chilean brandy with lemon, egg white and sugar syrup. A bit early for booze but it went down real easy just like a sweet/sour soft drink. I could have made a day long adventure out of this. Big time yumm on both of them.

A walk, train ride and cab were just what we needed to digest what we had eaten and we ended up at the foot of San Christobal hill, the tallest peak in the city which gave us a magnificent view all around the city. Sadly, it was still cold so the greyness had not burned off and we didn’t have a wonderful view of the city or the Andes but otherwise it was worth the drive up. It was here we were treated to a native drink made of peach syrup, a whole peach and wheat, with both the wheat and the whole peach sitting in the syrup. Absolutely delicious, if a bit weird, but I loved it. Mote con huesillo is generallysold on street corners but it was worth coming all this way for.  

The funicular took us back down to the Bella Vista neighbourhood for lunch where we enjoyed another couple of Chilean specialties at Cerveza Galindo: Porotos con longaniza and Pastel de choco. The first haricot beans with mashed corn, pumpkin, basil and a pork sausage and the second a corn pie made of mashed corn, ground beef, onions, egg, black olives and raisins. The corn pie was so unusual, almost like a shepherd’s pie with all the main ingredients in the bottom and then a thick layer of mashed corn on top, then sprinkled with sugar and baked. It wasn’t to my taste but glad I tried it. The bean dish I loved and was very much like a cassoulet, hearty and homely.  

There our tour ended and we bade our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I walked the few blocks back to the hotel, had a bit of a rest then went out for a wander later in the day. This neighbourhood is close to two large universities so full of young people, bars, clubs, restaurants and a great vibe. Perfect for me. I love it.

Dinner time comes round and I go back to the area I was in last night. Not wanting too much I settle on a place that has Provoleta, which I’d had on the food trip I did in Argentina. Except this was so much better. The cheese was cooked in a ramekin so it was crusty on the outside and then because I had ordered provoleta napolitana it came with a generous slice of ham and napolitana sauce on top and sprinkled with a bit of oregano. Salty, sweet, stretchy, soft, crunchy all in one mouthful. Heaven sent stuff. To go with that bundle of joy I had my first glass or ‘carmenere’ wine, the Chilean specialty. I was’t disappointed, it was delicious. In fact I haven’t had a dud wine yet.  No photos of the food but believe me it looked as good as it tasted.

As I left the restaurant I passed two street corners. On each was live music; one a super wee band and on the other a young guy that captured my heart.  The video of him is on facebook as I had to share while I was standing on the street corner eating my ice cream, as you do.  

Dinner over and a wonderful day comes to a close. My best day yet.