Bogotá restaurant report

[bleen68]

We spent three days in Bogotá last month (March 2010). We were struck by the uniqueness of Colombian food and the fact that we had never encountered in it in either and United States or Spain where half our party was from. I will save the first day's meal for last. Our second evening meal was a the Casa Vieja in Rosales (across the street from the Embassy Suites.) This is an elegant restaurant that serves traditional dishs in an upscale manner. The service was slightly overbearing, probably because there was only one other table occupied. Everybody had something different and our choices included Sanchoco, Ajiaco con pollo, Puchero Santafe and Bistec criolla. My wife found her Ajiaco too salty as did the teenager who had the Sanchoco and in fact it was too salty for her to eat. (But we did not send it back.) It was servied with an excellent Chilian Aliwen Cab suggested by the waiter.

The next day we were on a day trip to Zipáquiera.. Unfortunately I did not write down the name of the restaurant and we paid in cash so I don't have a receipt to refer to. It was just off the square in what used to be a convent. Being a Lentan Friday we wanted fish and the offering was Bagre in a heavy sauce. It wasn't until later that we discovered that is catfish. It was tasty and very filling.

Our last evening was Andres DC, the new offering of the famous Chita restaurant. We didn't expect a restaurant with a gimmick to be so good. But it was and the servcie superb. The young waiter suggested that our original choice would have been to much for the young teenager and also that the two ladies probably could split the meat dish. He was spot on. We had two different versions of lomo, both cooked to perfection. One with a sauce the other plain. The teenager had a Cuchucho which was a soup with a single rib on side. We had the house red from Argentina which came in a beautifully decorated bottle of Andres' design. It was good but not quite up to the Chilean Cab. (It was also much cheaper.) The decoration of the four floors was as advertised. Despite being a place that caters to the young affluant crowd, they were extremely family friendly.

Saving for last the most memorable meal. Our first day we went to Puerta Falsa for lunch but found the offering too limited. So we stopped at Antigua Santafe Sabor de Antonio a couple of buildings down. It was a simliar place with a small kitchen and low mezzane above. They had Sanchoce which was our first introduction to Colombian food. It was excellent, served with fried plantains and best of all a beer on an election day when beer was not supposed to be sold and tropical fruit drinks. And the entire meal for four came to what a single plate cost at Caja Vieja ($23 US)

We also spent four days in Quibdo, Chocó Province. There was no meal that reached the level of those reported in this forum and painfully few restaurants of any kind.

[bleen68]

I forgot you can add photos. Here are photos of dishes from Sabor Antiguo and Casa Vieja

[bleen68]

Photos from Andres DC in Bogotá

[bleen68]

Tameles from Puerta Falsa, Bogotá and standard fare from Chocó