We started with a maracuyá (passion fruit) sour—very good and not too sweet, just as I asked—served icy cold—just as I like it—and a Club Colombia beer to accompany an abundant starter of arepas (thick Colombian cornmeal tortillas), patacones (diagonally cut, flattened fried plantains), and chicarrones (fried pork rinds). Conclusion: “this stuff just has to be bad for you because it just tastes way too good!”

We were going Colombian all the way, so quickly discarded the meat, fish, and Chilean sections of the menu and went straight to Colombian home style: Bandeja Paisa, Sancocho, Ajiaco, and others before Iz decided on a hearty (and huge) Cazuela de Frijoles that came with an enormous plateful of rice, arepas, patacones, and Colombian sausage, and I went for the main-dish Arepa topped with pulled chicken and beef in a tomatoey sauce that reminded us both of barbecue.

We passed on the one by-the-glass wine option (Concha y Toro Exportación) and ordered one of the few half bottles on the list—a 2010 Santa Ema Cabernet, which was served impeccably. In fact, service all around was excellent.

Price–a bit of a splurge for lunch at $26,000, but considering we had way too much food and could actually order half the next time around, it was reasonable enough.

Bottom line question: Would we go back? Sí señor—not a doubt about it.

Av. General Bulnes 86, Santiago Centro, Chile
Tel.: 2-699-4196

We walked into the 2-story house-turned-restaurant with the big “Club de Lectores” sign at the door announcing a discount for El Mercurio subscribers (good news! we have the card). The first floor was rather dark and certainly lively, but the smokers downstairs, non-smokers upstairs policy sent us to the 2nd floor. Nice, cozy white room, nothing snazzy, but pleasant and about what we expected.

I ordered a pisco sour (not bad, $3200) and everyone else went straight to the wine. We asked about the year of the Leyda Chardonnay listed. “Most of our white wines are 2010 or 2011,” the waiter assured us. (Nice trick, considering that the 2011 harvest season has just begun and the grapes are either still on the vine or fresh in the tank. Not even winemakers are drinking 2011 yet!) Didn’t matter, because they didn’t have it anyway, so we moved on to a Casas del Bosque Chardonnay Reserva, which showed up in its 2008 vintage ($11,800). Reasonably oaked, insufficiently chilled, but no one complained.

The waiter really pushed highly recommended the locos (Chilean abalone).
“On special tonight,” he says, “Nice big jumbo locos with papas mayo and guacamole. So tender you can cut them with a fork.” The two guys ordered them as a main course instead of an appetizer. Turned out there were just two to a portion. They were pretty big though and nicely presented, and the guys seemed very happy with their choice.

The ceviche craver in the group oohed and ahhed over her generous 3-version sampler (1 reineta/whitefish, 1 shrimp, 1 shellfish, $7800). I chose mero (Chilean sea bass) ($7200, sauces extra), and may never touch the stuff again. I suspect that what I really got was oilfish, a common switch, with less than comfortable after effects. I expected a rather thick portion of tender white fish, but got 3 small and thin slices that were tough and oily. The texture was just strange, like improperly cooked congrio (I made the really bad mistake of trying to make ceviche from congrio once—don’t do it—for many reasons—really!) But that’s what I was remembering as I tried to cut and chew this thing. It wasn’t dry; it wasn’t overcooked. Just strange. I probably should have sent it back, but didn’t. I left most of it on my plate. Good thing because I’ve been feeling queasy ever since.

Add some scallops al pil pil here ($7800, fine), some dessert there (stuffed figs, heard no complaints, $2800).

The bottle of wine emptied, and with insufficient quorum for a second bottle, the thirsty one asked for a glass of Chardonnay from the wine dispenser (don’t be fooled!). It arrived nameless and golden yellow. “That means a lot of oak, right?” the fresh-glass-holder asked me. “Or seriously oxidized,” I reminded him. Sure enough. Who knows how long that bottle had been kicking around, or what it was, for that matter, but it was having some serious identity issues and was more than a little confused with some Tío Pepe. (In other words, mega-oxidized).

I do have to admit that while I personally was less than pleased, the rest of the group was quite content with their food and service. But the big surprise came with the check (in Chilean pesos):

$68,400 – $9,150 discount = $59,250 total (In USD: $141 – $19 = $122) before tip.

Hm, we thought, must be just 15% instead of the usual 25% you get with Club de Lectores.

We asked. The waiter assured us that it was indeed 25%, but that locos and lobster are not included (well that seems like it could have mentioned that somewhere)… And oh, BTW, those two loco appetizers? They turned out to be $12,000 (about $25USD) each!
Get Out… No way!
Way.

Will I go back?

Not any time soon.

What to take away from this:

Our side:

• Ask, ask, and ask again. Anything that isn’t put in print is subject to surprise.
• Skip the mero unless you’re in a very upscale restaurant; you’re not likely to get the real thing, and the substitute is not even close to being worth it.
• Just because the place has a fancy wine dispenser, it doesn’t mean that the wines will be good, fresh, or properly chilled.

Restaurant side:

• Be more straight-forward with your customers.
• Make sure that what’s on the plate is what’s on the menu.
• If you’re running a special, make sure you specify very visibly in writing, hopefully–on the menu–any item that is not part of the discount program!
• Bone up on your wine service, and please offer some decent by-the-glass choices.

Squella
Ricardo Cumming 94
Santiago de Chile
F: 699-3059

Bottle Nº 1603 of biodynamically manahed Antiyal 2007, from Maipo Alto, Chile

When you think about food & wine pairing, do you think about the occasion as well? I do. So when I was choosing the first wine we would drink on 01/01/11, I wanted it to be meaningful. I checked through all the special wines in my “cellar” (ok, so it’s a closet) for just the right one.

It had to be Chilean—my heart, soul, and life are here. I love Chile, and I love its wines. I wouldn’t dream of kicking off the new year with anything BUT a Chilean wine!

I considered the different icon wines: Almaviva, Lapostolle Clos Apalta, Errázuriz Don Max, Viu Manent El Incidente, Tarapacá Tarapacay, Canepa Genovino, San Pedro Cabo de Hornos, Seña, Concha y Toro Don Melchor, Cousiño Macul Lota, Errázuriz Kai… there were many to choose from, all excellent, many that truly evoke Chile, not only in  vitivinicultural terms, but in the emotional, cultural, and historic sense.

I finally narrowed it down to two: VIA Wines Chilcas Las Almas Carmenere 2008 and Antiyal 2007.

Las Almas is a Carmenere—hard to get much more Chilean than that! And the word “alma” means “soul” in Spanish, and the idea appealed to me. 2010 really was rough; it built character—it “strengthened our constitution” (as a close friend would say), and I’m truly hopefully that 2011 will have more heart, more soul. Chile’s collective “alma” could use a boost and Las Almas was a strong contender.

But then there was Antiyal. Son of the Sun in Mapudungun, the language of Chile’s native Mapuche peoples. A biodynamically made wine from carefully tended grapes in Maipo Alto. A wine that I have an emotional bond with. I know the owners—organic/biodynamic guru-winemaker Alvaro Espinoza and his wonderful wife Marina Ashton—and have been to the winery many times—have even danced on the roof by the light of the moon.

Biodynamics works by recognizing the very close tie between the earth and the cosmos, and after a year in which Mother Nature was very restless, it just seemed right to invoke the Son of the Sun to appeal to her good nature for a calmer, more peaceful 2001.

Antiyal 2007 it was then.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not just about emotions. This is one exceptional wine from Maipo Alto. Thick deep plum-red legs dribble slowly down the glass as aromas of rich, dark fruit waft out of it. Blackberries, plum, prune, with a pinch of spice, licorice, and hint of leather on the complex and heady nose. No need to stop there! It’s lush and juicy with more plum and blackberry on the palate, with a wonderfully long finish.

The tannins are there-but nicely balanced and sure enough of themselves to make their presence known without stealing the show. My tasting notes say “a ripple of muscle under a flowing silk shirt” (Can you tell I’d been watching Chinese movies?).

Delicious acidity keeps all that richness bright and juicy, although the alcohol is high enough that I put it in the fridge on this warm summer evening (New Year’s is summer here in Chile) to bring the temperature down to a very pleasing  16ºC / 60º-ish F.

Antiyal 2007:

53% Carmenere
23% Cabernet Sauvignon
25% Syrah
14.5% alcohol
Unfiltered and made with 100% organically grown, biodynamically managed grapes.

Post-a-Day Typewriter respectfully borrowed from The Daily Post (WordPress.com)

I began this blog with all the very best intentions. I have reams of tasting notes and stacks of restaurant receipts and notebooks full of scribbled comments and catalogs of photos all waiting to be written up and posted, but somehow, poor Tasting Chile has taken a back seat to everything else I do, so… the time has come! Things are gonna change around here!

WordPress.com threw down its Get Serious gauntlet and I’m rising to the challenge!I hereby pledge to a minimum of a Post a Week! I’d love to do more–and hopefully I will, but just to keep it realistic… you are my witnesses… A post a week about Food, Wine & Restaurants in Chile–with an occasional stroll over to some other part of the culinary world I happen to be wandering around in.

And in case you’re wondering, yes, that’s the same typewriter image I posted on my primary blog Cachando Chile (if you haven’t seen it, pop over and take a peek–it’s dedicated to all things Chilean and tends to get far more regular sprucings).

If you’d like to know more about the WordPress.com PostADay2011 and PostAWeek2011 challenge, check out the Challenge Intro and The Daily Post.

Here we go! First post coming up soon!

So we meandered through what I call “Old Providencia” between Manuel Montt and Seminario, admiring the many beautiful homes that haven’t been torn town for high rises (yet), and eventually stumbled upon a place we’d never noticed before. Elfos, on Roman Díaz, about a block from Av. Providencia.

We were game. Or wait. Maybe we were IN a game…
A bearded elfy-looking guy at the door invited us in and showed us around. The entrance is done up with papery-stuff on the walls and ceiling to give it a foresty look (I’m wondering “hobbit hole”? No, this is elfin land…err, seriously?). A dark and narrow stairway leads to the 3 rooms upstairs—two lounges, one large bar—that can be reserved for private parties. Dark. The sofas look comfy enough for kicking back with friends who don’t have living rooms of their own, but the 1960s-style faux-wood paneling that screams “we ran out of money and maybe no one will notice” oversight that distracts from the fantasy feel they’re going for and bumping up the cheese factor.

We peeked briefly at the brightly lit main dining room on the first floor and decided to take advantage of the gorgeous evening and sit outside.

The waiter explained their Happy Hour policy—half price drinks until midnight—and left us to mull over the menuful of elf-inspired fare (I don’t remember the exact titles, but “elfwiches” and “elfburgers” come to mind—you get the idea).

A decent list of appetizers, sandwiches, and main courses (their Facebook page has a list of daily menu options). The waiter also offered a number of fish and beef specials that weren’t on the menu.

We just wanted a drink and algo para picar (an appetizer), and since one of us (you know it’s not me) is a vegetarian, our options were fairly limited. The fries looked good (regular, garlic, pepper, merkén) but the price ($4,900 pesos) indicated it was going to be a huge portion, so we opted for mushroom quesadillas ($5,900) and margaritas.

The waiter quickly reappeared with two empty margarita glasses and a shaker—good move! He served the glasses to the brim without spilling a drop. More places should follow suit—making waiters shuffle trays of too-full glasses through the obstacle course that most bars are just seems stressful and hardly practical!

Decent margaritas. Not too strong (note: if you’re looking for a binge, you’ll be disappointed; if you just want a drink that tastes good and has a kick—go for it).

The heaping plateful of quesadillas proved interesting. I’ve always thought of quesadillas as finger food—you know, pick them up in your hands and eat without making a mess—but not here. The bottoms were too soggy to eat by hand (one point down), but once I surrendered to knife-and-forking it, I discovered that while unconventional, the mushrooms were good and more plentiful than usual (and the reason for the sogginess) (one point up)…

Bottom line? Even though the food was fine, the drinks were good, and the service was great (three points up there!), we probably won’t go back. We’re just not elfy enough I guess. That’s the problem with theme bars, they run a major risk of feeling hokey to anyone who doesn’t identify with the theme. If you’re an elf–or looking for one–this could be your place, otherwise

Elfos
Román Díaz 33
Providencia
www.elfosbar.cl

Elfos on Facebook
(BTW: their Facebook page has a very long and detailed description of what elves (elfos) are and are not)

The perfect Chacarero: tasty beef topped with fresh tomato, crisp green beans, and a touch of green chili

I am admittedly not the world’s biggest sandwich fan…and them’s fightin’ words in Chile.  Chileans love—and passionately defend—their beloved sánguches. So I’m here to call a truce. And while I’m not likely to ever get up much enthusiasm for the basic avocado- and mayo-smeared ham & cheese, there are other Chilean sandwich combinations that are pretty hard to resist. Make mine a chacarero, a super sánguche whose special defining feature is a big pile of green beans. Yep, that’s right, green beans. Who knew?

Fuente Mardoqueo, half a block from the Plaza Yungay, is one of those word-of-mouth type places—a true picada—and it had been on our radar for a while. We even stopped in one day and asked for a beer to kill time before meeting family for lunch, but were turned down point blank. Nope, this is a sandwich shop. You go there to eat. You eat, you can have a beer, not the other way around.

So we tried again yesterday. We had been wandering around Plaza Yungay with my father-in-law, who told us story after story about growing up in the barrio and the Fiesta del Roto Chileno; we gazed up at the sad state of the church where he made his first communion, and he chuckled about the favorite parish priest who kept the boys in line by threatening them with “San Martines” (a knuckle whack on the head) when they misbehaved. We rounded the corner and found ourselves at the door of my new favorite picada.

It’s a fun place. The kind that draws you in and begs you to check out room after room. There’s clearly a collector in the family—old cameras hang on one wall, typewriters on another, tea cups, mini-booze bottles, sewing machines, one collection after another hang on the deep yellow walls. Even the restrooms have a collection of old enamel bed pans (now there’s a term I never thought I’d use while food writing!)

Don’t look for a table. There aren’t any. You’ll perch on a high stool at one of the long wooden bars that line the walls and stripe down the middle of each of the 3 rooms. A long row of condiments, sauces, and even real (paper) napkins (none of the typical soda fountain “face scraper” squares here) runs down the center.

No one’s going to wait on you either. Make your choice from the illuminated menu on the wall. The list is short but juicy: small and large versions of 5 sandwiches: Lomito (pork or poultry), Churrasco (thinly sliced beef), Chacarero (beef, tomato, green beans, and green chilies), Barros Luco (beef and melted cheese), and Tuna. Vegetarians can concoct their own sandwich from the long list of “extras” (avocado, tomatoes, beans, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, etc.).

These are sandwiches (ahem, sánguches) done right. The lomito is the star of the house, so I’ve definitely got a return trip coming up in the near future, but yesterday, I was in a chacarero state of mind. And oh, was that the right choice! Forget the typical version with overcooked, tough, and tasteless meat topped with soggy grayish beans. We’re talking about a fresh, lightly toasted frica roll piled with juicy, tasty beef cooked just right, and the perfectly blanched string beans (always frenched in Chile) remain bright green and crisp (definitely beats mushy lettuce!). Don’t even think about trying to eat this out of hand; a knife and fork are definitely required.

Fuente Mardoqueo has a good selection of bottled and draft beer

They offer a nice selection of national, international, artisanal, and draft beers, as well as soft drinks and juice. No wine, no chips. Just a helluva good sandwich and something to wash it down with.

You won’t need a lot of cash—lomitos are $2500 and could easily be shared—but you will need an appetite. I ordered the “small” version of the chacarero and only managed to get through it by leaving most of the bread on my plate. My vegetarian husband was happy with his veggie sandwich glued together with plenty of avocado (palta) and green chilies, and my suegro, despite his hearty appetite, could not get through his entire Barros Luco.

Although most picadas fail on the bonito part of the 3B (bueno, bonito y barato), this one nails all three.  A must.

For more on Chilean sandwiches, see: Sánguches.

Fuente Mardoqueo
Av. Libertad 551
Barrio Yungay, Santiago de Chile
F: 681-6556 / 681-4211
www.fuentemardoqueo.cl

Caterer and cooking teacher Sonia Rodríguez de Hofstadt, of El Toque Gourmet

Two recent posts about empanadas, here and on Cachando Chile, have produced a flurry of requests for a recipe for those who cannot just pop over to the neighborhood empanada shop. Chilean caterer and cooking teacher extraordinaire, Sonia Rodríguez de Hoftstadt kindly offered to share her foolproof, no-fail recipe for Empanadas de Horno–de pino (beef)–of course!

Sonia is truly a woman of the world, the daughter and wife of diplomats, she has spent much of her life abroad, lived in 9 different countries, and speaks 5 languages. She was trained as a simultaneous interpreter and finally turned to her true passion: food from around the world. She teaches and caters through her company “El Toque Gourmet,” and is currently working on a book of the same title. Her specialties include (but certainly not limited to!) Asian Cooking, Mediterranean and European Food, American Desserts, and Chilean Asados.

You can contact Sonia at: hofstadt (a) manquehue.net
See more of what she’s up to here: El Toque Gourmet and Classes for Children

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for….The Recipe!

Empanadas de Pino de Horno / Chilean Beef Empanadas

(makes 12)
Recipe by Sonia Rodríguez de Hofstadt

Tried and tested over and over, these are the very best and easiest—if not the healthiest—empanadas. There is no need to chill the dough, but if you are not in a hurry, make the filling the night before to let the flavors mellow. They freeze well. These empanadas are a bit smaller and plumper than the ones sold commercially and remember—traditionally empanadas in the shape of a triangle are spicy with ‘ají’ (chili pepper).

Pino (Beef filling):
500 g (½ kg) lean beef (posta negra) connective tissue removed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoon cumin seed
5–6 tablespoons oil
4 medium onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons paprika dissolved in
¼ cup beef broth (60 cc)
3 tablespoons seedless white raisins soaked in
¼ cup beef broth (60 cc)
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh pepper to taste
1 tablespoon flour
3 green or red chili peppers (optional)

Process meat into small cubes the size of peas. Add ground cumin and let stand half an hour. In a non-stick pan heat cumin seeds until they pop. Add oil and sauté the onions. Do not brown, but cook thoroughly (25 min). Add the meat to onion mixture. Add paprika mixture to meat, add salt and pepper and cook at low heat until meat loses its color.  Add soaked raisins with the broth. Add flour. Consistency should be saucy, but not soupy. Cool.
If using chilies: divide filling in two and add chopped chilies to one of the halves.

Filling:
12 black olives
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced in quarters

Pastry Dough:
(This flaky, crisp dough is also excellent for double crust pies)

1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup butter (115 gr)
½ cup shortening (115 gr)
5 ½ cups flour (370 gr)

In a small pan heat salt and milk to lukewarm. Remove from heat. Add egg, butter and shortening and stir till dissolved with a hand-held electric blender.

Mix into flour using your hands and work the dough until it is soft and easy to handle (not more than two or three minutes are necessary).  Make a long roll and divide into 12 egg-size pastry balls. (The last ball is smaller but you make up for it with the trimmings left over as you roll and cut the other ones).

To Assemble:
Make one empanada at a time and place them directly on a non-greased oven tray. Roll each ball into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. With an inverted 8-inch cake pan trace the circle and cut a perfect round.

Place about ½ cup filling on the upper half of each pastry round. Stuff one olive into the filling and add one-quarter of egg. Moisten the rim of the pastry Fold the dough over the filling to make an empanada and press hard on the wet rim with your knuckles to make it stick. Tuck the rims straight to make a rectangle. If making some empanadas with chili, mold the curved edge of the pastry and flute to shape them into a triangle. Press hard at the corners with your thumbs and prick the top a single time with a toothpick for the steam to come out in the oven. Brush top with egg yolk mixture. Bake in preheated hot oven (400ºF/200ºC) for about 30 to 35 minutes or until nicely brown. Make sure dough is well cooked in between creases. Serve hot.

Published in the AAC Spotlight in 1994

While Chilean empanadas come in all sorts of baked and fried shapes, sizes, and fillings, in September, the only empanada that counts is the most traditional of all: the empanada de pino del horno: a baked beef-stuffed meat turn-over, considered best when they emerge hot from a rounded adobe oven  that dot the countryside in Central Chile.

Read on for more on empanadas and a list of the 21 top places in Santiago to find them!

Pino is a meat filling made with beef, onions, and seasonings that is tucked into a triangle or rectangle of dough, along with a black olive, a wedge of hard-boiled eggs, and some raisins and baked to golden glory. (See “Una Rica Empaná Caldúa” for a complete description and details on what makes a good quality example)

Cronistas Gastronómicos rated 70 empanadas this year

Empanadas show up for Sunday lunch, for barbecues, and most importantly, for the September Independence Day holidays, and of course, not just any old empanada will do. True connoisseurs get very serious about their drippy, juicy, savory pastry and will stand in long lines to get just the right one. And to make sure they are well-informed, Chile’s Círculo de Cronistas Gastronómicos (Chile’s Food & Wine Writer’s Circle takes on the arduous annual duty of tasting dozens of empanadas to find and recommend the best.

Although I am a member of the group and generally love to participate in tastings, I’m afraid I have to sit this one out. Just the thought of slogging my way through all those samples is enough to put me off food for a couple weeks (it’s those onions, to be sure)… but I am happy to applaud those who do make the sacrifice and report their findings.

This was the Cronistas’ 7^th Annual Empanada Tasting session, and frankly, they were disappointed with the results. They tasted nearly 70 samples purchased in 11 comunas (sections) of the capital. They divided them into thirds so that each taster had a bit of filling, dough, and crust, and then ranked their aroma, appearance, dough, filling, quality of ingredients, and especially taste. They used Chile’s 1–7 point grading scale (the same scale used in schools, where 7 is the highest possible score). Despite great hopes for the bicentennial bash, they report that only 1 of the 70 topped 6-points, and only 21 made at least 5 points (equivalent of a B in the US).

The Best Empanadas of 2010

So finally, the news you’ve been waiting for, the top 21 empanadas—those with at least 5 out of 7 points—of the greater Metropolitan Santiago area, with their respective scores on the Chilean scale with their US equivalents, addresses and prices in Chilean pesos ($1 US dollar is approximately $500 pesos).

Please note that San Rosendo, Vasco, and Las Méndez are all due special credit for their exceptional price-to-quality ratio!

6.16 (A) La Punta, Los Abedules 3016, Vitacura ($1150)

5.86 (B+) Las Hermanas, Río Tajo 8361, Las Condes ($1000)

5.82 (B+) Ña Matea, bought at Rotisserie, Av.Luis Pasteur 5923-B, Vitacura ($1000)

5.72 (B+) Las Palmas, Av. El Bosque Sur 42, Las Condes ($1,100)

5.72 (B+) Rosalía, Pastor Fernández 15521, Lo Barnechea ($ 1200)

5.62 (B+) Las Bezanilla, Av. Vitacura 3744, Vitacura ($1050)

5.56 (B+) San Rosendo***, Luis Carrera 2247, Vitacura ($690)

5.54 (B+) Dulce Refugio, Av. Las Condes 14141– Loc.16, Las Condes ($1050)

5.48 (B) Vasco***, Pasaje Las Camelias 1419, La Florida ($750)

5.48 (B) Café Colonia, Mac Iver 161, Santiago Centro ($1100)

5.26 (B) Tomás Moro, Av. IV Centenario 1072, Las Condes ($900)

5.26 (B) Bombón Oriental, Merced 345, Santiago Centro ($1200)

5.22 (B) El Ingenio, Av. Vitacura 5346, Vitacura ($990)

5.22 (B) Budian, Las Hualtatas 5194, Vitacura, ($1000)

5.16 (B) Ambassador, Tobalaba 975, Providencia ($985)

5.16 (B) Laura R, Av. Vitacura 3414, Vitacura ($1100)

5.14 (B) Paula A, Los Militares 6946, Las Condes ($900)

5.10 (B) Las Méndez***, Av. Las Condes 9571, Las Condes ($750)

5.08 (B) Café Bokato, Av. Eliodoro Yáñez 2209, Providencia ($1000)

5.04 (B) Quincho Lo Arcaya, Gral. San Martín Oriente 13340, Parcela 12-K ($1300)

5.00 (B) Dolce y Salato, El Matico 3899, Vitacura ($1200)

*** Empanadas with excellent price to quality ratios

The Cronistas also wish to thank Viña Casa Silva, who cheered them along with an ample supply of Doña Dominga Carmenere to whet their whistles during their arduous task. The winner (La Punta) will receive (in addition to a special award from the Cronistas) a night for two in the Viña Casa Silva Hotel in the Colchagua Valley.

Cover Revista Wikén, Aug 27, 2010

At our house we always read Wikén, the weekly food, wine & entertainment supplement that comes with El Mercurio every Friday, but there is one edition per year that we especially look forward to. And today was the day: the Annual Ranking of Chile’s best chefs and restaurants.

You can read the whole thing yourself in Spanish here: (El Wikén: Mejores Chefs y Restaurantes 2010), but I’ll give you the basics in English right here, complete with comments as a bonus track. All restaurant addresses and phone numbers are listed in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Click to discover what the crew at El Mercurio (and I) think about the Best Chefs, Best Restaurants, and up-and-coming people, trends & foodie hangouts in Chile er, Santiago, er, kinda the same thing… ? What do YOU think?

Best Chef:

1^st place: once again, goes to Carlos Meyer, chef/owner of Europeo

2nd place: Massimo Funari (chef/owner of Rivoli)

3^rd place: Tie between Josef Gander (El Cid, Hotel Sheraton) and Giancarlo Mazzarelli (Puerto Fuy).

What can I say, Carlos Meyer puts heart and soul into his restaurant, and it shows—and shines—every step of the way. The food is exquisite, and the place is chic, sleek, and pure class from the moment you step up to the door. You can’t go wrong with Europeo. Bring your wallet—better yet plastic—because it’s not cheap, but you will definitely not be disappointed.

Massimo and Giancarlo are also personal favorites, but while Josef Gander is admired as a master chef—classic in every sense, from his food to his notorious temperament—having been a victim of one of his famous tirades, I am not very inclined to return to the ultra-elegant restaurant any time soon. (The dirt: in the second year of the School of Sommeliers, another student and I were assigned to an internship at El Cid. His sneer of a greeting warned us to steer clear, but we ended up as collateral damage anyway when he later threw us out in a fit of rage aimed at someone else).

Best Restaurant:

1^st place: Rivoli, wonderful Italian trattoria owned by chef Massimo Funari

2^nd place 4-way tie: Europeo, La Mar (Gastón Acurio’s ultra-cool Peruvian ceviche house), Noso (French in the W Hotel), and Puerto Fuy.

Rivoli is one of those homey comfort food kinds of restaurants where you know you can go any time and find the same waiters serving up some of the finest pasta and real Italian you could ever imagine—including homemade pasta, bread, and cheese (yes! homemade mozzarella!). The guy even grows all his own veggies! It’s been on my list of favorites for about as long as I can remember. I had the pleasure of interviewing Massimo once. Certainly no diva, he’s a very nice down-to-earth, hard-working kind of guy who’s success is due to many years of serious hard work combined with healthy living.

Best New Chef:

1^st place: Ciro Watanabe (Osaka, Hotel W)

2nd place, 3-way tie: Gaetan Eonet (Le Bistrot), Sebastien Fontes (NoSo), and Santiny de los Santos (Sushi Blues)

I have to confess I don’t know any of these new top chefs, but I’m hearing great things. I’ve also had the pleasure of Geatan Eonet’s menu, both at the new Le Bistrot and from his former kitchen at Normandy. Definitely one to stick pretty close to.

BTW—did you notice that not one of them is Chilean? Think there’s some kind of message there?

Best New Restaurant:

1st place: Astoria (Peruvian)

2^nd place: Osaka (Japanese)

3^rd place: Boragó (Creative based on Chilean ingredients)

I’ve been to Osaka for a semi-working lunch with a large group. Didn’t see the menu as everything was pre-ordered. I can say the sushi was very good and came in a much more creative range than seen elsewhere. I’ve been told that a fat wallet is a definite requirement.

Although I’ve yet to go to this incarnation of Boragó, I liked the original on Vitacura very much. It wasn’t for everyone, to be sure, as “alchemist-chef” Rodolfo Guzmán mixes scientific research with flavors, aromas, and even pyrotechnics to create meals that aim more for experience than sustenance. Personally, I’m all for eating my entertainment and am always excited to see what he comes up with next.

Outstanding International Cuisine:

1st place, 2-way tie: La Mar (Peruvian) and Majestic (Indian)

2nd place, 2-way tie: Baco (French) and Osaka (Japanese)

It would be hard to choose from this list, and I have to say it would definitely be more a matter of mood (or wallet) than quality. La Mar and Baco are sure shots, and I’ve yet to order off the menu at Osaka—although what I did try was wonderful. I haven’t been to Majestic in quite a while though and have heard mixed reviews of late, so that’s on my refresher list

Best Wine List:

1^st place: Baco (French bistro owned by Fredèric Le Baux)

2nd Place, 3-way tie: Bristol (Hotel Plaza San Francisco), Noso (Hotel W), Wine 365 (Ritz Hotel)

I’m backing Baco 100%. Not only does it have a great atmosphere and great food, best of all, a wine list with something for everyone—by the glass or by the bottle—at amazingly reasonable prices. Rumor has it they’ve got a wine shop now too…

Bicentennial Awards for Chilean Cuisine:

1st place: Tomás Olivera (chef/owner of Caruso in Valparaíso, also chef at Adra, Hotel Ritz in Santiago)

2^nd place: Guillermo Rodríguez, Áxel Manríquez (Bristol), Ana María Zúñiga (Ana María), Bruno Sacco (Divertimento Chileno)

I love Tomás Olivera. Ok, you know what I mean. He’s a great culinary talent and I respect the heck out of him, so I really expected great things when I went to his new place in Valparaíso, but have to admit I was disappointed, where I seem to be standing alone in minority land. Maybe it was that we ended up at a little table wedged between the door and the bar, with a perfect view of the fuse box, or maybe I just think of classic Chilean food—however well prepared—as more of a lunch-time option. I honestly don’t remember what we ordered, just that I had a hard time deciding because everything on the menu that night just seemed very heavy. We’ll definitely go back for another shot, but with a bigger appetite, and hopefully for lunch.

Best Bang for your Back Restaurant:

3-way tie for first place:

Le Bistrot:

This great little French bistrot hasn’t been around long. The chef recently went independent after a stint at Normandy (in Providencia). I’ve got a review pending, but in short–loved the food, prices, and service, although the place itself made me feel like I should be there to buy Nikes.

Vietnam Discovery:

This one’s been on my radar for quite some time. It’s small and hard to get into. Don’t even think about just showing up for a seat. Even at an unthinkable (in Santiago) 8 pm. They take (and respect) reservations and deliver.

China Village:

A long-time favorite that I’ve written about before (see China Village: Chilean Chinese for Two). Wines of Chile and Origo Ediciones recently brought Chinese sommelier Thomas Chung here for an 8-hour marathon Chinese food and Chilean wine pairing session that was presented in book form at the Chile Pavillion at Expo Shanghai. Thomas congratulated owner Feng Shen Pan, his daughter/manager Ying Qui Pan, and the young chef (fresh from China) not only on being truly authentic, but delicious as well

Best Gourmet Shop

1st place: Coquinaria

2nd place, 2-way tie: Gourmeat and Emporio Nacional

Coquinaria is a great place for upscale hoity-toity shopping. An esthetic delight full of products you can’t find anywhere else—and prices to match. I do buy things there—breads, chocolates, gourmet chili pepper marmalades, special oils, etc. They have a large selection of books, but unless you’re in a rush to get one of them home, hold off and order them through Amazon at much better prices.

I’ve eaten there twice, once for dinner (more on that here: Jury’s Still Out), and another, much more consistently enjoyable time for lunch.

Best “Picada”

Picadas deserve a post–or many–or even an entire blog (see: Santiago en Picada), but basically they are no-frills, down-home-good cheap eats

El Camarón (seafood): been hearing about this place for years and dying to check it out

Don Gaviota (Chilean)

La Gatita (seafood with an ocean view): one of only 2 places on the list found outside Santiago. (Here’s my review: La Gatita)

Golfo di Napoli (Italian)

San Remo (Italian)

Sukine (Korean) been hearing good things; high on my list!

So how many of these places have you been to? I know I have some homework to do, and I bet you do too. Just to make it a bit easier, here’s a list of all the places mentioned, along with their addresses and phone numbers. When you check them out, let us know!

Restaurants:

Ana María (Chilean): Club Hípico 476 near Toesca, Santiago (698-4064)

Astoria (Peruvian): Américo Vespucio Sur 1902 (981-3411)

Baco (French bistro): Nueva de Lyon 113, local 6, Providencia (231-4444)

Boragó (Creative) Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura (953-8893)

Bristol (Classic International fine dining) Hotel Plaza San Francisco, Alameda 816, downtown Santiago (639-3832)

Caruso (Chilean renewed): Avenida Cumming 201, Cerro Cárcel, Valparaíso (32-259-4039)

China Village (Authentic Chinese): Salvador Izquierdo 1757, La Reina (2777499) and Manquehue Sur 1022, Las Condes(229-0362)

Divertimento Chileno (Chilean): Avenida El Cerro s/n & Pedro de Valdivia Norte, Parque Metropolitano, Cerro San Cristóbal. Providencia. (233 1920)

El Cid (Classic International fine dining Hotel Sheraton, Av. Santa María 1742, Providencia (233-5000)

Europeo (Modern, upscale fine dining): Alonso de Córdova, Vitacura 2417 (208-3603)

Guillermo Rodríguez, Espacio Gastronómico: Tegualda 1375, Providencia (269-1219)

La Mar (Upscale Peruvian Cevichería) Nueva Costanera 3922, Vitacura (206-7839)

Le Bistrot (French bistro): Santa Magdalena 80, Local 7, Providencia (232-1054)

Majestic (Indian): original location: Santo Domingo 1526, downtown Santiago (690-9400) and Mirador del Alto Las Condes, Local 3236, Las Condes (213-1422)

NoSo (French): Hotel W, Isidora Goyenechea 3000, Las Condes (770-0081)

Osaka (Japanese): Hotel W, Isidora Goyenechea 3000, Las Condes (770-0081)

Puerto Fuy (Modern upscale fine dining): Nueva Costanera 3969, Vitacura (208-8908)

Rivoli (Italian trattoria): Nueva de Lyon 77, Providencia (231-7964)

Sushi Blues (Japanese): Shopping La Dehesa, Av. El Rodeo 12850, Local 72, La Dehesa (955-5030)

Vietnam Discovery (Vietnamese)/ http://www.vietnamdiscovery.cl/: Loreto 324, Recoleta (737-2037)

Wine 365 (Upscale wine bar) Hotel Ritz-Carlton, El Alcalde 15, Las Condes (473-7556)

Picadas:

El Camarón: Gorbea 2644, Barrio República, Santiago (689-8880)

Don Gaviota (Chilean): El Roble 1190, corner of Guanaco, Recoleta

La Gatita (Seafood): Av. Borgoño s/n, Higuerillas, Concón (32-2814235)

Golfo di Napoli (Italian): Irarrázaval 2423, Ñuñoa (341-3675)

San Remo (Chilean): Cuevas 1101, corner of Av Matta, Santiago (555-0541)

Sukine (Korean): Antonia López de Bello 244, Patronato (735-8693)

Gourmet Shops

Coquinaria: Isidora Goyenechea 3000, Las Condes

Gourmeat: Vitacura 5028, Vitacura (789-5774)

Emporio Nacional: Las Hualtatas 8842, Vitacura (727-0827)

I originally planned to tell you the back story, that this is a cool-climate Syrah from an increasingly important denomination of origin (appellation) at the edge of the desert (Elqui Valley), about the climate and the soil, about where the name Kankana comes from (indigenous name for a mountain nearby), the story behind the label design, but no. We can get to all that wine-geeky stuff some other time.

Wine is about pleasure, so a wine review should start there. So I’ll tell you what you really want to know first, and then we can all go about our day and I’ll come back and tell the rest of the story later.

What you really want to know:

What’s in the Glass:

Straight to the point: I loved this wine, right from the first dribble of deep dark purply-red juice out of the decanter, to the blueberry nose, to the last lingering hint of edgy fruit on the long finish.

A truckload of fresh-picked blueberries backs right up to the glass and pours itself out with more black fruit and a slight floral note up front. Give it a swirl, let the elements start to mingle, and then things really get interesting. A bit of darkest chocolate (think 90% cocoa) followed by a whiff of tobacco leaf, cigar box, even a hint of incense—alright, you get it—it’s complex. Take a sip. It’s deep, dark, crisp, and juicy, with just enough tannins to let you know this wine’s no wimp. The overall effect is streamlined and mineral-edged lean—if you’re into big-bomb Shiraz you’re in the wrong place—but even if you are, try it anyway and you may surprise yourself. This one’s about balance; it’s got lots going on and all working together. The alcohol is on the high side (14.1% oops, my geek is showing), but serve it slightly cool and you’ll never notice because all the other elements are in sync, and yep—you got it—pleasure in a glass. I’ll have another please…

Pleasure deserves company:

Even though there’s plenty going on in the glass, this is no center-stage wine that demands your full palate attention. Nope, this is a friendly sort that would be happy to sidle up to the right dish. My imagination wandered as I sipped, and I started fantasizing about juicy grilled lamb choplets, a nice medium-rare rib-eye, a tantalizing T-bone, and mentally invented bacon-wrapped beef and dried fig skewers… dishes full of flavor with a bit of fat and a slight fruity-based sweetness to tie it all together. A wine-loving cook could really go places with this wine.

Look for it. Try it. You deserve it!

Price in Chile: $25,000 pesos.

By Margaret Snook for “Tasting Chile”