Dining in Bogotá

We did a LOT of eating in Colombia. Here are the top spots that some locals recommended. And while most, if not all, are chains, we concur.

1.       Crepes and Waffles: we did not quite expect this to be a fantastic place! The atmosphere was casual and the food was delicious. The sweet and savoury crepes were good and the dessert was phenomenal. My girls shared a Calamares al ajilo (squid in garlic sauce) crepe which was absolutely creamy. I ordered a Mexicano (like a taco crepe) while hubby had Boloñesa con Queso y Salsa de Champiñones (meat with cheese and mushroom sauce). We tried each other’s orders and all were truly tasty! Portions were generous, too! But while we almost had no room for dessert, the menu was simply too inviting to resist. The place was not only known for their crepes and waffles, but also for their helados (ice cream) which could very well hit the headlines as well. I had a vanilla ice cream masterpiece with chocolate sauce and hubby shared his arequipe (dulce de leche or milk caramel) and banana ice cream waffle. Dessert was divine.

Mexicano crepe

Banana and Arequipe waffle

2.       Parrilla Patagonia: Notably one of the best Argentenian restaurants in Bogotá (as it is the only one we have tried :P haha). We went there for the anniversary of my parents-in-law and what a wonderful dinner it turned out to be. We were advised that the portions were big, so our party of eleven shared a couple of appetizers and 4 main courses. We started off with some cheese and chorizo with our red wine. Then came the huge platters of perfectly grilled, tender pieces of beef, lamb and pork. Hubby was a bit full from all the eating in prior days, but that did not matter. Once he got a bite, there was nothing he could do to stop. The chimichurri sauce was a perfect complement. We preferred the spicier (mas caliente!) Argentenian vs. the milder Colombian version. We also enjoyed the chorizo so much, we got an extra order for dessert!

 

3.       Sabor del Carbon (y algo mas): Located in downtown Bogotá, we had the impression that it was the usual grilled meat place. We found out later on that they had other traditional Colombian food as well. This was our first time to try the traditional soup of Ajiaco Santafereño and Bandeja Paisa. Ajiaco is a chicken and potato soup with corn on the cob. On the side, you get a cup of rice and avocado slices which you add to the soup. It was deliciously hearty and the kids loved it. Bandeja Paisa, meanwhile, is a typical Colombian dish served on a large platter. And it did require a large platter as it contained over ten ingredients—beans, rice, ground meat, pork rind, fried eggs, plantain, chorizo, blood sausage with lemon, arepa and avocado on the side (surely I am missing some spices or other ingredients!). It was scrumptious with portions big enough to last us until a late dinner! We enjoyed Colombian cuisine! Now, where can we find this in Toronto…

Ajiaco

Bandeja Paisa

4.       El Corral: my Venezuelan friend claims they have the best hamburgers in the world, and they were, indeed very, very good. On our last night in Bogotá, our hosts took us to El Corral. Hubby is fond of hamburgers, so while he was food-fatigued, he was quite excited to try it. We shared a Corral Mexicana (obviously, I am quite fond of Mexican food). Our quarter pounder burger had cheese, refried beans, quacamole, and lettuce topped by some salsa. The girls shared a quarter- pounder Corral Queso (cheeseburger)—which had left-overs that hubby and I finished. We also got to taste their version of the Philadelphia cheese steak and it was also delicious. Fantastic burgers, indeed! 

5.       OMA café: after our burger dinner, we set out to look for a dessert place. Most places were closed at past 10pm on a Monday night, and we ended up at OMA café. It was an excellent choice! OMA (meaning grandmother in German) was supposedly the first gourmet coffee shop in Bogotá and it later branched out into café restaurants. They have a wide-enough selection of helados y postres (ice cream and desserts). I got a Moka Crunch and hubby got a Passion chocolate. The presentation was lovely and the ice cream was delicious! The girls shared some arequipe ice cream which they devoured in a couple of minutes. I also gave in and let them have a taste of chocolate-covered coffee beans, one of the best-selling products of the café. This perfectly capped our dining experience in Bogotá—awesome desserts and great coffee.