If you have only one day in Santiago, what is the best way to see it? A food tour where you walk through the city, visiting markets, restaurants, street vendors and get an introduction to the culinary culture of Chile. After all, food is something that we all share. It is a way to look at the world. Food is a way to get to know another culture.
Our guide was Colin Bennett, an American who lives in Santiago. Originally from the mid-west, Colin came to Chile to teach English and ended up staying. About eight years ago, Colin started FoodyChile.
We met in the Plaza de Armas in the center of the city. A map lies in the ground in the center of the plaza showing the now dry Rio Ma Pocho that runs through the city of Santiago. Colin explained Chile's history to us, from the indigenous Ma Pocho who gathered foods like shellfish, pinenuts, beans and mushrooms to ingredients brought to Chile by the Spanish.
We began walking and soon was in Portal Fernandez Concha. A hotel in the 1860's, today the promenade is filled with a row of hot dog vendors. The Chilean hot dog, with lots of toppings, is Chile's own national junk food.
Sunday brunch is one of the meals many of us look forward to each week. What is better than sleeping in and then getting up late to meet friends for a long leisurely brunch filled with cocktails, good food and conversation? All this makes for a perfect Sunday and a great place to do it is Panxa Cocina in Long Beach.
Located in Belmont Heights, Panxa Cocina sits on an isolated block of Broadway, a few blocks away from numerous restaurants and shops. But, despite the quiet location, inside Panxa Cocina is a packed house with a warm yet relaxing vibe on a Sunday morning.
Showcasing modern Latin and New Mexican cuisine, the interior has a hip, southwestern vibe to it. A beautiful painted Indian Chief's profile covers one wall, wooden baskets embrace the light fixtures and handmade adobe plates adorn the tables.
This story originally appeared in California Winery Advisor.
The Best Solvang Restaurants And More...
Planning a weekend getaway to wine country is not just about which wineries to visit. Trips to Napa and Sonoma center around where to eat. Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara Wine Country is no exception. Consisting of six small communities (Solvang, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, Buellton, Los Alamos and Ballard), no matter where you are, there is somewhere great to eat!
SOLVANG RESTAURANTS
The town of Solvang is known for its Danish décor and aebelskivers but offers so much more. We put in the hard work finding the best Solvang restaurants for you. Whether you are looking for a gourmet dinner after a long day of wine tasting or need a quick jolt of caffeine to get the day started, Solvang's restaurants have you covered.
Café Dolce475 1st Street, Solvang
There is something for everyone at this Solvang coffee shop. Café Dolce features a robust coffee and tea menu which includes Italian espresso, Turkish coffee, iced coffee drinks and more. Owner Sam, who is usually found behind the counter, spent some years living in Italy and can make a mean cappuccino. The espresso is weighed and tempered to an exact amount so that the espresso is perfecto.
Fresh smoothies, protein shakes, and organic juices are available, as are acai bowls. And for the afternoon pick-up, enjoy house-make gelato or sorbet. Having expanded through the next-door space, Café Dolce offers coffee house seating as well as outside seating on a park bench.
Located on the corner of Olive and 7th street in downtown LA, the 1923 neoclassical neutral-colored building is rather nondescript from the outside.
But inside is another world. The NoMad Hotel has transformed the one-time Bank of Italy building into warm opulent space with dark jewel-toned velvet everywhere. The towering lobby can be entered through the doors on 7th Street. The space is broken into several areas, including a bar, a library and the casual Lobby Restaurant. Overlooking the lobby is the Mezzanine Restaurant, the more formal dining option.
Cheese tea? Yes, I wrote that correctly and you read it correctly. Little Fluffy Head is a tea shop located in downtown Los Angeles and they specialize in cheese tea and it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
It really is hard to image cheese and tea being mixed together. But, the trend was started in China and is popular throughout Asia. While it was questioned by many at first, apparently people line up for hours to get a cup of cheese tea in Asia. In the fall of 2017, Little Fluffy Head was opened by owner Jenny Zheng in downtown LA to offer cheese tea to Los Angelenos.
So, what is cheese tea? You may be thinking of a chunk of cheese placed in a cup of tea, at least that is what I had first envisioned. In fact, cheese tea consists of a thick layer of creamy cheese foam that is sweet and salty, paired with a refreshing sweet tea.
The Henry touts themselves as the "greatest neighborhood restaurant" and it may achieve just that on Robertson Blvd in West Hollywood. Surrounded by celebrity-spotting trendy venues, including The Ivy, The Henry has a welcoming and friendly vibe.
The Henry is located in the former Newsroom Cafe space on the completely overhauled 100,000 square foot Robertson Plaza.
The Henry is owned by Sam Fox, the creator of True Food Kitchen, as well as numerous other restaurant concepts. Fox opened The Henry in Phoenix, where the company's headquarters are based. A popular location in Phoenix, The Henry earned its title of "the greatest neighborhood restaurant" as they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, have a full coffee bar, a cocktail program and offer free wifi. Thus, as a result, many use The Henry as a work space.
If there is an image that comes to mind of a New York Italian Deli, it would be a place to buy Italian-American specialties, cold cuts (Genoa salami, prosciutto) and made to order sandwiches and salads with few tables, if any, and a heavyset owner named Saul or Paulie who has a strong New York accent and says words like “mutzadell" (mozarella) and “pruh-zhoot” (prosciutto).
Now, here in LA, Italian delis are not a common thing to find. When New Yorker Paul J. came to Los Angeles three years ago from Queens, he could not find a good sandwich like in New York. So, he opened an Italian Deli in the heart of LA and named it Uncle Paulie's. Despite the name fitting my stereotype, nothing else does.
Uncle Paulie's Deli is located on Beverly Blvd, just east of La Cienega, and a couple doors down from the busy Kings Road Cafe. A not too large space, Uncle Paulie's is a clean and modern space with white subway tile walls, wood floors and a long deli counter showcasing imported Italian cured meats and cheeses, local produce, fresh pressed olive oils, spices and other fresh ingredients.
In today's world, we care where our food comes from. We want to know where our fruits and vegetable are grown. We want to know where our meat came from and how the animals lived and what they were fed. We want transparency in our food. We want safety and honesty. And we want good tasting food. All of this is what Cochon 555 stands for and that is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
Cochon 555 was created in 2008 and since 2009 they have been organizing nose-to-tail culinary events around the country. Responding to the lack of education around heritage breed pigs, they support family farmers and educate buyers about the agricultural importance of eating heritage pigs.
Solvang, in the Santa Ynez Valley, is a kitschy town known for its Danish-style architecture and aebelskivers. But a few blocks off the main street is the charming and romantic boutique Mirabelle Inn.
Just inside the hotel is First & Oak Restaurant, an elegant and intimate restaurant that offers personalized service and creative cuisine. The Mirabelle Inn restaurant was established in 1993 but in July of 2015, father and son team Bernard and Jonathan Rosenson purchased the property and remodeled it.
Running First & Oak is Executive Chef Steven Snook who worked for Chef Gordon Ramsey for 10 years. Originally from England, Chef Snook came to the U.S. in 2009 and worked at Maze by Gordon Ramsay at the London Hotel in New York City, Kenwood Inn and Spa and Salish Lodge & Spa before joining First & Oak.