19 Apr Getting to know Santiago, Chile Through a Food Tour with FoodyChile

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.

This shape looks like an American hot dog but the size is much bigger. It is all about abundance.

As for the types of hot dogs, there is a level of standardization when it comes to condiments.

Completo – You will hear Chilean’s say, “let’s go for a completo.” A completo is a specific recipe and includes sauerkraut, tomato and mayonnaise.

Italiano – Called Italiano as it is the color of the Italian flag, it is topped with guacamole, tomato and mayonnaise.

AS – AS means any meat, not a hot dog, in a bun and toppings can be “completo” or “italiano”.

Churrasco is a sandwich with thinly cut beef.

Lomita is a pork loin and you can get it “completo” or “italiano”

Gorda is a sausage

Chorrillana is dry poutine with meat, hot dog, onions and a fried egg.

Chacarero is vegetables with meat but no mayonnaise.

Churrasco pobre is a plate of meat, fries, onions and a fried egg.

Once we left Portal Fernandez Concha, we wandered down the street. On the street corners, vendors sell Mote Con Huesillo (huesillo means “little bone”). Juice comes from dehydrated peaches that have been rehydrated and little pieces of a grain/wheat base are in the cup, along with the peach halves. You can both eat and drink this tasty and refreshing snack that is not too sweet.

We then headed to Emporio Zunino, one of the oldest and most famous empanada spots in Santiago.

The classic is called Pino and is filled with meat, onion, hard-boiled egg, paprika and pitted olives. It is liquidy and quite yummy.

We took a quick stroll through the flower market, Purgala des Flores.