10 must-have Chilean dishes
What is the one thing that brings us all together? Food. What is the one thing that you should try when you go to another country? Food. What is the one thing that will get a group of college kids to come to your organization's event? You guessed it, food. If there's one thing that we can agree on in this time in day, it's that food is important and it's something that we all love. Here's a compilation of some of my favorite foods I think everyone should try in Chile.
1. Completo: While the Chilean completo might not be my favorite take on the standard "hot dog," it's an extremely popular street food that almost every Chilean loves. Take advantage of your time in Chile and try it. I highly doubt you're familiar with the taste of avocado and mayo on a hot dog.
These tasty treats can be found on almost every street corner.
2. Choripan: A much tastier contender. Choripan is a flavorful sausage dog, chorizo, and on this one you usually get to pick your own toppings. Not a fan of mayo? Try this one.
My personal favorite. Much tastier than a completo.
3. Ceviche: If you read my second summary about my semester in Chile, you're probably thinking to yourself "I thought ceviche was gross." And to be honest, after my first try I was convinced the same. However, after trying ceviche again in Colombia I realized that it's not that bad at all. You just have to eat it with some crackers to kill a little bit of the acidity. After that, it is mmm mmm good.
Definitely a hit amongst citrus lovers: raw fish, lemon juice, and cilantro play a major role in this zesty dish.
4. Chilean Candy: You honestly just can't go wrong with Chilean candy. Golazo was one of my favorites because it just tastes so much like a luxurious Crunch bar. If you like a dulce de leche taste, try Suny - it's a Chilean butterscotch-sized candy filled with a caramel manjar (dulce de leche).
Somewhat reminds me of a crunch bar.
5. Empanadas (El Mono): If it's not a completo, it's an empanada. Empanadas are stuffed bread pastries that are filled with pretty much anything you're in the mood for. The most popular empanada in Chile (based on my experience) is an empanada de pino, or pino empanada. Empanadas de pino are filled with beef, onions, black olives, and hard-boiled eggs. I personally prefer seafood empanadas and the best kind are at El Mono in Concon.
My favorite kind of empanadas are seafood: mussels, shrimp, and mussels (in that order).
6. A Typical Once: There has been some debate about what a typical once (on-say) entails; but whatever once happens to be where you are...just try it. I'm sure we could all benefit from a daily tea time right before dinner.
Can't go wrong with a daily tea time.
7. Chorrillana (J. Cruz): This is a must if you are a french fry lover like me. Chorrillana is about as good as loaded fries get in Valparaiso and they're so worth the heartburn that may follow afterwards.
Chilean twist on loaded fries. What does it have on it? Click here to find out.
8. Casa Bosque: In case you missed it, this is my Instagram post about the fancy restaurant I went to in Cajon del Maipo.
See this Instagram photo by @sincerelytakira * 139 likes
This is what the inside of the restaurant, Casa Bosque, looks like.
At Casa Bosque I enjoyed a juicy boneless chicken breast with a mushroom cream sauce that I am still dreaming about today.
Chicken smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce at Cajon del Maipo's most intriguing restaurant.
9. Pastel de choclo & pisco sour (Vive La Vida): If you ask any teenager on the street (which I did) about their favorite home-cooked, authentic Chilean dish, they will probably tell you "pastel de choclo." Pastel de choclo is a savory corn pudding that reminds me a lot of chicken pot pie with creamed corn. Either way, you can't leave Chile without trying this one. I promise.
A delicious corn pudding filled with beef, chicken, and all sorts of goodies.
10. Fresh fruit, fish, & veggies (La Feria): My time in Chile encouraged me to improve my diet. This new lifestyle required regular trips to the beloved feria, or farmer's market. What I love most about the feria is not the simple fact that I can get produce and fresh fish for dirt cheap prices. I love the atmosphere and sense of community the feria has to offer. It allows consumers to meet the sweet faces behind the tomatoes in their fridge. It also allows me to feel more welcome at my new home away from home.
Vina's feria is open all day on Wednesdays & Saturdays. Locals can buy loads of fruit for less than one dollar.
I hope you enjoyed my take on my top 10 favorite foods from Chile. If you have any questions or would like to add your 2 cents on some of your Chilean food, feel free to do so in the comments below.
Have a great day!
Sincerely, Takira
