Often Ben and I go out for lunch—it is the Chilean tradition to have a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner. Most restaurants have a “menu del dia” or “Menu Ejecutivo” (menu of the day) which offers a 3-course meal at a discounted price ($4,500 pesos = US$7.65). Here is one of our favorite restaurants called Colores Santos (“Holy Colors” at 12 Norte). Most have a blackboard in front with the options for the day—this day had some very local specialties:
We had the Saquitos Gratinados as an appetizer: a tortilla shell holding roasted vegetables—zucchini, carrots, and palmitos (Raquel’s favorite)—and cheese.
To drink, we had fresh fruit juice made from chiramoya, a delicious Chilean fruit. Then we had the Charquican con Huevo Frito (a stew with a fried egg on top). It had a base made out of pumpkin squash with carrots, peas potatoes, corn, zucchini, spinach, palmitos, and some ground beef.
And finally, for dessert (el postre), we had Helado Artesenal Manjar & Coco. It was homemade ice cream with manjar (a sweet, creamy spread that is similar to caramel) and coconut. A VERY sweet ice cream in the Chilean tradition.
And because it is Chile. We got a receipt for the meal.
