bogota - M's Adventures

Gringo Cantina – Mexican Food in Bogota, Colombia

February 13, 2016M's Adventures

Mexican food in Bogota? This is one of the most common questions I get. Americans (gringos) are obsessed with “Mexican food” and cry about how they miss Chipotle (an American fast food chain specializing in large burritos etc.). Well, too bad. Or take yourself to Gringo Cantina on Calle 80, 12A-29 (behind the Atlantis mall — or go south on Carrera 11, turn right on Calle 80, and it will be on your left.) The facade is painted in pale pink and blue with large letters that declare: NO MAMES.

This Mexican cantina that has been open for a month now and it doesn’t suck (This is a reference for those who speak Mexican slang). The owner is an Californian with some Colombian roots. He started La Xarcuteria but has sold that concept and no longer has a connection to it. This cantina is his third concept in Bogota. Way to go, entrepreneur!

The owner, Mike, came over to talk to us. His tacos, both corn and flour, are made in house. He is excited to be in Bogota for the start of its culinary revolution (and education). His dishes are small, refined, and fresh. The best dishes are the taco al pastor, the tongue taco (get over it, it’s delicious! Look up, as it is the first one shown in this posting) which he serves so it looks nothing like a tongue for the queasy. Make his day and ask for the taco al pastor without the pineapple (it is too sweet and overpowers the meat).

The sauces are interesting with one made from eggplant/aubergine. The warm tacos are served on warm Colombian pottery which helps keep the freshness. The cold smoked scallop dish was subtle and fresh for those who do not like tacos (and those that do). I would not order the shrimp salad again and the owner admits that this dish is only there to cater to local tastes. I liked the quesadillas with their crunchy fried exteriors and greasy, cheesy, and REAL steak inside (no ground beef, no shredded beef). I enjoyed when Mike and I commiserated about the difference between hard and crunchy as I told him that I like his chicharone/pork rind tostada (an open tortilla that is toasted). Ah, the thrills of foodie geeks!

Dishes came out at a heady speed and Mike left us to eat before coming back for a chat about flavor, sous vide, freshness, seafood, and where to eat in Bogota (so I have a few more to try!). He also kept sending out free dishes for us to try (full disclosure — although this didn’t influence my opinions — it just let me try even more of the menu).

This is a new place so let’s hope it does well. And, yes, he does make a chipotle sauce.

Also: I apologize for the blurriness (and awfulness — the one above which I took quickly as I waited for tacos — to show where the restaurant is situated) of some of the photos… it’s hard to aim and eat at the same time. But, I wanted to post this as soon as possible for the masses… all 37 of you, my readers…

10 Best Restaurants in Bogota… Well, at least where I eat…

January 25, 2016February 17, 2016M's Adventures

As I have mentioned before, I’m not going to eat at 100 restaurants in Bogota. Now that I’ve been in Bogota for over a year, these are the restaurants where I’ve found the food good or acceptable:

La Brasserie (which, along with Agadon, is part of the Di Lucca restaurant family) Carrera 13A, #85-35 (12/13): Only once have I been here and had a bad piece of food and a strangely odd waiter. Otherwise, this is my go-to restaurant in Bogota because, whether I arrive sweaty and in short pants — or with a reservation and long pants, the service is always good. I have never felt racism when walking in or eating here (does that seem amazing? Sad, no?). Plus, some of the food is stuff i want in my life on a daily basis. They have a house made chicken pate which makes me want to smuggle in a banh mi sandwich (if I could find one that I liked).

La Diva, Calle 93A, Carrera 12 (12/13): El Tiempo just listed this place as the best pizza in Bogota. Hope it’s not getting too crazy with long lines… this is my favorite place away from home. It’s warm, cozy, and the food is good. Plus the dresser takes his dressing job seriously. He may not use tweezers and spray nitro-spray all over the food a la fancy pantsy style… but, it is some of the prettiest food in Bogota. I also love the Sistine chapel style painted ceilings and the Euro-pop music. Plus, on Sundays, they have a “brunch” set menu for 35,000 pesos which is one of the best deals around. Oh, and they are always open (well, not at 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday… but still).

Gran China, Calle 77A and Carrera 11 (12/13): You’ve already heard me talk about this place. It’s good. The waiters like to go home around 9:00 p.m. so it’s amusing (to me) to watch them turn off the lights and “encourage” us out… only place in Bogota for truly spicy food.

Gringo Cantina, Calle 80, 12A-29 (12/13): This place opened in January 2016 so let’s see how it does.

El Cielo, Calle 70 #4 – 47 (11/13): It’s fancy. Wait, FAHHNCY. Yup. They probably have the best ceviche in Bogota (but, we’re at 8,500 feet above sea level — so go to Lima instead). But, that makes for interesting people watching for the Margaret Meads in us all.

Taj Mahal, Calle 119b #6A-34 (10/13): I wish they would bake their own bread and serve it warm. It’s Indian food. The only place in town. This town of nine million.

La Fama, Calle 65 Bis #2-85 (10/13): They are a bit pricey. They aren’t open all the time. It’s barbecue. The meal for four would be the meal for one in the U.S. It’s good. But, I get my ribs at Agadon.

Xarcuteria, Carrera 12 #93-43 and new location on Calle 85 (10/13): I don’t usually eat here because sometimes the service is too much attitude for me. And slow. But, the food is good. Only place for a reuben sandwich in Bogota.

Tokyo Ramen, Calle 98 and Carrera 11 (10/13): They have a variety of Japanese foods and ramen.

Others: Wabisabi, NN (speakeasy with great desserts), etc. As for the rest of the famous ones (Andres Carne de Res, Cuatro Estaciones, and Harry Sasson), I have had some negative experiences at them… or, I don’t think the food is all that. Or worth it.

As you can possibly tell, I’m just not all that excited by the food scene in Bogota. But, still, there is progress. I’ve noticed it.

Best Ramen in Bogota

December 19, 2015February 21, 2016M's Adventures

****** Update February 21, 2016***** The rising trend of ramen shops has reached Colombia. Here are the ramen shops I’d say are the best. Actually, Ramen Factory’s noodles and pork combined with Tokyo Ramen’s broth served at Tomodachi would be the best.

Tokyo Ramen, Carrera 11 and Calle 98. 12/13: It’s probably the best ramen shop in Bogota, and the restaurant is perfectly nice to sit in when slurping. They are not open on Saturday night (and maybe not at all on Sundays?). They have a variety of items to eat. I’m not a huge fan of their pork, a rolled style with a slightly porky flavor (and not in my favorite sort of way). They have a variety of types of ramen.

Ramen Factory Tokai-No-Men, Calle 93B # 13-65, Centro Comercial VEI Plaza (down the street from Parque 93, after the Andres kiosk, inside a courtyard that whose entrance looks like a parking garage). 11/13: It’s the far left corner of a covered food court courtyard. The broth is a whitish color and the noodles are chewy in that good alkaline way. I liked the pork here as it’s tender pork belly. But most people would not be impressed with the iceberg lettuce or lack of seaweed in the soup. Also, this is truly a hole-in-the-wall sort of feel (not elegant at all as it’s located in a food court). I liked the place. For those who care about this sort of thing, the guy working here is Japanese. His gyozo/dumplings are fine.

Tomodachi, Diagonal 70A No. 4-66 (turn up the little hill at Bagatelle, and it will be on the left just before the butcher), 12/13: This place has the atmosphere down perfectly. The broth is not special. And the noodles are too bland with a tendency to get overcooked instantly. They are open 12-3 and again 7-10, even on Sundays. Also, this is the only of the ramen places in Bogota that serves the eggs soft boiled. Yum. 12716323_10153900139189618_6961970452263989506_o

Arigato, Calle 80 No. 11 – 28. 10/13: It’s a large restaurant and the service is fine. Feels like a chain restaurant. 12265966_10153716933019618_1713243912304424123_o

Sushigozen, Carrera 14 # 93B – 45. 10/13: I don’t like the their sushi but the bowl of ramen was okay.

Wok, various locations. 8/13: It’s not as bad as one might expect. It’s a chain.

I’ve also been to a restaurant called Ramen in Macarena. Not good.

Happy slurping!

The Leather District

December 12, 2015M's Adventures

photo(100) Colombia is famous for its leather products. If you find yourself in Bogota and ask for the “leather district,” you will be told about an area of town called “Restrepo.” But I do my leather shopping at the intersection of Carrera 23 and Calle 63F. There are about 20 leather shops. They will even custom make leather products for you. It’s not that expensive either. I saw an Australian cowboy hat for $35. Wallets run about $20.

Like almost everything else in Bogota, it’s also possible to have leather craftspeople (including custom shoe makers), come to your house.

Seeing the Blue Footed Boobie in the Galapagos

November 6, 2015November 6, 2015M's Adventures

For some it’s simply the name that makes them giggle. I was actually excited to see their blue feet. When I did see the birds, I was more delighted than I expected. They were adorable.

The Galapagos is a major tourist destination (and on many a bucket list) and I’d recommend it if you like birds and wildlife. It’s not a foodie destination. Some recommend going on a “land cruise” where one stays at a different hotel each night on a different island. I stayed on a “mid luxury” boat in a cabin with a window and private bathroom (about the size of a telephone box). It cost $1,500 for three nights and four days (first day getting there plus tortoises) and the last day seeing baby animals in the mangrove forest and then flying out by 10 a.m. With the flight from Quito (which stops in Guayaqil for an hour making the trip longer) costing about $500, you can see how much the trip cost. Also, there is a $100 and a $20 fee for the islands. But, the food is included on the boat. Tips for the crew and guide are extra.

The sea iguanas are plentiful as is their funk.

We did see lots of birds plus sea turtles, sea lions, sea iguanas, land iguanas, more birds, giant tortoises, tortoise babies (we could have done with one less tortoise siting), and eagle rays, and sharks (white tipped and the black tipped). There was snorkeling so one could swim with the sea lions and the sharks… oh, and lots of birds.

Middle Eastern Food in Bogota

October 10, 2015October 11, 2015M's Adventures

Despite the expectation that due to Shakira’s existence, middle eastern food should be common here in Bogota — it’s not. These are the restaurants that I’ve tried and my review of them.

Al Khalifa, various locations, (5/13): I actually was quite awash in memories of Jordan, Bangladesh, and other Muslim and middle eastern countries when I ate here. Instead of Jesus Christ of Superstar, there was a Muslim version on the TV. The food wasn’t great but my memories are.

Beirut, Calle 117 #6-30, Usaquen, (12/13): It’s the upscale version of middle eastern food. Large and lofty.

Panaderia La 85 (Lebanese Bakery), Calle 85 near Carrera 12, (10/13): It’s not fancy. They sell Lebanese pita bread and products. They make kibbeh, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves, but I’m never sure if they have all the products all the time. I went with a friend of the owner.

Chicken on a stick, tabouleh salad, and falafel at Beirut.

Zatar, Carrera 5 #69-15, Zona G, (12/13): It was described as a hole-in-the-wall to me but it’s not. It’s hard to find only because they are in plain sight. Their awning is black with no signage. Just walk down the street from the Starbucks (oh, right, that doesn’t help). The food is good although a bit on the wet (saucy) and sweet side. The people who work there seem rather nice. At least that’s the vibe I got.

One final gripe… even I can make flat bread hot off the fire/oven… so I can’t understand why all these places serve me cold pre-made bread.

The bread spread at Beirut. The chile sauce is perhaps their version of harissa? It was HOT!

The Secret — Best Pizza in Bogota

September 26, 2015September 26, 2015M's Adventures

People like secrets. Maybe my favorite pizza place in Bogota isn’t actually a secret and I just hang out with too many new people… okay, on to the pizza review.

Not a pizza but one of the prettiest dishes I've had at La Diva. It's salmon. — Not a pizza but one of the prettiest dishes I’ve had at La Diva. It’s salmon.

Julia’s (a chain): 12/13 (not a perfect score because their menu is limited… and not due to the annoying show-offy customers messing about in Spanglish while complaining about their doormen, maids, etc.): is considered the best Italian style pizza. It certainly is very authentic and my pizza had no cheese on it (or maybe I just didn’t look hard enough).

La Diva, Calle 93A-44: 13/13. Perfect score? Well, it’s a delightful little place. They don’t do pasta dishes (except when it’s a special, maybe Sunday night?). They have tables outside, upstairs, and in the main area. They have WIFI. The oven is fun to sit next to when it’s pouring outside. The place is decorated like the Sistine Chapel. The bathrooms are nice. The prices are reasonable. They have “brunch” on Sundays for 35,000 pesos (about $12) which is a set menu including coffee, mimosas, eggs, antipasti, pizza, and dessert. In various places, they state the hours for their brunch, but basically it’s from 12-3 on Sundays. The crew prepping and dressing all the dishes take great care and each dish looks like a masterpiece (but a larger portion than foam of foam). When I’ve arrived crusty from a bike ride, the staff have helped park my bike somewhere out of the thieves hands. I’ve been there alone and I’ve been there with other people. They are open every day (no guessing needed). On a Sunday, each of the four tables downstairs will be taken up by three generations of a local family. The only downside to this place is that the bathrooms are upstairs so if you’re sore from hiking… que pena. They do deliver so I guess I could just stay home.

Di Lucca, Carrera 13, #85-32:11/13. This is one of the IT places to be. The service is okay for a place overwhelmed with customers. The pizza is fine. They have lots of other dishes as well. I don’t really like that this place is always such a hectic place and so it can take a while to get one’s drinks or food. They also do delivery.

Archies (a chain): 11/13. I usually order from them. They also offer a large menu of items. I like that I can order it all online.

There are many other places (Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Dominos, etc.) as well including some food trucks selling pizza. I’m not much of a fan.

The Flora and Fauna of San Andres, Colombia

August 25, 2015M's Adventures

Everyone told me to go to San Andres. So I did.

San Andres is nice and has all the usual activities of a sun and sand vacation. Plus, San Andres has some decent restaurants and lots of duty-free shopping.

The only thing that I didn’t notice were too many spas. There was a spa on the beach. But as they appeared to be the only game in town, they only had 30 minutes massages available. They only had one massage table and it was separated from the public by a bamboo bead curtain (which was never closed). The main “spa” activity in the hut seemed to be the fish foot spa. Even with a reservation, we did not manage to get a spa treatment on the beach. We did find a hair salon that also had massages and manicures and pedicures.

There are seven colors in San Andres, starting with sand.

Apparently, the smaller (less crowded) Providencia is much nicer than San Andres. Perhaps another time.

Asian Vegetables in Bogota

August 17, 2015August 17, 2015M's Adventures

The Chinese porcelain cat with the waving paw is the give-away. In the U.S., it’s called “napa cabbage” but in Bogota, it’s called “Chinese cabbage.” Whatever it’s called, it’s almost impossible to find in Bogota, I guess because it’s not a normal part of the diet here.

I went on the hunt. I’m not sure if it’s my imagination but I feel like in the months that I’ve lived in Bogota, more and more grocery stores are offering “Asian” vegetables like napa cabbage, daikon, and leafy greens other than spinach. But, in most of the stores, the Asian vegetables are droopy and expensive (whenever I buy bok choy in the market, it’s never the tiny ones served to me at Gran China but I guess they, as a restaurant, get preference). It’s better to go to Paloquemao. In particular, “Peter’s Fruits and Vegetables – Chinese Products Available” which I call “Peter’s Chinese Vegetable” just because I think it would sound better. There are quite a few stands in the same area of the market selling asparagus, giant daikon, arugula, chives, and leafy greens.The last time I went, I bought two large backpacks worth of vegetables and it cost me 24,000 pesos (about $11). There is a separate lady who sells nothing by chiles. The other “Asian vegetable” which is hard to find even in the U.S., is perilla leaf. Maki Roll on Carrera 11 sells that.

Japanese-Korean seafood pancake with long green onion-chive vegetables.

As an aside, Peter’s also sells sweet potato (yams to Americans and “Peruvian camote” here — a sweet potato with an orange color, used in Peruvian ceviche and North American food) and kale. Some of the vendors even use the English words and if they see a foreigner, they’ll call out “kale” or “sweet potato” to attract customers.

120 Kilometers of Ciclovia

August 9, 2015August 9, 2015M's Adventures

I did it! 120 kilometers of Bogota’s Ciclovia. Okay, almost all of it. The city continues to change the map. So I did what I could on the 2015 map.

Sometimes, I’d get to a part that seemed like a simple “stay straight” and follow the signs. Not so. I would get to a part of the marked route, and then nothing. The route would simply end like an appendix (in the body; not in a book). No real purpose (why do we have one?) and no reason for it to end. I’d go down and suddenly it would end. Then I’d have to turn around and go back on the same route I’d just biked down.

Having now spent many days on Ciclovia, I have three wishes:

Provide toilets
Provide opportunities for massages (along with the food stalls, bike repair stalls, brain exercise stalls, and entertainment pit stops)
Make the Ciclovia employees have maps or at least know where they are…
(okay, four) Make the roads connect!

My favorite parts have been down south. Much more to explore. Better prices.

A Birthday Wish for Colombia

July 20, 2015M's Adventures

Today, on Colombia’s birthday (205 years old), I went for a walk to see how Colombians celebrate. I knew there was a parade somewhere and I’m pretty sure that I heard the flyover, but mostly, I noticed that almost all the buildings were flying the flag. I went out to a favorite eatery and as I pondered my cafe latte, I wished Colombia a happy birthday. Google had Colombia as a their design today, but in the headlines, it’s another country starting with a “C” that has grabbed the spotlight (also, I’ve noted that my blog readership had dropped now that I blog mostly about Colombia — which makes me realize the power of 170 million Bangladeshis, with smartphones!). Speaking of things starting with the letter “c,” my birthday wish for Colombia (other than people learn to spell her name correctly) is that she will loosen the fetters of her reputation for cocaine and kidnapping. Instead, I hope that people will think of Colombia when they enjoy their coffee, or nibble on organic chocolate, or cruise into Cartagena. Or come seeking the legend.

One year later, I thought I’d comment on my post about stereotypes about Colombia:

1. Aren’t you worried about getting kidnapped? (I wouldn’t go to Colombia if kidnapping was a guarantee. Duh!)

Answer: Still not worried. I stay in my bathtub, blubbering at my rubber ducky.

2. It’s dangerous. You will get mugged. Or worse. (Bogota, with seven million inhabitants, has all the usual dangers of a large city so I think my chances are equal those if I lived in New York or Bangkok).

Answer: Yes, it is. Hardworking Colombians get killed for the price of their cell phone. But, again, are you going to stay in your bathtub? No. I wander around during the day, going on epic 100-block walks. I don’t wander around at night. At night, I admire the reflection in my bathtub.

3. Will you become a drug dealer? Or an emerald smuggler? (Why would you ask me that? Is it a conversation starter?)

Answer: Again, why would you DARE ask me if I really was one? And, frankly, I’d completely forgotten about the emeralds. I guess the Wizard will disown me now.

4. I hear that plastic surgery is really cheap and of high quality there. Are you going to get plastic surgery? (Thanks for the suggestion?).

Answer: Yes, it is. I’ve heard that a tummy tuck is about 4,000 dollars. Now, if you want danger, cheap plastic surgery is the way to go. But why would you scrimp when doing surgery?

5. Colombian women are the hottest in the world. You will get divorced there. (Colombia ranks first in bird bio-diversity…)

Answer: Some are. Some get plastic surgery (not the birds). The Colombians certainly seem to be careful about their appearance. Not all women wear high heels here in “cold” Bogota. But, the jeans are super-uber tight. Like shellac-tight (I just made up that term but you can imagine how tight a car is with its paintjob). The men do not wear tight jeans. No equality here.

6. You will get married there. (If I go to a wedding, I’ll blog about it for sure!)

Answer: Not yet. It’s hard to meet anyone when cowering in my bathtub.

7. Oh, you’ll be having a lot of romantic assignations (Okay, they put it more crassly.)

Answer: See number six (and one) above. Plus, something about beeswax…

8. You will enjoy the steamy hot weather (Not in Bogota. The daily average temperature is 48-68 F, or 9-20 C)

Answer: Not hot in Bogota. Average is 65 F or 14 C. I love it.

9. Hope you like salsa because there will be lots of it. Any opportunity and Colombians start dancing! (Yup, bring on the vallenato, cumbia, hard salsa, salsa romantica, porro, and so on. More later.)

Answer: I do love salsa, both the dance and the dip. So far, the funniest salsa (or was it something else?) experience I’ve had was an awful experience at a club watching a drunk client get escorted back and forth from her chair to the bathroom. Otherwise, the most salsa I’ve done is the two-step on my slippery waxed floors.

10. You will never want to leave. (The Colombian public relations slogan says, “the only danger is wanting to stay” so maybe they are right?)

Answer: I don’t have a bathtub.

Colombian Colors

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015M's Adventures

His dad was showing him how to wave the flag. — The dad enthusiastically showed his son how to fly the colors.

With Colombia taking part in the beautiful game (soccer), I have seen lots of people wearing the national colors.

These kids were actually watching Celine Dion on a karaoke machine.

Soccer is the national sport and Colombians are passionate about it. They also like baseball but really, it’s all about “football.”

The three colors of the Colombian flag represent the gold found in Colombia; the blue seas, and the red blood shed fighting for independence.

That is the most patriotic monkey I've seen here. Doesn't even detract from the beautiful woman. — That is the most patriotic monkey I’ve seen here. Doesn’t even detract from the beautiful woman.

Colombia’s national day is July 20. Maybe I’ll see more patriotic colors then.

Tag: bogota

10 Best Restaurants in Bogota… Well, at least where I eat…

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Best Ramen in Bogota

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The Leather District

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Middle Eastern Food in Bogota

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The Flora and Fauna of San Andres, Colombia

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Asian Vegetables in Bogota

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120 Kilometers of Ciclovia

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Colombian Colors

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