In Colombia, the chef is plainly worried that you might go hungry.

In Colombia, the chef is plainly worried that you might go hungry.
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Dining in Colombia: getting hungry is not an option

With national dishes like Sancocho, Colombia has a lot to taste. But beware of supposedly medium-rare steaks.

If there is one thing about dining out in Colombia, you will never go hungry. Forget about TV cookery competition portions that see three green beans and two carrot sticks being referred to as a “vegetable medley”. In Colombia, you receive a plate of food where the chef is plainly worried that you might otherwise go hungry.

The jury is out as to whether the national dish is Sancocho or Arepas, the former being classed as “traditional”, the latter as “famous”. While every restaurant, whether a lunchtime café, or a fine dining experience will have Sancocho available, Arepas tends to be regarded as a “food for the people”, and by its nature, is not the stuff Michelin Star guides include.

Sancocho is described by many as a soup, but there are those who insist it is a stew. As it is always, without exception, served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon, this confirms my opinion that it is more of a one-pot soup, containing usually chicken (but depending upon the region, meat or fish) potato, yuca, plantain and a small corn cob, with a healthy sprinkling of fresh coriander, and, but not always, rice. There are usually some vegetables included. As with all meals in Colombia, it will be accompanied by avocado; a very big avocado. Sancocho is very much the Colombian equivalent of a far-eastern Ramen.

In contrast, Arepas are one of those dishes you’ll see everywhere, in restaurants, take-aways, bakeries and especially as street food, being popular enough that they can be a street vendor’s only food on sale (the other rather unusual, but very popular street food, is salted strips of ice-cold mango). Arepas have a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. They have become very popular as a snack, yet despite their calorie count, often form just part of a meal, either as accompaniment or appetizer.

Like Sancocho, Arepas can be made at home, the main constituent of the flatbread being cornflour, which, dependent on the region they are from, will often affect the taste and colour. They are usually grilled, but you will find them deep fried or even baked. There are many variations of Arepas (over 30), including “queso”, which are savoury and usually contain cheese, “huevo” (deep fried and include an egg), the children’s favourite, “choclo” (sweet and like a pancake) and the baked version “boyacense”.

You will also find that the appetiser for many meals will be a Pan de Bono, which is a small, round, sweet-cheese-flavoured bread, something that is also eaten as a snack during the day, so will often be made on the premises by many of the independent restaurants. It is usually accompanied by a flavoured olive oil or two for dipping.

Other popular Colombian foods include Arroz con Pollo, or simply, chicken and rice, with the accompaniment usually sauté mushrooms in an extremely creamy sauce, Empanadas, which are stuffed, deep-friend pastries, and the Bandeja Paisa, referred to as the “unofficial” national dish of Colombia.

To anyone familiar with the “full English breakfast”, Bandeja Paisa is a meal to be reckoned with – just don’t tell either your weighing scales or arteries! It is the quintessential appetite pleaser, consisting of rice, Arepas (the already-mentioned meal on its own), plantain, minced meat, chorizo, black sausage, fried pork rind and the ever-present avocado. There’s also a fried egg thrown on top for good measure. It is not a meal for the faint-hearted.

The most popular fish dish is Mojarra Frita, a form of sea bream, usually fried whole.

A word of caution must be given to the steak-eater. The western definition of medium-rare takes on its own persona in Columbia, and the term ‘well-done’ is totally foreign! For example, if you ask for a medium-rare steak, expect one that can still get up and walk from your plate on its own!

To accompany your meal, you will, should you be a wine lover, sadly quite disappointed. You will find a great selection of Argentinian, Chilean and Uruguayan wines, but local Colombian wines, where available, tend to be hybrids. This is due to the humidity in the country that encourages grape pests and fungal infestation, making the management of vines far too difficult to be profitable. However, national beers (mostly lagers) and local craft beers abound. The national drink is Aguardiente, usually a clear anise-, or liquorice- flavoured drink, similar to ouzo from Greece and raki from Turkey. Colombia is also noted for its rums, which are of very high quality and relatively inexpensive.

A small cautionary note on the souvenir front. Wherever you go, you will see the famous brightly coloured, woven, mochila bag on sale, a must for the ladies. Just take a few moments to ensure, should you buy one, that it is the genuine article made by indigenous Colombian artisans and not imported from the Far East. Colombian country-of-origin labelling is not what we have come to rely on in the West, and besides, the real article doesn’t cost that much more than a Far Eastern copy.

Edward Moss
Edward Moss
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