What to Eat
Argentina is world-famous for its beef. The cuts are different than what you are used to, as is the out-of-this-world taste. Bife de chorizo, the most popular cut, is a sirloin steak; vacio is flank steak; lomo is tenderloin or filet mignon; and bife ancho are prime ribs. Every province has its own take on the empanada, a hot flaky pastry filled with cheese, vegetables, and meat. You will see many people walking around with their own metal cup and straw to enjoy maté, a caffeinated tea made from holly leaves. It’ s not just a drink but a social experience.
Uruguay is just as carnivorous as its Argentine neighbor, and here you will find pulpon( rump steak) or asado( short ribs). The national sandwich, chivito, has thin slices of churrasco( filet mignon beef) topped with bacon, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ham, olives and a fried egg.
For a great homestyle meal in Costa Rica, duck into a soda, a family-run restaurant. As a solo traveler don’ t be put off if your host recommends a cascado or a“ married man’ s meal.” It’ s just a set meal with rice, beans, and your choice of fish, chicken, pork, or beef. There are also vegetarian cascados with plantains and avocado. Try also platanos fritos, or fried plantains. Crispy on the outside and creamy inside, these are popular everywhere as a side dish. What to drink? Coffee, of course!
In Chile, try pastel de choclo, a creamy, sweet corn pie filled with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and ground beef or chicken. After a day of hiking, a sopa patagonica( a stew of shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, and potatoes) will hit the spot. The classic Chilean comfort food is cazuela, a heartwarming broth with chunks of chicken or beef, pumpkin, potatoes, cilantro, and corn noodles. On a warm summer day, a glass of mote con huesillo will slake your thirst: it’ s made from dried peaches soaked in nectar and mixed with fresh wheat, water, cinnamon, and brown sugar. But then, there’ s also all that world-class Chilean wine....
Both Peru and Chile lay claim to ceviche, a cold stew of fresh, raw seafood cured in citrus juice( lemon, lime, or Seville orange), and spiked with chili peppers, onion and cilantro. The acid in the marinade“ cooks” the fish and seafood as it adds flavor. A uniquely Amazonian dish in Peru is juane, a bowl of rice filled with chicken, boiled egg, black olives, and spices. All the ingredients are wrapped up in bijao( similar to banana leaves) and then boiled in clay pots. In the Peruvian Andes, you may be offered cuy, which is crispy grilled guinea pig.
In Venezuela and Colombia, arepas are delicious corn cakes stuffed with eggs, cheese, meat or beans. They’ re eaten for breakfast and as snacks all day long.
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