Today we had the experience of eating inside the MERCADO CENTRAL, the
wonderful Victorian market of downtown Santiago. DONE AUGUSTO is
perhaps a stalwart spot that will always amaze and if you are in for
an adventure offer you many new tastes as we had.
Ignacio our tour guide took us thru the market and showed us all the
different fish available as Samuel held his nose and then ordered a
grilled chicken breast with fries.
Will went for the CEVICHE as we have loved this so much as well as
superb SEAFOOD EMPANADAS. His third plate (appetizers all) was a huge
presentation of LOCOS (no, not crazies) which are huge tender ABALONES
served with mayo and a creamy potato salad. Ignacio explained the
Chileans love mayo and creamy mayo salads!
I thought the abalone was much like a tasty fishy artichoke heart,
but it did not go over too well with the others.
I loved my 1/2 bottle of Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc blend from Torreon
de Paredes 2009 which refreshed me to no end after my major spicy
CENTOLA al AJILLO a sizzling plate of King Crab with Garlic Butter
Sauce laced with spicy chiles. My second starter plate was PICOROCOS
al VAPOR which are simply steamed barnacles. These looked like tiny
crabs in the market but came to the table in a simple broth as
"claws"which I put a bit of lemon on for flavor and loved. Nobody else
was in my party for this tasty treat either.
Here the table salsa was called PEBRE, Ignacio explained and was more
like pico de gallo with cilantro.
Our favorite part of the afternoon tour of the city was sitting on the
city's peak Cerro San Cristobal as Ignacio treated us to MOTE con
HUESILLO, the national "dessert" which is a sweet juice made from
sundried peaches with wheat added as well as the whole peaches...YUM
YUM....we must have it tomorrow before we board the ship!
