Chilean Lunch: Chorrillana, Completos, Empanadas, & Seafood From My Vacation Last Week
After 10 days of eating my way across Chile, I can’t say I was too excited for lunch yesterday. A week and half of amazing Chilean food is not easy to replace with a boring $9 sandwich. The only Chilean restaurant I know in the area is Pomaire on 46th btw. 8+9th, but that is way out of the Midtown Lunch price range. Hopefully some cheaper options exist (or will pop up in the future).
Here are some of the lunch’ing highlights from my trip, that I am hoping are available somewhere in Midtown:
“Un Completo”, aka a Chilean “Hot Dog with the works”- only instead of sauerkraut and relish, it’s topped with salsa, tomatoes, guacamole and mayo. This one was enjoyed New Year’s Eve in Valparaiso. ($1)
Empanada de Pino – Baked pastry filled with meat, egg and olives. Delicious. This one (the first of many on the trip) was enjoyed just outside the Mercado Central in Santiago. They also make cheese and seafood version (plus fried versions), but this one is the most common. ($1)
Raw seafood, the national drink of Chile (and it’s not a Pisco Sour), plus the artery clogging mountain of meat and french fry wonderment that is Chorrillana, after the jump…
Mote con Huesillos – The national drink of Chile, it’s thick fruit juice (normally peach, but we also saw it with pineapple), a whole re-hydrated peach and barley (which requires a spoon). Food and drink all in one. What more could you want? Refreshing, delicious, and I was addicted halfway through my first one, enjoyed here- just outside of the Mercado Central in Santiago. I’m guessing this will be the hardest thing to find in NYC, so if anyone knows where I can get this, please let me know! ($1)
A raw clam, sea urchin (and lord knows what else) ceviche, bought for $2 near the water in Castro on the island of Chiloe. Definitely my “Andrew Zimmern” moment of the vacation…
Machas (Chilean Razor Clams) in Salsa Verde. A steal at $8, this was probably my favorite lunch of the trip. From one of the little booths inside the Mercado Central in Santiago. I will dream of this plate of clams for the rest of my life…
Chorrillana (Sauteed Steak, French Fries, Onions & Egg) from Casino Social J Cruz in Valparaiso. While my head will dream of seafood, my heart (and arteries) will always remember the Chorrillana. $6 per portion, the mountain you see was for two ($12). Somebody needs to start serving this out of a cart in Midtown.
Finally, there was my amazing Churrasco Completo out of a converted bus, eaten on the side of the Carretera Austral in the middle of Nowheresville Northern Patagonia. But for that, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow, and read about it on the Serious Eats column, Serious Sandwiches… You can read about that sandwich on Serious Eats.
Know where I can get any of this stuff in Midtown (or anywhere else in NYC for that matter)? Email me at zach@midtownlunch.com or post it as a comment below.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 3:34 pm, January 8th, 2008 under Chilean.
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38 Comments
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Ayayay, muy buenas las fotos.
I love Chilean Cuisine! -
aaa q riko mote con huesillo (:
q lindo mi pais xD -
I’m going to Chile next month and I have addresses from this site to go to the chorrillanas and clams thanks very interesting and congratulation to the person who meke this site.
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I’m chilean, born here actually but both parents are from there. im sad to say there are no good, authentic “comfort” chilean food like the kind you listed here in ny, or probably anywhere in ny.
there arent many of us and even fewer restaurants.
there is san antonio bakery in astoria. they have empanadas con pino and queso. many pastries, and they also serve completos last time i was there.
i miss chile, havent visited since ’05. cousin is getting married in march, but unfortunately wont be able to attend. sucks.
hope that helped.
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PS~ maybe i should have read all the other comments before posting my own. oops!!
another recomendation.
la gaviota in vina del mar.
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Just got back from Chile and am looking for the most up to date addresses for good Chilean food in NYC. Seems that Pomaire and San Antonios are the only ones…is that still the case….
Also brought back varying samples of Merken (Merquen) aaaah, but I miss the empenadas….
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I have to do a project on chile, any1 know wat they eat for dinner
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i need it by tommorow, so im guessing no1s gunna reply so im not gunna post anything more
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1 more thing(=. Zach those are great pictures
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Everything looks delicious. If you ever come to Toronto, Canada and want to eat good chilean food as you see in these pictures come and visit us. Our place is called:
AKKICHILE and our web site is under renovation, however it will be fully funtional ASAP.
If you tried Churrascos, Chacareros and others sandwiches you will be able to do it over here as well. -
Horcon Bistro (Chilean restaurant) (718) 205-0020
62-16 Woodhaven Blvd, Queens, NY 11374, USA – Rego Park -
I second Horcon Bistro – you will get your empanadas, chorillana, and a lot more there. The atmosphere is great – have been to Chile multiple times and it is like stepping back to a great place in Vina or Valparaiso. Service is excellent, the music rocks and the owners really friendly. The pebre is also the best I have had in the U.S., and there are always other Chileans there which is always a good sign! It is in Queens – right by the Queens Mall. Enjoy!
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I think El Arrayon closed recently, but Horcon Bistro is really great. The pan amasado (bread made by hand) is fabulous as is the pastel de jaiva and they recently started serving churrascos there as well. We started going for the Chilean soccer games and it’s a blast.
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cool
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sexy
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The empanada looked just like a Calzone, in general I liked your pictures of the typical food in general, reminds me my great time in Santiago and Viña del Mar.
I recommend you all visiting Chile and reading about important facts before you go there! check http://www.viventura.com/tours/chile and their blog for very important facts you need to keep in mind before traveling to South America!
El Arrayán in Queens has good chilean foods. It’s a hole in the wall but if you’re ok w/ San Antonios.. these guys empanadas are better. They also serve steaming hot Pan Amasado w/ pebre. YUM!!
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7413870/flushing_ny/el_arrayan_restorante_chileno.html