Chile Forum

Any good Mexican restaurants anywhere in Santiago? Me gusta la cocina de Mexicana as I'm a native of the American Southwest.

If not, I'd better learn before thinking about moving there. heh

some not cheap

El Liguano Restaurant, in Quillota, town near Valpo/Vina, Vth region, has authentic Mexican food as the owner is MexicanAmerican. She has taught her Chilean cooks well. I purchased some corn tortillas there and made an enchilada casarole with chipole chilis, purchased at Jumbo. Quillota is about a 1.5 hour drive from Stgo. BTW: The restaurant will have a stand this weekend in Quillota, at thier yearly Expo, called QuillotaExpo.

There is another thread on the forum about Mexican food in Santiago here: topic5073.html

We've tried Los Cuates & Taquería El Ranchero. Both were ok, neither was outstanding. Not terrible, but just not up to expectations.
I like Los Cuates because you could buy corn tortillas there (for a price) but the food was...well...ok, but chips were too tough and the salsa wasn't hot enough (I know, I know). Don't remember our entreés as it was over 6 months ago. My husband liked it because they had Bohemia beer! But the margaritas were nothing special, unfortunately.

As for Taquería El Ranchero, my dinner, tacos arrancheros, was pretty good, but my husband had the green chicken enchilladas and didn't like them. What we missed most of all, though, was no beans and rice . I mean, really now, how can you call yourself a Mexican restaurant without beans and rice? One thing I will say, it was a Very Popular Place. We arrived when they opened at 1 PM on a Saturday, and sat near the front door where we watched the place fill up to SRO in about 45 minutes. Impressive.

We've also just heard about another Mexican restaurant, Charro de Oro, in Santiago (at Ricardo Cumming 342, tel. 697 2695). Anyone been there?

And Thanks so much for the news about El Liguano in Quillota. Sol. We'll check it out asap, as that is what I miss most about living here. Good Mexican food. Mmmmmmmmmmm

Luckily, Mexican food is not that difficult to make. It's not like trying to make an exotic Chinese dish. The biggest problem is finding corn tortillas. I finally found a restaurant in La Serena that will make them for me. I forget the name of it, but if anyone's interested, let me know and I'll get the details. The corn tortillas are outstanding even though they are a little thicker than I'm used to. Nonetheless, they are delicious. BTW, they aren't cheap, but definitely worth it.
Has anyone else in La Serena found corn tortillas?

You found corn tortillas? Where? Please tell meeeee.......the only Mexican food I know of around here is actually Columbian. Good burritos though.

I was talking with our nana the other day about cornmeal (chuchoca) and how Chileans have absolutely no dishes where they use it in an appetizing way (hey, she said it, not me). So her kids won't eat it. I taught her how to make cornbread and suddenly her kids were interested in trying that. The Chilean standard lentil dish (lentils, rice, zapallo) is also better with tomato sauce instead of (or at least in addition to) zapallo. Even to Chileans.

griffin wrote:You found corn tortillas? Where? Please tell meeeee.......the only Mexican food I know of around here is actually Columbian. Good burritos though.

I was talking with our nana the other day about cornmeal (chuchoca) and how Chileans have absolutely no dishes where they use it in an appetizing way (hey, she said it, not me). So her kids won't eat it. I taught her how to make cornbread and suddenly her kids were interested in trying that. The Chilean standard lentil dish (lentils, rice, zapallo) is also better with tomato sauce instead of (or at least in addition to) zapallo. Even to Chileans.

I will post the name and location later this evening. I have to drive by the restaurant first. I suspect it's the same place you know of because it's a Colombian restaurant. I'm low on tortillas and need to restock, so maybe we can place an order together and get a better deal. A warning though: I paid $10mil for 20 tortillas, but when one is jonesing....

You can buy Colombian corn flour (it´s called Pam and comes in a yellow packed) in most supermarkets. I use it to make South African "pap", which is similar to polenta. I´m sure it will make fantastic corn torillas, which can´t be THAT hard to make, can it?

Tombi wrote:You can buy Colombian corn flour (it´s called Pam and comes in a yellow packed) in most supermarkets. I use it to make South African "pap", which is similar to polenta. I´m sure it will make fantastic corn torillas, which can´t be THAT hard to make, can it?

I set up to do it, but couldn't find a tortilla press in La Serena. Recipes do say you can use a flat skillet or other flat heavy item. I'll have to try it and report back. I just imagine they're gonna turn out like my first homemade pizza...it sucked. Even years later I'm still tryin' to perfect it.

Griffin, I'm sure you know this place. It's where I get my corn tortillas. PM me if you wanna go in on the next batch. Believe me; they're worth it.
La Olla Criolla at the corner of Benavente and Angel Jara. Phone: 051220870

My wife and i found some good mexican in Puerto Varas on Cost Vicente Perez Rosales, it was south of downtown and the casino etc. I told my wife that the Pebre was close and almost as good as one I had in Orlando < NO EMAIL > Ron's L.A. Tacos..................
The next day for breakfast we had a Pebre that was the exact match for Ron's < NO EMAIL > a different place................... anyway from my last thread I love my mexican food and it was really good in Puerto Varas, anyone kwon if it is still there and the name all the better for our next trip to Chile.