Gastronomy

   

A broad array of restaurants can be visited in Bogota where typical and international food can be enjoyed. The G Zone, La Candelaria and the International Centre are some of the main sectors where a number of international restaurants are found.

Among the main typical dishes of Bogota, it is possible to found the Ajiaco, a delightful soup prepared with chicken, a variety of potatoes, cob and "guascas" (a spice), usually served with milk, capers and curaba cream.

Also, tamal with chocolate is a very traditional dish here. Colombian tamal is a paste made with rice, meat or chicken, chickpea, carrot, and spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steam cooked.

Figs with arequipe, strawberries with cream, "postre de natas" and "cuajada con melao" are some of the main desserts offered at this city. In addition, the Canelazo is a hot drink from the Altiplano prepared with agua de panela, cinnamon and aguardiente and can be enjoyed here as well.

Gastronomy in Bogotá has become quite sophisticated in recent years. This is due in great measure to the influx of business visitors with high purchasing power, but, above all, to the incessant searches of the city’s inhabitants for new entertainment spots.

Ajiaco santafereño is named after Santa Fé de Bogotá  capital of Colombia, where it is a cultural mainstay. It typically contains pieces of chicken, large chunks of corn on the cob, two or three kinds of native potatoes (tiny papas criollas that fall apart and thicken the soup, and give the soup its characteristic dark yellow color; the waxy sabanera and/or the soft pastusa), and guasca (Galinsoga parviflora), a weedy, aromatic herb common in all America that lends.

The picada simply meaning “chopped”  is decadent, it’s Moorish, it’s unhealthy and if done well, it bests any other drunk comfort foods. So, as you would guess, it’s a platter, piled high with sliced morsels with beef, pork, chicken and chorizo. And to ensure that you get the full calorie hit, usually there are some patacones (sliced and fried plantain chips) chopped in addition to french-fries. And no, this glorious creation does not end here  I can feel the wrath that Anthony Bourdain would harbor towards such a creation to top it all off, the chef will have covered the top layer with streams of ketchup and mayonnaise and then delicately sprinkled some grated cheese the dish part of its distinctive flavour.