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Cartagena - from a culinary point of view...

I love Cartagena. I love the walled city, I love Bocagrande, Manga, hell I even love Crespo and the part south of Manga. I have been fortunate enough to eat at several restaurants here (mostly in the old city), so I thought I would share some information and my opinion of some of them. As I look at the list I see I missed a few like Bongo del Sinu, Donde Olano (both very good) and some others, but I do not feel like adding any more. Another PBHer recommended one place, La Vitrola, which I have failed to get into three times because I refuse to make a reservation. It must be good though because it is always packed. Same story with a restaurant named San Pedro (I think?) which is next to the San Pedro Claver cathedral - it even has sushi! But you need a reservation. Anyway, happy reading and if you have any questions just write.

Juan Del Mar

-In Plaza San Diego
-Nice festive atmosphere and clean
-Good seafood but not a large selection
-Live band on the weekends
-Good service
-I had an appetizer, a decent sized piece of fish, rice, and three Club Colombias (my favorite Colombian beer as I type... : ) )
-Plenty of food for me for a total of around $27.00 with tip

Paco’s

-In Plaza Santo Domingo
-Nice atmosphere and clean
-Large selection of international food
-Live band on the weekends
-Excellent service – very accommodating they were going to turn the air conditioning on because I mentioned I was hot – I was hot from walking not from being in the restaurant
-Excellent food for about the same cost as Juan Del Mar

El Porton de Santo Domingo

-A few doors down from Paco’s off Plaza Santo Domingo
-Nice rather upscale atmosphere – I sat outside in the courtyard
-Decent selection of seafood and meats
-Live band on the weekends
-Service was adequate, but the waiters were not friendly like Paco’s and Juan Del Mar. Another complaint was they used their hands instead of a tray to bring the drinks to the table and they did not pour the Club Colombia from the bottle at the table like most restaurants – it was already in the glass in their hand. I personally did not mind that, but many people did and do.
-The food was good however.
-Around $25 for appetizer, three Clubs, and a plato fuerte.

Café Del Mar

-On top of the wall facing the ocean
-This bar/restaurant is more of an outdoor club – the menu is sparse .
-I had fish and it was decent, but not as good as I had at the other restaurants.
-Service was decent and so were the waitresses … ; )
-Prices were about the same, like I said however, go here to party - not to eat…

Crepes and Waffles

-This is a chain – I have been to both in Cartagena
-One is near Plaza Santo Domingo on the same street as Quebracho and La Vitrola and the other is on San Martin in Bocagrande
-Good place with a huge menu and good prices
-The crepes come with just about anything you want in them
-They serve bread bowls with several different stewed fillings – very good and filling
-Good salads with a salad bar if you want to make your own
-Any kind of waffle and blintz you want
-Outstanding ice cream dishes
-Bread bowl filled with stewed beef (or most crepes), diet coke, and tip about $10

Carbon de Palo

- This is also a chain – I have been to the one on San Martin in Boca Grande
-A grill house with a decent (not upscale) atmosphere – I sat outside
-Excellent staff – very friendly and talkative
-Great grilled meats and poultry
-I had a huge plate of beef, chorizo, chicken, pork and fries with three Clubs for $16 with tip!

Riquisimos

-Nice little restaurant in El Laguito with a sort of new age atmosphere
-Friendly waiters – seemed to be an over abundance of gringos
-Decent food – I had the carne a la plancha and yuca with a diet coke - $11 with tip

La Cocina de Carmela

-Down the street from the Santa Clara and past Tres Banderas
-Very nice upscale atmosphere
-Friendly and non-intrusive waitresses
-Small place with an attached lounge that plays American rock
-Outstanding food – I had shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce
-Appetizer, shrimp, and two Clubs about $28 with tip

Nena Lela con un Proposito

-Down the street from Joy Slava facing the wall that runs along Avenida Santander
-Excellent Italian food in a clean, cool, and rather upscale atmosphere
-Excellent waiters
-Great selection of appetizers – I recommend the chilled seafood salad
-I had beef stuffed with prosciutto and cheese and four Clubs
-Total bill with appetizer, Clubs, and the plato fuerte was about $37 with tip
-Nena Lela’s is more expensive than most places, but it is worth it
-One of the best Italian restaurants in the city

La Cava Cocina y Vinoteca

-Another upscale restaurant just off of Plaza Santo Domingo
-Excellent service
-Nice selection of meat, seafood, and poultry
-Large selection of wine (although wine seems to be very expensive in Colombia - significantly more than New York City for example)
-I had calamari for an appetizer, sea bass (robalo), and 3 Clubs for about $26 with tip

El Santisimo

-Another upscale restaurant with a large selection of wine (in fact they have their own vinoteca directly across the street)
-Like most of the higher end places El Santisimo has excellent service and a good selection of beef, fish, poultry dishes
-Appetizer, meat, and four Clubs about $30 with tip

Da Danni’s

-Down the street from Santa Clara and Tres Banderas (next to El Santisimo)
-Excellent Italian food and you get plenty for the price
-Great service and probably the best bread in town
-As a friend said, “they struggle with bread in Cartagena, huh.��? Da Danni’s does not struggle with bread!
-I had ceviche for an appetizer, fettuccini alfredo, steak, and three Clubs for around $32

Quebracho

-My favorite place in Cartagena
-Excellent Argentine steakhouse atmosphere with many interesting pictures and other items on the wall to look at
-Quebracho has a large enclosed and very impressive roaster with a pig roasting every night – the roasted pig is Quebracho’s signature dish and well worth the $25 it costs!
-The restaurant also has a chef preparing and cooking dishes on a huge grill in the dining room – the grill is well ventilated so no smoke in the dining area
-The menu sports the standard poultry, meat, and fish but the roasted pig is my recommendation
-I had a shrimp cocktail, the roasted pig, and three Clubs for $45 with tip

By Aaron21 on Nov 23, 2007, 10:44 in Travel tips.

Aaron21 says on Nov 23, 2007, 11:41:

If this qualifies for the CartagenaGuide, feel free to make any changes and put it in there.

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Monpirri says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:28:

Aaron21, great post! I will check out some of restaurants when I visit Macondo next year.

Monpirri

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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Aaron21 says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:31:

Thanks Monpirri. I will be adding to this. Cartagena seems to have a lot of good places for its size...

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nueva york bombero says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:32:

I'm printing this out and it's going into my travel book for next month. Thanks!!! This is why I read the posts here!! Keep them coming!!

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JimA says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:45:

Nice work...where would you spend New Year's eve in Cartagenaa?

"Life is under no obligation to give us what we want."

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Aaron21 says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:56:

Ha ha.. that is an excellent question, Jim. This will be my first New Year's Eve here! However, I recommend the Hotel Santa Clara (if there is room available). It is in a beautiful old convent. It has an awesome pool area, a great spa, several nice areas to sit, quality restaurants and an outstanding bar called El Coro. El Coro is by far the best bar I have been to in Cartagena for just sitting, relaxing, drinking, listening to good music and seeing beautiful people. The rooms go from decent to beautiful - depending on the money you want to spend! The Santa Clara also has an excellent breakfast buffet in the morning with several types of cheese, deli meats, bread, fruit, sausages, arepas, juices, and even a person who will make any type of omelet you want. I think it is the best place for adults without children in the city.

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Man Tequila says on Nov 23, 2007, 13:47:

Quebracho is a great restaurant for Cartagena but would be considered pricey in Buenos Aires. I like it a lot though, one of my favourites. The steaks are very good too, as is the salmon carpaccio. I have eaten at maybe two-thirds of the places you mention and agree. There are a couple places I like that I could find again, but cannot remember their names. One had excellent three course gourmet French and Italian meals for 20,000 pesos.

But where is the best bandeja paisa?

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Aaron21 says on Nov 23, 2007, 13:57:

Another good question Man Tequila. I have only seen two places that serve bandejas paisas (I am sure there are many more). Both of the places are on San Martin in Bocagrande. One is La Fonda Antioquena and the other also has "Antioquena" in its name (but I cannot remember the full name). The bandeja paisa at La Fonda is just what you would expect from a fonda (lol). La Fonda is decent, cheap, and you get a lot of food - but the quality suffers. I know I am a spoiled American, but I have had much better fonda food in Mao Valverde, Santiago, and Santo Domingo Dominican Republic for less money!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Nov 23, 2007, 14:10:

I am going to recommend another good place, but it's in El centro, it's call La Tinaja good Cazuela de pescado the best. and you can eat outdoors too, beautiful, typical place.

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Aaron21 says on Nov 23, 2007, 15:09:

Thanks Kat, I will look it up since I have not been there. Maybe tomorrow!

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bartolo_colon says on Nov 23, 2007, 18:19:

I concur with Kat, that cazuela de mariscos is unreal, the whole ocean in a bowl! that place has fantastic juice's also.

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

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Aaron21 says on Nov 24, 2007, 01:07:

Well then I will definitely go and report back...

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chewy says on Nov 24, 2007, 14:24:

Don't forget Rancho Grande. Is pretty good and prices are not expensive. Another place I enjoy is Sincelejo shrimp stand near the Citibank. You eat outside on the sidewalk but the shrimp with his unique cocktail sauce is great. Is served in a plastic glass and has many different prices. Also has conch.

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Man Tequila says on Nov 24, 2007, 14:44:

Here is some talk about Cartagena restaurants on Chowhound.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/304893

They seem to like La Vitrola.

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Gator says on Nov 25, 2007, 19:29:

For the BEST cazuela de mariscos try the Restaurante Marlene in La Boquilla. . This is one of my top two favorite dishes and this is the BEST I have ever had. Boquilla is a small village about 7km out the city past the airport. Be warned this is real third world type of environment. Great beach which is jammed on the weekends(where do you think the people who live in Cartagena go? Not Boca Grande). Can't beat the prices,Cazuela de Mariscos $30.000, Róbalo $15.000 and the Specialty of the house Bandeja Mixta (Arroz de camarón, Langosta, Jaiba, Pescado, Patacón, ensalada, Muelas de Cangrejo) $40.000

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Aaron21 says on Nov 25, 2007, 21:56:

Damn that sounds good. One thing I have not seen in all the places I have been to is a large selection of mariscos. Marlene sounds like the place for which I have been looking.

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dwmte7 says on Nov 26, 2007, 06:27:

aaron...Juan Eglesias, owner of juan del mar, is an old friend of mine. he also owns a pizza parlor and an italian restaurant back on the plaza below juan del mar. he is an incredibly creative chap and his restaurants demonstrate that. if you're back there please tell him hello
douglas w martin

dwmte

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dwmte7 says on Nov 26, 2007, 06:29:

aaron...juan eglesias, owner of juan del mar, is an old friend of mine. he also owns a pizza parlor and an italian restaurant back on the plaza below juan del mar. it's been years since i've visited with him, something like 1997. his restaurants display is creativity and design accumen. he might own other restaurants by now...don'[t know. if you go back to juan del mar, please tell 'juancho' that douglas martin said hello. thank you
douglas

dwmte

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Nov 26, 2007, 06:30:

chewy, i also had some camarones there with my family, one of the locals recommended to us , we we were looking for the best cocktail de camarones and she told us to go there.

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tompower says on Dec 20, 2007, 14:15:

El bongo del Sinu is a nice place everyone recommends them for their baby beef, I like the tejadas with suero (fried plantain chips with sour cream) they are located at the end of calle arsenault (The street where mr.babilla is) just before the bridge to manga. very near the club de pesca.
Remember, we're all in this together.
Tom Power

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tompower says on Dec 20, 2007, 14:17:

ups i see u did mention the bongo del sinu,... man you've done it all.

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