Restaurant Candé Cocina 100% Cartagenera

Restaurant Candé Cocina 100% Cartagenera in Cartagena de Indias is one of the prettiest restaurants I have ever been to. Serving traditional cuisine from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, it is a restaurant that can't be missed when you are in Cartagena! 

On the menu you will find lots of seafood, such as grilled lobster and red snapper, ceviche and shrimp cocktail, various sancochos (local soup), beef, chicken and rabbit, arepas (corn patties), empanadas and salads. For vegetarians there is 'ensalada de coteros', eggplant au gratin and a main course with lentils.

The desserts are to die for. First I declined, but when the manager offered me one of their signature dishes, I couldn't refuse. The coconut pie with corozo (local berry) ice cream is just mindblowing!

But what really took my breath away.... is the interior design. Restaurante Candé is situated in an old mansion in the San Diego neighbourhood, right next door to the relatively new Serrezuela mall. First Candé was located in the city centre, so when I heard they were moving, I was a little bit sceptical. Why move, when you are right in the middle of the action? But when I visited the new location, I fell in love right away.

Every room in the villa is decorated differently. The entrance is lavender blue, the bar is black and white with a dash of yellow, one of the big dining rooms is pink (my favourite one), but you can also sit in the patio, or upstairs, outdoors. It's just amazing how they mixed traditional Spanish colonial architecture with vibrant colours, tropical fabrics and local accessories!

The cherry on the cake is the live music and the mapalé dancers. Mapalé is an Afro-Colombian dance style that was brought to Colombia by the black slaves from Africa. It simulates the movements of the mapalé fish when it's out of the water. You'll find mapalé dancers throughout Cartagena, on Plaza de Bolivar and Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní, but to be able to enjoy a private performance is something else.

Whether you come to Candé for the delicious food, the cocktails, the live music and dance, the sultry atmosphere or the stunning interior design... you won't be disappointed! 

Restaurante Candé
Carrera 10, Calle de la Serrezuela #No 39-02,
San Diego (neighbourhood)
Cartagena de Indias
Colombia
http://www.restaurantecande.com/menu/

Mistura... Foodlovers Heaven!

Mistura, the biggest food festival in Latin America, starts today! So if you’re in Lima, you should definitely stop by! It’s an outdoor fair, that offers food from every part of Peru and beyond. From Amazonian “chaufa” to coastal “ceviche”, from Creole cuisine to traditional Inca dishes, from Chinese “lomo saltado” to italian style “gnocchi”, from fast-food to superfoods, from pisco cocktails to “marine viagra”…. It’s all there.

Healthfood junkies wil love the superfoods section, where they will find chia seeds, quinoa in any form imaginable, tropical fruits and vegetables, sugar cane juice, green detox smoothies and more. For vegetarians there is little choice I have to say, but the wonderful atmosphere and delicious drinks make up for it.

Make sure that you bring your walking shoes and a big appetite, because the fairgrounds are huge! Last year I was there and I was impressed by the big variety of dishes. But I’m not a big eater, so after having tried a couple of things, we headed over to the cocktail department, which wasn’t too bad either…

While in some countries food festivals consist mainly of street or junk food, at Mistura you will be able to find famous, award-winning chefs, such as Gastón Acurio (Astrid e Gastón), Virgilio Martínez  (Central), Mitsuharu Tsumura  (Maido) and Jaime Pesaque (Mayta). But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to foodlovers, as these Peruvian chefs are among the most influential in the world. Infact, in 2014 Virgilio Martínez’ Central was voted No. 1 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list!

Peruvians are serious about their food. And as you can see in the photos, they’re serious about hygiene as well! Practically every chef, cook and bartender wore a disposable face mask. (Not very photogenic, but hey, what can you do?)

It was great to see how the locals had fun eating together with family and friends. Kids running around, young couples enjoying the food and each other’s company. Mistura lasts 10 days (4-13 september 2015), so there’s still plenty of time to book a plane ticket and go!

For more information, please visit:
http://mistura.pe/english-info

Special thanks to PromPeru and USP Marketing PR!

La Dolce Vita is... Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

La Dolce Vita is sitting on the dock of the bay and watching the ships pass by! Just sitting there is so relaxing! Of course I don't mind having a glass of wine with it... and some good food.

Seafood salad by Restaurant Catch by Simonis.
Read more about this restaurant here:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2013/09/launch-party-restaurant-catch-by-simonis.html

Coral print blouse by Antica Sartoria Positano:
http://www.anticasartoriapositano.it

Ristorante Bagni Delfino, Sorrento, Italy

What better way to start your holiday on the Amalfi Coast than by having dinner in Sorrento, sitting on the dock, watching the fish, the boats and the cruise ships pass by. Ristorante Bagni Delfino offers just that, La Dolce Vita as it was meant to be.

Ristorante Bagni Delfino is located in the Marina Grande in Sorrento; unlike the name would suggest, it's a small but very picturesque marina. There are several other restaurants, but I think Delfino is the best one. Make sure to make reservations in advance!

You can either go for lunch and relax afterwards on one of the sunbeds on the bathing platform, or like I did, go for dinner and enjoy a more romantic atmosphere. Just take a look at my photos... here a picture is really worth a thousand words!

Ristorante Bagni Delfino serves -of course- wonderful seafood, such as sea bass, sea bream, oysters, clams, mussels, lobster and pasta alle vongole, but don't worry if you or your travel companions don't like fish... they have a mean steak and delicious vegetarian options as well. Think Caprese salad, ravioli, gnocchi, melanzana alla parmigiana (a sort of eggplant lasagna) and more.

To finish in style order a glass of Limoncello, a local lemon liqueur traditionally made with the zest of Sorrento lemons. After that, a small walk is in order, but to go back into town I'd suggest you order a cab. (It's a pretty steep and long walk up the hill...)

Ristorante Bagni Delfino
Via Marina Grande 216
80067 Sorrento
Italy
Tel. (+39) 081 878 20 38