Colombia

HELLO FATTY WORLD. ONE YEAR LATER, I AM REBORN. Sorry for the hiatus (and it's not because I stopped eating, trust me)! My old job, wisdom tooth debacle, laptop death, and overall laziness were contributing factors for the disappearance. But........I have several good updates, which should keep me coming back to share all kinds of food coma-inducing experiences with you, namely:

1. A new job that's completely supportive of Fatty Kat. Holla! - L&L Holding Company, LLC

2. A summer schedule packed with fatty plans - I've already invaded Austin and Colombia, and now my sights are set on Southern Italy/Greece, Chicago, and Brooklyn (yes, for real). My bikini will NOT thank me.

3. A new laptop which equates to 235,398,002 new posts (mathematically speaking, of course)

In light of these wonderful developments in my life, I'd like to share my recent solo trip to Colombia with you. So I quit my last job in late April and decided to take a couple days for sun, surf, and stuff to eat! If you know me at all, you know I like to go to places people tell me not to go to--without running water, paved roads, etc. Colombia turned out to be a phenomenal food-centric experience.

I started out at La Puerta Falsa in Bogota where the typical breakfast consists of hot chocolate, cheese, and bread. Swear on my blog that this combination is magical! You're supposed to dip the bread AND the cheese into the steaming hot chocolate. The drink itself has a very concentrated cocoa flavor, a tame sweetness, and a slightly chalky consistency. In my book, it all works perfectly. I also ordered scrambled eggs and cornbread...just because.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE empanadas made with corn flour. They are sold everywhere throughout Bogota, but I found a nondescript place that only sells empanadas (good sign). My chicken-y treat was so crispy, so hot, and just so damn right.

I found a cheap restaurant filled with working professionals at lunch time. There was no translated menu (good sign), and no one spoke English (even better sign). My handy dandy iPhone dictionary and I made our way through the menu and ordered a fried fish with the typical accompaniments (rice, salad, plantains, yuca, etc.). Everything was delicious, my wallet was not harmed, and I was glad to be eating among the locals.

I had 2 fancy dinners in Bogota, but neither compared to any of my no frills meals in the city, so I won't even write about them.

After Bogota, I headed for Cartagena in the north to see its beautiful walled city and taste the area's Caribbean-influenced flavors (aka food with spices and coconut milk).

The first thing I couldn't help but notice was the number of fruit and coconut carts seemingly at every street corner in the city. I got screwed by one lady in a festive costume, but I soon learned that fruit and coconuts (my favorites) are plentiful and cheap in this tropical paradise!

For my first night in Cartagena, I decided to try some fusion sushi. The world wide web had great things to say about Tabetai, so I thought I'd change my food lineup just a little. The "house" sent out several amuse bouches, but the crab croquettes were the most welcomed into my belly. The salmon crudo with coconut milk, lime, onions, and plantain chips was a delicate and successful combination of soft and hard flavors. I also ordered a daily special roll that I have no recollection of...but I generally remember it was very good!

For breakfast, I walked around town for a while to scope out the morning scene. A modest bakery/cafe at a busy intersection seemed promising, so bought what the locals bought: pastries, coffee, and fresh juice. Selecting the pastries was essentially a blindfolded exercise with my limited Spanish, but I was happy with all the freshly baked goods I devoured (more not pictured; don't judge).  Afterwards, I got another espresso-sized coffee on the street from a guy pouring the good stuff from a thermos. I call them entrepreneurs. You'll see a lot of that in this city.

During one of my too few days in Cartagena, I enjoyed a "snack" between lunch and dinner at La Mulata. I heard great things from the world wide web (where else?!). Plus, I had made 2 failed attempts to go there earlier in my trip since the restaurant closes at 4pm (good sign). Lucky I made it because their heavenly coconut lemonade, a staple of the area, was the best I had during the trip. La Mulata has a menu based on daily specials as you can see below. I slurped up whatever soup that came with my meal and got a ceviche-like dish with coconut rice and plantains. The well-portioned shrimp was a refreshing "snack" that wasn't too acidic. The carbs helped balance out the bite as well.

I made my way to nearby Santa Marta/Taganga on the last leg of my trip specifically to visit Tayrona National Park. The most amusing way to get there is by speedboat...before a hurricane...that's packed with 3x the number of people than seats. Think splish splash multiplied by a roller coaster (mucho fun).

Besides the pretty sights, I had a few great meals as well. I asked around Taganga and heard about a seafood restaurant on the beach that blends in with all the touristy restaurants. I had a snack in the afternoon and then returned for dinner with some new friends. Their mixed ceviche was the best ceviche I've ever had for several reasons: a combination of textures (corn, onions, peppers, and shrimp), mild acidity, and most importantly, fried plantains. For dinner, the chef/owner/server showed me the red snapper he was going to cook after I ordered it. Apparently, there are farmed red snappers being passed off as line caught ones? I don't know?! All I know is that my lightly fried fish beat all the other fish I had in Colombia. The juicy meat and various spices just worked so well together, not to mention the salad, fries, and coconut rice. Now you know; this is my heaven. 

As you can clearly see, I had a @#$>!!!!#$@ blast in Colombia. I particularly love when people warn me about certain cities/countries and I can prove them absolutely wrong. I felt safe 100% of the time, ate my weight in plantains, and visited some ridiculously beautiful places. There are a few other experiences I can't really tell you about, so I'm saving those for myself ;)

North End Gril

I have a ton of respect for Danny Meyer and his restaurant empire. From Shake Shack to Maialino to The Modern to Citifield to infinity and beyond, the man really knows what he's doing. Thanks to Meyer, New York has an extremely high standard of service that the city now thrives on which emphasizes the entire "experience." And while the food doesn't always stand up to the rest of the restaurant, often times, it really does! On this humid and rainy summer night, Teresa and I found ourselves at North End Grill in the Financial District (of all places). Our amazing server described and gushed over practically every dish on the menu and spent a good 5 minutes with us just on that. She was very helpful and perky which got us excited about the meal.

We started with the Hamachi Tartar with hearts of palm, pineapple and candied ginger. This was by far the best dish of the meal with its inventive combination of fresh ingredients. The pineapple was just tart enough to cure the hamachi while the candied ginger gave it a mild kick. We also tried the Coddled Egg with peekytoe crab, bacon, ramps, spring onion and grits. Here's another example of how popular eggs are becoming at new restaurants. The lightness of the soft egg obtained an almost hollandaise-like consistency which, when paired with grits, composed a homey dish with robust flavors.

We got very original with our entrées when we both ordered the Wild Salmon with quinoa, spring carrot purée, cashews and balsamic glaze. While the quality of the fish was incredible and the "Native American"-like compliments really brought out unique flavors, neither of us loved the dish. I just don't think earthy and nutty flavors in such a dominant manner work together, and I definitely would have preferred it in a smaller, appetizer portion. The Thrice-Fried Spice Fries were pretty bad. Way too salty and fried. The mayo was the only respite. On the other hand, the Grilled Hen of the Woods were phenomenal! Sprinkled with just a touch of salt, these fancy mushrooms were incredibly simple and flavorful.

We finished off the meal with the restaurant's infamous Lemon Meringue Pie. I think there are two camps when it comes to meringue - you either love it or you hate it. Teresa and I might veer towards the latter, but we knew this was some special lemon meringue pie from the get-go. It was feathery light like I've never tasted before. I just wish the lemony custard part was creamier and not so eye-twitchingly tangy. Next time, I want to try the highly recommended Butterscotch Pot de Creme, which I've seen all over the foodie web.

What I take away from this experience is that Danny Meyer is a pioneer when it comes to setting up camp in untapped neighborhoods throughout the city. Union Square Café was a pretty risky idea in the 80′s when diners were scared of the then-sketchy Union Square area. Battery Park City has never been home to any culinary heavy hitters, but Meyer is quickly changing that. I’m sure the food will improve as the restaurant “finds itself,” and I’m excited to go back!