Chile: Restaurant Review - Divertimento Chileno
Every city needs a green oasis. In Santiago the Cerro San Cristobal Metropolitan Park rises above the skyline, beckoning the masses to the cooling comfort of its verdant slopes. Perched at the base of the hill is another oasis, this one gastronomic. The Divertimento Chileno restaurant.
Bruno Sacco created the restaurant here nearly 20 years ago, leasing the location from the park. At that time the cuisine was Italian, as is Bruno. As a leading and active restauranteur Bruno hosted various cooking competitions. In what would turn out to be a pivotal decision he held a contest for housewives and amateur cooks.
The result was a wealth of local foods that Bruno realized that his customers might enjoy. Starting with a few dishes the menu of Divertimento slowly switched from Italian to Chilean over a few years. Now with the next generation, daughter Flaminia Sacco as the chef, Divertimento has become the caretaker of the flavors of Chile.
The restaurant itself is deceptively large. From the front the outdoor patio and a small dining room look to be the extent of the seating. Upstairs a huge room which can hold 200 people has long been the scene for some of the most important cultural and political events in the city. This historical significance was recently related in the nation's largest newspaper.
The food is simple and expertly prepared in order to lend a familiar comfort to the many regular diners. Each dish we tried was better than the next. This is not the kind of restaurant that will grace the cover of most gastronomic periodicals, but chances are the editors of those same magazines eat here regularly.
Dining with Bruno Sacco, daughters Flaminia and her sister and the PR manager Michele, we had the wonderful opportunity to sample a great cross section of their menu.
An appetizer sampler included Milcao, a mix of cooked and raw potatoes that in this case was fried and served with with pickled flounder. The platter also held Smoked Salmon, a baked Empenada and Seaweed Ceviche. A taste of the Terrines they make in house were joined by the ever delectable Razor Clams Parmesan and a Long Neck Clam Ceviche.
After this plethora of flavors we tasted family style, a few of their main courses. The Fried Kingklip, like all of the dishes is a classic Chilean offering. Think a huge steak of tender white, flaky fish, deep fried.
The Chicken with Cognac is a twist on a local classic in that they make it for one instead of forcing a couple to share this sultry poultry, served in a crock. The sauce is so good that you are given an espresso cup to enjoy it like a soup.
The Beef Ribs fell off the bone and were wonderfully spiced. Not too sweet and not at all dry. The Creamed Spinach the ribs were served with was a welcome addition. One of my favorite vegetables I find that few restaurants really understand the subtle touch of cream that is needed.
Pastel de Choclo is a corn pie filled with meat and poultry that has to be experienced to be appreciated. The sweetness of the corn is in perfect contrast to the savory meats. Speaking of corn, the Humita looks a little like its cousin the tamale to an American used to Mexican cooking, but instead of dry corn meal it is more like a soft polenta or corn pudding inside the corn husks.
The traditions didn't stop with the dessert. We had the opportunity to try the national favorite Mote con Huesillos which is a refreshing blend of stewed dried peaches and grain, often served as a drink. Turning tradition upside down, Flaminia has taken the ubiquitous Gluhwein, the spiced hot wine that made its way from the Alps to Chile, and turned it into a Mousse. A great combination of flavors and texture as an appropriately summertime cool treat.
If you are looking for the classic flavors of Chile in the heart of Santiago a visit to Divertimento Chileno is an absolute must. You will be as enthralled as I was with the straightforward, but impeccably prepared foods that define a culture.
Bruno Sacco created the restaurant here nearly 20 years ago, leasing the location from the park. At that time the cuisine was Italian, as is Bruno. As a leading and active restauranteur Bruno hosted various cooking competitions. In what would turn out to be a pivotal decision he held a contest for housewives and amateur cooks.
The result was a wealth of local foods that Bruno realized that his customers might enjoy. Starting with a few dishes the menu of Divertimento slowly switched from Italian to Chilean over a few years. Now with the next generation, daughter Flaminia Sacco as the chef, Divertimento has become the caretaker of the flavors of Chile.
The restaurant itself is deceptively large. From the front the outdoor patio and a small dining room look to be the extent of the seating. Upstairs a huge room which can hold 200 people has long been the scene for some of the most important cultural and political events in the city. This historical significance was recently related in the nation's largest newspaper.
The food is simple and expertly prepared in order to lend a familiar comfort to the many regular diners. Each dish we tried was better than the next. This is not the kind of restaurant that will grace the cover of most gastronomic periodicals, but chances are the editors of those same magazines eat here regularly.
Dining with Bruno Sacco, daughters Flaminia and her sister and the PR manager Michele, we had the wonderful opportunity to sample a great cross section of their menu.
An appetizer sampler included Milcao, a mix of cooked and raw potatoes that in this case was fried and served with with pickled flounder. The platter also held Smoked Salmon, a baked Empenada and Seaweed Ceviche. A taste of the Terrines they make in house were joined by the ever delectable Razor Clams Parmesan and a Long Neck Clam Ceviche.
After this plethora of flavors we tasted family style, a few of their main courses. The Fried Kingklip, like all of the dishes is a classic Chilean offering. Think a huge steak of tender white, flaky fish, deep fried.
The Chicken with Cognac is a twist on a local classic in that they make it for one instead of forcing a couple to share this sultry poultry, served in a crock. The sauce is so good that you are given an espresso cup to enjoy it like a soup.
The Beef Ribs fell off the bone and were wonderfully spiced. Not too sweet and not at all dry. The Creamed Spinach the ribs were served with was a welcome addition. One of my favorite vegetables I find that few restaurants really understand the subtle touch of cream that is needed.
Pastel de Choclo is a corn pie filled with meat and poultry that has to be experienced to be appreciated. The sweetness of the corn is in perfect contrast to the savory meats. Speaking of corn, the Humita looks a little like its cousin the tamale to an American used to Mexican cooking, but instead of dry corn meal it is more like a soft polenta or corn pudding inside the corn husks.
The traditions didn't stop with the dessert. We had the opportunity to try the national favorite Mote con Huesillos which is a refreshing blend of stewed dried peaches and grain, often served as a drink. Turning tradition upside down, Flaminia has taken the ubiquitous Gluhwein, the spiced hot wine that made its way from the Alps to Chile, and turned it into a Mousse. A great combination of flavors and texture as an appropriately summertime cool treat.
If you are looking for the classic flavors of Chile in the heart of Santiago a visit to Divertimento Chileno is an absolute must. You will be as enthralled as I was with the straightforward, but impeccably prepared foods that define a culture.
posted by Wineguy at 9:08 AM
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