La piccola Italia

Coyancura 2265

Providencia

Outside from the subway station "Los Leones" in Providencia's shopping area you will find this very well known restaurant. You will see many locals around that area because there are several stores where you can find almost everything and also offices. After 8 pm you will even see "street malls" at the corner of Ricardo Lyon and Av. 11 de Septiembre where you can find Luis Vuitton bags for 10 USD (of course not original), you can bargain, but for that you need to speak fluent Chilean dialect. It's interesting to see how this "street malls" run away as soon as they notice police is around, so if you are going to purchase a film, bag or other accessory try to be fast before you stay will standing all alone as the walking mall goes away. They get back though, right after police is gone, then police comes again, they fly away, police is gone, they get back again and so, over and over and over again... many times a day, everyday. Around this area, in a short street called Coyancura you will find this budget restaurant, where for 8 USD per person you can have a main course and beer or soda, tummy will be full soon and the pocket will have no pain. Is not a top restaurant, but is ok if you're hungry and waling around this area. Service is very fast, not 100% of the times, but yes a 90%, dishes come usually very warm, the area is relatively quiet and the only thing that might bother is that sometimes some people go by asking for money, or they sing or play some instrument and would like to have a tip, but they are not aggressive or something. Food is mainly Italian, but they have fish as well. We recommend it because is budget price, fast and the food is good. We have never eaten the fish there before, but yes lots of pastas :) Ask us how to get there!

Update (May 30th, 2010): we still love La Piccola Italia, food is good, comes quickly and the prices are very convenient.

La Diablesse

Maipú 363, Barrio Yungay

Saturday night and it's raining a little bit in Santiago, perhaps the last drops of the year. Instead of staying at home watching TV with the heater on, we reminded of Hugo, a guy we met at the supermarket a few months ago, then he told us he was french and that he had a restaurant in Santiago's downtown and that its name was "La Diablesse". So we decided to head in direction downtown. This french restaurant is located at the Barrio Yungay in Santiago's downtown, a neighborhood who was born on the 19th century as an aristocratic quarter and today is part of the traditional-historic world of Santiago. Nowadays, in this part of the city's several cultural associations, universities, study centers, theaters, politic organizations are mixed with cafés, libraries, churches and museums. Barrio Yungay is in Santiago's downtown but is different to downtown it self, has an own identity.Hugo is a french who came to Chile from Avignon who studyied enology and speaks by now perfect Spanish. His menú is composed of meat, pasta, fish, salads, desserts. You can find there from the traditional Chilean Pisco Sour, deliciously prepared, to an outstanding Crème brûlée.

We totally recommend it!

www.ladiablesse.cl

Update (May 30th, 2010): this one is still a good choice and the house survived the earthquake very well.

Patio Suizo in Winter

Mucca

Av. Italia 810 - Providencia

Any day is a good day to have lunch around the corner. There are several alternatives around Patio Suizo, so we just started walking towards Italia Street, in less than 2 minutes we were there and we said: "today, let's go to Mucca". Menu for lunch was 4.000 CLP (approx 8 USD per person), is not expensive if we think it includes Entree or soup, main course, dessert, a soda and a coffee. The place is big, you can smoke there, besides menu you can have a la carte lunch or drink a pisco sour, etc.
The service is "Chilean"tough, it means that is kind of slow, it takes a while until they go to your table and ask you what would you like for lunch, but once they state this question it goes quicker. Is ok for lunch and for the price. Recommendable, but don't expect any gourmet dish or something like that. The coffee is not real coffee, is Nescafe, instant coffee.
We recommend it for lunch and for dinner.
Good environment, with music.

Update (May 30th, 2010): I don't know what happened to Mucca. This restaruant has been up and then down several times. When I wrote this comment on our blog it was going through an "up"-period, but now is down again. Food is not as tasty as it used to be and the service decayed a lot, last time we survived a cheeky waiter. Ever since, we haven't been back there. Maybe in the future we will give Mucca another chance.

Olán

Av. Seminario 96 (corner Rancagua)

This is a very small restaurant, located just 6 minutes away by walking from El Patio Suizo, you can't make reservations because is SO LOVED by everyone that is always full, so you have to know forehand that if you find a table when you get there, you're lucky, otherwise, you need patience to wait. They have actually 2 restaurants, one Olán is at the right hand side of the street and the other one at the opposite side of the Seminario Ave. Both are known, delicious and full.

The prices are really convenient and the food is very tasty. The dishes are more than enough and a MUST TASTE is their Pisco Sour, is great!! Ceviche is wonderful! the Pepper Steak with rice is marvellous, but the the only thing is that the restaurant is always so full that the service needs patience since they're a bit slow. But after all... we're having vacations! we're having fun! there's no rush!

We totally recomend it!

Atmosphere: totally casual

Prices: convinient

Opened from Mon to Sat lunch and dinner

Sunday only lunch

Update (May 30th, 2010): Olan is still a very good choice, prices went a little bit up, like everywhere else, but food is still great and dishes are very big!

Greca
Av. Italia 857, Providencia

This restaurant is just arround the corner from Patio, ideal for lunch, because they have a menu that is not more expensive than CLP 3800 (USD 7 aprox) and it includes a soda, water or wine! the wine is always from a good winery and enough. Lunch is tasty and convinient. During lunchtime is only non smoker. At night the place offers different dishes that mix greek, mediterranean and chilean food. Greca is a restaurant with a good service, good food and reasonable prices. Totally reccomendable!

UPDATE (May 30th, 2010): Greca is a good place for having lunch, the price is very convenient. But lately I've seen it closed at times when it should have been opened to public. I still recommend it for lunch. For dinner pick something else up.

De Cangrejo a Conejo

Av. Italia 805 Providencia ** Santiago

Just around the corner from Patio Suizo is this wonferful restaurant, one of our very favourite restaurants, overhead in sommer. The reason, the gorgeous backyard they have combined with an excelent a la carte menu and a great selection of wines. The name of the restaurant "De Cangrejo a Conejo" means "from Crab to rabbit" and it gives you an idea of how the menu is. They have everything meat, pasta, fish, shellfish, etc. You can chose among 12 dishes combined with different salads and joined by great chilean wines. It's a stylish restaurant and the service is very good as well. You can have lunch there or dinner. For lunch time they have a Menu (12 USD) with main course, a glass of wine, water or sodas, dessert & coffe or tea. If you wanted something else you can always order a la carte.

We really reccomend you to go there!

They open from Mo - Fri from 1 pm to 4 pm for lunch; 8 pm to 1 am for dinner

Sat from 8 pm to 1 am for dinner

cheers!

URL: http://www.decangrejoaconejo.cl

Update: (May 30th, 2010): STILL GREAT!

Sushi

"Bushido"

Av. Bilbao 399, esquina Condell, Providencia * Santiago

Sushi is something we usually find fresh in Chile, since we have lots of fish around here. Lately, Sushi has become so popular here in Santiago that you will find a Sushi restaurant almost everywhere. Near Patio Suizo, a few steps away (you only have to walk 100 meters...or less) is the restaurant BUSHIDO. It's a comfortable place with tables and chairs and also a sofa, sushi tastes great and fresh, they have very good drinks (reccomended: Pisco Sour and raspberry sour) and the best is that the prices are very reasonable! Service is good as well. For two people you spend something about CLP $15.000.- (USD 33 aprox.) and you're ok.

In spring and summer you can sit outside.

They have delivery as well. You can order per telefone or personally.

cheers!

UPDATE (May 30th, 2010): Bushido is still a very good place for sushi, prices rised a little bit in comparison to last year but the quality is just as good and the rolls always tasty. Drinks are still very convenient.