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Chile Home  Temuco A Tour of Classic Araucanía Style Cooking in Chile: The El Criollito 2
A Tour of Classic Araucanía Style Cooking in Chile: The El Criollito 2 |
| This is the third in our series of articles on the El Criollito Family restaurant chain in Southern Chile. We take a look at the El Criollito 2, just a few dozen steps from the original El Criollito restaurant in the Temuco Municipal market. This one is run by Marcela Sanhueza Acuña, the other daughter of Señora Ermelina Acuña, the owner of original El Criollito in Temuco, Chile, and sister to Señora Paola Sanhueza Acuña, the owner of Boca Budi Resort. |
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We first started with mom's original restaurant the El Criollito. Señora Ermelina Acuña Caro restaurant is a legend in the region, with a tradition of quality and service. We then visited her daughter, Señora Paola Sanhueza Acuña on the coast at the Boca Budi Resort . We were very impressed by way she managed to take mom's tradition of quality and service to a whole new level, establishing a small empire of her own overlooking the ocean. Well, we thought we should see if this was a fluke. Did the talent for hospitality run in the family? |
| Marcela is the Err Apparent to the original El Criollito. Marcela is more than keeping the family name in good standing. The El Criollito 2 has the same feel as mom's in both decor and environment, but as Marcela is quick to point out, mom is still the queen of Araucanía Style Cooking. |
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El Criollito 2 is more than just copy of Mom's restaurant. It would be better to call it an extension. One thing that you find, by the shear fame of the original El Criollito, is that there is simply no room in mom's restaurant at lunch time. It would be a shame for people to think that they can not have the same excellent food and service, and walk away. This is one of the primary purposes of El Criollito 2. They accept the extra clients when the El Criollito becomes too crowded at lunch time. |
The El Criollito 2 is also better suited to handling large groups or tours, that would have a hard time finding space among the regulars at the El Criollito. It is simply a much quieter and relaxed atmosphere as it is less centrally located in the market. The original El Criollito can become very noisy and crowed place, especially during the 1 p.m. To 3 p.m. lunch time rush. The El Criollito 2 has a lower light and warmer setting.
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One of the things, we were impressed to find is that she had a selection of Chilean micro-brew beers, including some surprising discoveries of a new hand crafted Amber Ale with a very very strong hops flavor by Chilean standards. This is a traditional bottle brewed beer, that to date, would simply be the best we have found in Chile. In a country famous for its wine, good beer is hard to find. We will be following up on the origins of this beer.
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Like mom's restaurant, the waitresses stand quietly at the front door ready to greet you. There is no need for them to hassle the passing tourist as the other restaurants do in the market.
Like her sister Paola, she is has also modernizing mom's traditional style restaurant in certain ways. Where mom down the hall can not accept credit cards or online reservations for large groups, Marcela does.
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| For those who fall in love with one of the restaurants in the family, we would urge you to try the others. Each has its own characteristics and charm, but maintains the family reputation for quality and service. A perfect tour of classic Araucanía Style Cooking for a visitor to Temuco to start with the original El Criollito for lunch. If you should get the chance to make it to Boca Budi, then visit Paola's incredible restaurant overlooking the Ocean. On your next trip through Temuco, perhaps on the way to the airport, then try El Criollito 2. As the Temuco municipal market in downtown closes early in the day (19:00 hrs. during winter time, 20:00 hrs. sumer time), there is also another option with El Criollito de Armando for fine dining, famous for some of Chile's better wines. |
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Chilean Salmon
Grilled or fried Salmon with a side of rice. There is not much to be said abou this Meal. It is one of Chile's most famous and Typical foods, done at its best by the Creollito.
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Mariscal Caliente ( Seafood soup )
Mariscal Caliente is a special Chilean Seafood soup prepared with wine and spices. At the El Criollito 2 it is even more special. One of the many family secrets to cooking that we have not been able to get from anyone in the family. As near as we can tell, it is a seafood soup with an exquisite combination of various shellfish flavors boiled clams, two different types of mussels, with a touch of ulte (Chilean sea alga), pieces of battered fish, picorocos (a barnacle with white crablike meat), and piure that has been described as, “an outrageously strong flavored treat that is impossible to describe”. It is served in the resulting sauce that is spiced up with butter, fried onion, oregano, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
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Murtilla con Membrillo
A sweet and sour combination of native preserve maid with Murtilla an Araucania native berry and quince. It is prepared with an old German family recipe, spiced up with a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. |
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El Criollito 2 Selected Menu
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Caldillo de Mariscos (Mix of various Seafoods in a Soup)
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$2,500
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Paila Criolla (This is a Seafood, fish, meat, sausage and potatoes soup, prepared with the special Criollito touch)
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$4,000
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Mariscal Caliente (Special shellfish based chowder cooked with wine and spices)
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$3,000
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Chupe de Mariscos (Shellfish baked cake with a creamy sauce with soaked bread, covered with a layer of Parmesan cheese on top)
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$4,000
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Chupe de Jaivas (This is a thick crab leg based dish in a very thick and creamy sauce, baked with a crust of parmesan cheese on top. This is simply one of the better dishes in Chile, and especially good from the Criollito)
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$4,000
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Machas a la Parmesana (baked clams with a layer of Parmesan cheese on top. Perfect as an appitizer. )
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$4,000
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Chilean fried Empanadas
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Baked Meat Empanadas (traditional Chilean hot pocket)
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$700
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Fried Seafood Empanadas (chopped seafood, onions and the Criollito's traditional special taste. Compare these with ones in Boca Budi)
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$300
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Cazuela de Ave (Chicken, potatoes, corn on the cab and green beans, peas, onion rings, and pepper Soup, sprinkle with chopped cilantro)
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$2,000
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Cazuela de Vacuno (Beef, potatoes, corn on the cab and green beans, peas, onion rings, and pepper Soup, sprinkle with chopped cilantro)
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$2,000
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Cazuela de Pava (Turkey, potatoes, corn on the cab and green beans, peas, onion rings, and pepper Soup, sprinkle with chopped cilantro)
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$2,500
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And of course all the traditional Chilean Sandwiches
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Araucania Desert, Murtilla with Membrillo (Araucania native berry and quince)
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$1,200
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