The Ajiaco for those of us who grew up in Colombia is synonym for Mother or Grandmother, of childhood. It’s a delicious dish (I refuse to call it a simple soup) made of scallions, garlic, succulent corn, chicken y three types of potatoes. Served with a side of white rice and avocados is one of Bogota’s most traditional dishes, one that’s served boiling to match the low temperatures in this altitude.
Considering that the best Ajiaco that I’ve ever tasted is the one that comes from my mother’s kitchen, I used it as an example to compare every ajiaco I taste. Having this in mind, La Antigua Santafé, a little restaurant hidden in the orbit of the ultrafamous La Puerta Falsa, has the honour of having the second place regarding unforgettable Ajiacos. I recommend it for its thickness, for mastering the art of choosing the right potatoes, because the chicken is not dry and the avocado is impossibly fresh (a list you must stick to, to prepare not just a simple potato soup).
The trick is going to Bogota’s historical center, have breakfast in La Puerta Falsa, walk the colonial neighborhood of La Candelaria and end the tour by having an Ajiaco here in La Antigua Santafé. But don’t forget the windows full of local sweets in this particular street, especially the amazing Brevas con arequipe (Figs with dulce de leche) and the rollitos de bocadillo (guava paste) also with arequipe. Don’t worry it’s impossible to get lost; both places are just a few doors from each other in the same street in one side of the Cathedral. And I can tell you that there is not a more traditional plan than this one.
So with the knowledge of the connoisseurs, I can say this Ajiaco pretentiously called “the best Ajiaco in the world” it will, in fact, be the best for some of you. I already have my mother’s.
Antigua Santafé
Calle 11, Nº 6-20. Bogotá, Colombia.
La Puerta Falsa
Calle 11 Nº 6-50. Bogotá, Colombia.
Comments by juanamaol