Tours and Activities:

Aysén Cuisine

The best finale for an excursion day is a good dinner with a wide array of delicious dishes and excellent Chilean wines.

The road joining the Cities of Puerto Aysén and Coyhaique is easily accessed and it connects the activities carried out at each destination. These include restaurants where typical Chilean food is served.

After a day out, we resolved to cover that distance to Coyhaique in search of the dishes served at El Ovejero (The Shepherd), housed by the hotel called El Reloj (The Clock), inaugurated in the 1990s. With the passing of time, the number of beds and tables increased and its service acquired category and distinction.

Before sitting at the table, we spent some time close to the fireplace while enjoying an aperitif. We observed the old clock at the entrance after which this venue has been named. It is part of the family history as it was brought along by English colonists in 1900.

The proposal is to rescue the regional products and resort to traditional recipes using international gourmet cooking techniques. We tasted some dishes that had been awarded in top gastronomic contests. The starter was called “the poem of salmon and jaiba”, a cream soup containing salmon and this typical Chilean crab. A perfect appetizer. Then we were tempted by a hare carpaccio, lamb leg and Aysen salmon with a delicious sauce.

It was a surprise to see wine labels such as Casas del Toqui, viñas Morandé, Ventisquero, Laura Hartwig and other newer premium wines. For dessert, we approached the corresponding section of the restaurant and completed a typical Chilean dinner with modern elegant touches. Quality and service are principles perfectly managed at El Reloj.

As we visited the various gastronomic venues in Coyhaique, we noticed asados al palo, seafood and fish caught in the Chilean sea littoral are the protagonists of all menus. We just need to make up our minds and incorporate new flavors, textures and ways of cooking. That way we will discover different versions that pay tribute to good Patagonian cuisine.

See also: Hotels in Puerto Aysén and other accommodation venues