20th Anniversary at EL Chato!!!

Celebrated 20 years together!!! We went to El Chato for a 13 course meal--probably for the one and only time in our lives for a meal like this. El Chato was rated, as of the night we went, the 2nd best restaurant in Latin America and #33 in the world. It was delicious! Kind of random, but they served different drinks with different courses and I think they were my favorite part. The cuisine is Colombian (so arepas, etc) and different courses featured different parts of Colombia, so one course was all food from the Amazon, and one course was from the Pacific Coast, etc. The only thing we didn't like was the very last dessert which was a white chocolate tart with coca leaves on it. Coca leaves (which yes, I've had coca leaves/tea before in Peru) are blech, and white chocolate is also gross, so there was no redeeming that course. But seriously, the rest was so good! And they gave us free wine for our annivesary and were so confused that we don't drink, but they awkwardly changed it out for another yummy fruit drink which was nice. (We had ordered the without alcohol dinner option but I guess we're still weird.) I feel lucky every day to be married to the love of my life who's always willing to experience new things with me!

This was the free fruit juice they gave us at the end since it was our anniversary, which was so delicious.

They actually gave us very clear directions with each course on how to eat it because our obliviousness apparently just radiated off us.

This was the yucky coca and white chocolate dessert.

This was the Lulo with meringue dessert. This was tasty. 

Leo's favorite course, and yes, I realize I have no future as a food photographer. This was the pork ribeye course.

I like how the restaurant was decorated.

All the chefs listening as the top 5 resturants in Latin America were announced. They had been #5, but moved up to #2.  Everyone was so excited!

This one looked weird, (I mean that dark brown sauce) but it was good.  But I don't know what course it was.  

Leo is so handsome!  I'm so very lucky.

It was kind of neat how you could see into the kitchen too. 

I think this was the lobster tail.

And beef heart and arepa.

The tamales with caviar.

I think this was the Portobello with tamarind and sea snail. It was one of my favorites anyway.

I think this was the green mussel and casabeAn toast.

I think this was the Boronia? 

This was the sardine thing. 

The guava one. 

And this soup/broth was my absolute favorite couse--so, so delicious--but I don't see it on the menu.  So not sure what it was.  I know it doesn't look like I was enthusiatically trying everything and soaking it all up by my short little sentences about what the course was, but I really can't describe how things tasted, but I really was loving it!   Anyway, it definitely was an experience and the food and drinks were incredible.