Jaunted

The wining and dining continues...
The Chile tourism board (Pro Chile) invited us for a little non-traditional dining at the new W.D. (stands for World Delicatessen and there are no cold cuts involved at this place) located in the Beverly Hills of Santiago. 10-courses later, we were ready to move on from this high-end “molecular dining” experience. For those hands-on/skill seeking travelers, the restaurant also offers cooking classes and gives you the option to cook your own meal at their very own communal stove. "Molecular dining" seems so 2007! We rather something a bit more authentic, but if you're a food snob, this might just be up your alley. Note to chefs: Don't call it a tasting menu and then stuff up your journalists until they feel bloated and forget how good your food could have possibly been.

Overeating aside, it was time to party!

The easy tourist option is to head to Bellavista, the one-stop bar hopping area. We got some great leads from nightlight blogger Luz, and decided to stop at Constitucion, a chic hipster bar. Try one of the most popular Chilean mixed drinks- pisco cola (pisco is a liquor distilled from Muscat grapes). If beer is more your thing, you have to order the Cerveza Kuntsmann- it's become one of our favorites!

While we could’ve continued our Bellavista (@ Constitucion 61, Bellavista Enoteca, Av. Pedro de Valdivia Norte) rounds, we opted for a private party (doesn’t that sound cooler anyway?). Enoteca is a house/venue on top San Cristobal hill with some of the best views of the city. It’s open every Thursday with special events typically bringing together local VIPs. Heads up: You’ll need a cab to get to this hidden location.

This is where things get tricky- the sun goes down pretty late this time of year. Around 8:30 or 9pm, which means the parties only get started at 1 AM. This isn't ideal when your jet lagged and have been drinking all day long. However, we were determined to push through, dancing the night away to the DJ spinning beats from MGMT to the Cure.

Insider Tip: Local friends have informed me that Chile is obsessed with the Eighties. They even have radio stations dedicated to the decade so keep your Michael Jackson jokes stateside, seriously.

We finally called it quits at 2:30am- that's early for local standards, but with one more week of Chile madness to go, and wineries in the morning, we cut ourselves some slack, for one night at least.

Snaps from the day in Santiago...

W.D. communal cooking

Non-traditional caprese with procuitto and shrimp @ W.D.

Cerveza at Consitucion

Related Stories:
· WD World Class All Around [Tasting Chile]
· Chile Travel Stories [Jaunted]
· Shira in Chile [Jaunted]