Page 83 - 101+ Tips for Solo Women Travelers

What to Eat

Argentina is world-famous for its beef. The cuts are di erent than what you are

used to, as is the out-of-this-world taste. Bife de chorizo, the most popular cut,
is a sirloin steak; vacio is flank steak; lomo is tenderloin or filet mignon; and bife
ancho are prime ribs. Every province has its own take on the empanada, a hot
flaky pastry filled with cheese, vegetables, and meat. You will see many people
walking around with their own metal cup and straw to enjoy maté, a ca einated

tea made from holly leaves. It’s not just a drink but a social experience.
Uruguay is just as carnivorous as its Argentine neighbor, and here you will find
pulpon (rump steak) or asado (short ribs). The national sandwich, chivito,
has thin slices of churrasco (filet mignon beef) topped with bacon, mozzarella
cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ham, olives and a fried egg.

For a great homestyle meal in Costa Rica, duck into a soda, a family-run restaurant.

As a solo traveler don’t be put o if your host recommends a cascado or a “married
man’s meal.” It’s just a set meal with rice, beans, and your choice of fish, chicken,
pork, or beef. There are also vegetarian cascados with plantains and avocado. Try
also platanos fritos, or fried plantains. Crispy on the outside and creamy inside,

these are popular everywhere as a side dish. What to drink? Co ee, of course!
In Chile, try pastel de choclo, a creamy, sweet corn pie filled with hard-boiled

eggs, olives, and ground beef or chicken. A er a day of hiking, a sopa patagonica
(a stew of shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, and potatoes) will hit the spot. The classic
Chilean comfort food is cazuela, a heartwarming broth with chunks of chicken
or beef, pumpkin, potatoes, cilantro, and corn noodles. On a warm summer day,
a glass of mote con huesillo will slake your thirst: it’s made from dried peaches
soaked in nectar and mixed with fresh wheat, water, cinnamon, and brown
sugar. But then, there’s also all that world-class Chilean wine. . . .

Both Peru and Chile lay claim to ceviche, a cold stew of fresh, raw seafood cured
in citrus juice (lemon, lime, or Seville orange), and spiked with chili peppers,
onion and cilantro. The acid in the marinade “cooks” the fish and seafood as it
adds flavor. A uniquely Amazonian dish in Peru is juane, a bowl of rice filled with
chicken, boiled egg, black olives, and spices. All the ingredients are wrapped up
in bijao (similar to banana leaves) and then boiled in clay pots. In the Peruvian
Andes, you may be o ered cuy, which is crispy grilled guinea pig.

In Venezuela and Colombia, arepas are delicious corn cakes stu ed with eggs,

cheese, meat or beans. They’re eaten for breakfast and as snacks all day long.

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