Must EAT: El Chato Bogota Restaurant Review
Visiting Bogota will showcase a wonderful array of amazing restaurants, but El Chato pushes the culinary boundaries creating an unforgettable meal. Keep reading for my full review of El Chato Bogota as I dive into details about the food, menu, and prices.
El Chato: Progressing Colombian Cuisine
Throughout Bogota, tiny corner restaurants serve amazing Colombian food with every local frequenting their favorites. For newcomers to the city, I highly recommend checking out some of the best Colombian restaurants in Bogota, but if you want to dive a little deeper, visiting El Chato is an absolute must.
On Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, El Chato climbed to its highest ranking at No. 5 and received the esteemed title of the best restaurant in Colombia in 2022.
El Chato grew its recognition by crafting a menu focused on the diversity of Colombian ingredients while implementing international techniques, resulting in sublime dishes that taste anything but ordinary.
For this review, I go over the menu at El Chato, the tasting menu, the beverage pairings, how to book reservations, the dress code, and my final thoughts on the whole experience.
El Chato Bogota Menu
At the time of this review, there is currently a special tasting menu and an a la carte menu available for diners. My wife and I both went with the tasting menu and decided to get a beverage pairing. I went with the alcohol, and my wife went the alcohol free route.
For pictures of the a la carte menu, scroll down to the bottom of the post for photos.
The Tasting Menu At El Chato In Bogota
Amuse-bouche
Beginning our meal, they served a delectable amuse-bouche of a lulo tamarind broth with Colombian style buñelos. Lulo is a Colombian fruit with a juice tasting like orange, lime, and grape juice fused together.
Buñelos are a very common Colombian snack that’s crispy on the outside but soft and cheesy on the inside. Together they played a well balanced act with the acidic broth offsetting the strong cheese flavors of the buñelos.
1. Crispy Tapioca, Gizzard, Smoked Trout Bites
Three, single bite portions sat on the plate, each showcasing a unique set of ingredients and flavors. Each bite showcased its own type of bread, having a distinct texture that highlighted the ingredients’ individuality.
My favorite was the Crispy Tapioca with blackberry and chicken liver pate. Tangy, slightly sweet, and full of umami, I loved how the blackberries balanced out the pate allowing me to experience them both without any competition.
A terrific way to begin the meal and with each bite flaunting impactful flavors that still remained subtle. This first course only ratcheted up my excitement for the rest of the meal.
2. Passion Fruit (Granadilla) – Orejero Seeds, Cashew Cream, Granadilla, And Tiger Milk
The second course came in a hollowed out Granadilla, a thick skinned passion fruit native to South America. This gazpacho like concoction tasted wonderful with a creamy acidity of mixing the granadilla filling and cashew cream together.
The Orejero Seeds became my favorite part of the dish, giving a popping texture like chewing on toasted sesame seeds. The uniqueness of the ingredients threw me off, but as I continued sipping I began to understand the complexity and nuances of this well thought out soup.
3. Grand Oyster – Clarified Tamarind Broth, Pears, And Sea Lettuce
Served in a shell the size of my fist, this smoked oyster sat in a clarified tamarind broth with pears and slices of sea lettuce creating a delectable dish from all sides.
The oyster tasted delicate with a hint of smokiness that leaked into the sweet tamarind broth. Absolutely genius. I equate it to why we put sweet sauce on bbq meat. The smokey sweetness just blends well on the palate.
The pear pearls added a nice refreshing burst between bites of oyster and sips of broth. After a few well mannered bites, I picked up the shell and shot the rest. This is the type of dish I want with me at a beach bbq that highlights the characteristics of the ocean while still maintaining individuality.
4. Crab – Tomato Sauce, Salk, And Nasturtium Flower
This cold crab dish surprised me with a light yet powerful tomato broth, with the flavors reminding me of a Mexican style shrimp cocktail, but elevated to a state of complete perfection. The crab tasted sweet and tangy paired with the tomato sauce, adding that necessary hint of seafood throughout the whole dish.
The whole dish really came together with the puffed corn chips on the side. Bringing in the nuances of corn made the whole dish feel complete with a vivid crunch from each bite.
5. Boronia – Grilled Eggplants, Tomato, Sweet Plantain, Orejero’s Glaze
By far my favorite dish on the whole tasting menu, and it’s completely vegetarian. An ambitious move to go meatless on the first warm course, this dish blew me away with the dynamic approach to vegetables that could effortlessly convert any meat lover into a bonafide vegetarian.
Every component was meticulously thought out with the Orejero sauce tasting so delicious, I spooned up every drop of sauce, stopping short of licking the plate. We were in a fine dining establishment after all.
Similar to a dish at Pujol in Mexico City, the Boronia came with impact, expressing the vegetables in a way that felt genuine to enjoying its true flavors.
6. Candied Trout – Palmito, Cauliflower And Jicama
A completely original dish that obliterates what I knew about trout. First of all, I’m not the biggest fan of trout; restaurants usually make poor attempts at preparing it, and home cooks completely destroy it. I’ve never tasted a trout dish that I actually enjoyed until today.
For the first time in my life, I loved a trout dish. When I took my first bite of the charred crispy trout skin, it was game over. Time to wave the white flag because I surrender! Smokey, fishy, and full of umami, just put that skin on a plate and I can call this meal complete!
The sauce tasted wonderfully briny with the addition of trout eggs bringing every part of the fish into play.
I ate the trout without sauce and noticed a distinctly heightened flavor profile. After the meal, I toured the kitchen and saw the trout curing in the walk in refrigerator.
They explained the curing process helps concentrate the natural flavors of the fish giving each bite more character. Brilliant. This dish was my wife’s favorite on the menu and I can absolutely understand why.
7. Res – Ribeye Nacional, Romaine Lettuce, Culona Ants, And Native Potatoes
An excellent medium rare cut of Colombian steak came drizzled in a Culona Ant sauce paired with Romaine Lettuce and potatoes. I must admit, this was not for me. The ants didn’t worry me as I’ve eaten them on separate occasions at some of the best restaurants in Mexico City.
The steak was distinctly lean and a bit hard to chew at times, and the sauce reminded me of an eggy hollandaise usually reserved for brunch benedicts. The beef and the sauce clashed too much without anything else to pull it all together.
Don’t misunderstand, the dish still tasted good, but if I had the choice, I wouldn’t choose to eat it again.
8. Lavender – Cucumber And Cereal Crispy Broth
Time for the first dessert. This dessert was an amazing way to wind down the meal with a delicious pairing of cucumber and lavender. The broth felt slightly herby and sweet with a refreshing aftertaste of cucumber.
The ice cream in the center smoothed out each bite and the crispy rice wafer added the necessary texture to round out the whole dessert. I loved this and never experienced a dessert quite like it.
9. Berenjena – Roasted Eggplant, Ice Cream, And Pickled Eggplant
Coming from left field is an eggplant dessert. Yes. Eggplant.
Absolutely amazing. The roasted eggplant paired with the ice cream played with savory and sweet while the pickled eggplant pieces brought a stark acidic pop.
I tasted hints of smoke and licorice that somehow worked together to make a cohesive dessert.
Beverage Pairings and Nonalcoholic Options
For each tasting menu, El Chato gives the option of enjoying the meal with a wine pairing, or nonalcoholic pairing, each having a different price. Since the whole meal was relatively inexpensive, I urge you to try either pairing or if you are like my wife and me, trying one of each.
I thought the wine pairings were expertly curated with four different glasses of wine and two cocktails for a whole nine course meal. The nonalcoholic pairing took me off guard, using house fermented beverages utilizing Colombian ingredients. My favorite beverage of the night was a fermented coconut drink that paired soooooo well with the Grand Oyster.
Is El Chato Bogota Worth it?
Yes, El Chato is worth it, but only if you are an adventurous eater who enjoys trying something new. Overall, everything tasted wonderful and I discovered amazing flavors that I never experienced. The whole meal progressed nicely with intense dishes pushing forward complex characteristics and finishing with unexpected desserts.
I found myself stopping to process what I was tasting. The unique ingredients and unfamiliar tastes worked both my palate and brain. For me, the meal at El Chato felt like an adventurous endeavor, exploring uncharted culinary horizons while making groundbreaking epicurean discoveries. An utterly unforgettable meal.
Picky eaters may find themselves challenged to the point of frustration, and dismissing the meal entirely. Despite every dish maintaining balance with perfect flavor, the robust ingredients will leave sensitive palates behind. If you aren’t too adventurous with your food and still want to try El Chato, prepare yourself for a few dishes not to fit your liking.
That being said, my wife found El Chato to be her favorite tasting menu of all time. Yes, for my wife this beats out Michelin three starred restaurants around the world. For me, El Chato falls to second place coming behind Le Bernardin in my own personal favorites. Not bad for a little restaurant in Colombia.
El Chato Bogota Price
Here is the breakdown of the tasting menu:
1. Tasting Menu Paired With Alcoholic Beverages: $422.000 COP ($90 USD)
2. Tasting Menu Paired With Nonalcoholic Beverages $346.000 COP ($75 USD)
3. Tasting Menu Without Beverage Pairing: $238.000 COP ($50 USD)
The price for the meal was 768.000 COP or $165 USD which includes the tip that goes to the whole staff. I also tipped extra to our English speaking waitress who painstakingly summarized every detail of every dish.
For two tasting menus at one of the best restaurants in Latin America, I say this was well worth the money and a meal I would gladly eat again.
Please note that these prices may change by the time you are ready to dine, so be sure to check with the restaurant before making reservations.
UPDATE ON PRICE
Readers have reached out and told me about a recent price change. So although I had the prices above when I dined at El Chato, these are the current prices as of early 2024
1. Tasting Menu Paired With Alcoholic Beverages: $840.000 COP ($213 USD)
2. Tasting Menu Paired With Nonalcoholic Beverages $680.000 COP ($172 USD)
3. Tasting Menu Without Beverage Pairing: $640.000 COP ($162 USD)
El Chato Bogota Dress Code
There is no dress code for El Chato. I saw people wearing anything from formal attire to T-shirts. Despite there being no distinct rule, I always recommend that everyone avoid shorts and sandals at these types of restaurants, but what you wear is totally at your discretion.
El Chato Bogota Reservations
Go to El Chato’s main website and use their online reservation system to book your reservation. To book a reservation a fee of 50,000 COP per person is charged to a credit card in case of no shows or last minute cancelations.
Using a credit card to book is standard practice for fine dining restaurants, and the final bill will subtract the fee you paid for your reservation. So for my meal, the total came out to 768.000 COP but at the time of my meal I only paid 668.000 COP since I already paid 100.000 COP to book a reservation for my wife and me.
El Chato Bogota Restaurant Information
El Chato Website: https://elchato.co/
El Chato Reservations: https://elchato.precompro.com/select/
El Chato Address: Nueva: Calle 65 # 4-76 Antigua: Calle 65 # 3b – 76, Bogotá, Colombia
El Chato A La Carte Menu
Chris Kretzer has traveled the world visiting over 35 countries and eating his way through every city. With his wife Tiarra, they explore different food cultures and create food guides, podcasts, and travel articles helping everyone experience the world through food.