by Gonzalo Mena
This past weekend, a very special contest started in Valparaíso. It’s got nothing to do with sailing, music or art, well, at least not in the conventional way. It’s a food contest! But not just any food contest, it’s to decide who has the best “once” in the Port City.
For those of you who don’t know what once (pronounced ON-SAY) is, be sure to check out a little about it’s history in our earlier post.
Seven restaurants and cafes offered their best selection of once fare, and we, as the committed news team that we are, picked out a place and got to enjoy the unique experience that is having an “once” on a Valparaíso afternoon.
Our first choice was Café Bijoux, located in Cerro Concepción. Even with our extensive knowledge of Valparaíso’s culinary offerings, this was our first time at Café Bijoux and we were pleasantly surprised! As at most places in Cerro Concepción, this restaurant is small, just a few tables, with a nice view to the bay, and a very cozy, sea themed atmosphere.
One of the first details we noticed was that the head chef comes out to great all of the visitors restaurant. Not only does he welcome you to his restaurant, but he sits with you and explains all of the mouth watering options on the menu, talking about food, Valpo and life.
The “once” itself consisted of a wide selection of tea or coffee, fresh made fruit juice, fresh bread with butter and jam, an egg and mushroom omelet and, to end the course, a moist liquorish flavored cake. Everything was very fresh and tasty, and I found the flavors remarkable. And since it was a very tiring experience, we decided to add a glass of red wine, which was prepared by a local winemaker!. A very interesting experience indeed, all for the reasonable price of $3,500CLP.
While enjoying our “once,” a local band played traditional music to the delight of all of the guests. They played a mix of Celtic and local music, explained the different instruments used, and even gave some the opportunity to try them after the show ended… Only in Valpo!
Guests are asked to fill out a short survey with their experience after the meal is over and the winner will be announced at the end of the week once all the voted have been tallied. While the contest continues, we are eager for the next visit to try a new “once” and pick out our winner. But, to be honest, I believe that the winners are everyone who gets to enjoy this amazing treat in Valparaíso!
Traditional once in Valparaíso. Photo Credit: Gonzalo Mena
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get our most current updates.
