When I first arrived in Chile, an American friend recommended Chancha Javali and explained that it…read morewas a "clandestine restaurant." I was suspect--how can it be clandestine?? They have a neon sign out front and it doesn't seem to be a secret at all. Fast forward nearly 8 months, and the hubs and I finally decided to check it out for ourselves. It was absolutely mind-blowing. I would not describe it as "clandestine" but it might just be the best-kept secret when it comes to Cuban-Asian fusion, speed of service, and price.
It is sort of tucked away and requires you to walk up some stone steps to a second level and duck to avoid an overgrown tree branch. The grounds are charming and you can see this was likely someone's home before it was a restaurant--or at least it feels like it could be your grandma's house with the lush outdoor space that is shaded and filled with tables with chatty guests as well as the indoor space with comfy benches and chairs and funky art on the walls. Also on the wall? A framed certificate issued by the Department of Health (not so secretive, but still an awesome spot).
THE FOOD: First, the menu changes constantly, but from what I can gather, there are some constants, like white rice and beans and of course, pork (the place is basically named "Pork"). As soon as we sat down, we were offered tea. The one I had was more citrus/ginger and another was a pink-tinted fruit tea. They must make 20 gallons of tea a day, because I watched the servers pouring it constantly, even for themselves. It was delicious.
Next up, was a salad. It had a soy-sauce based dressing and was really nice and salty. Finally, our main course, which was the "FAT JOSE" (the "Flaca Joe" or "Skinny Joe" is more veggies and less heavy, as you might guess). The Fat Jose was more than a meal. It was homecoming at its finest. The pork was perfectly cooked and was juicy, not dry. You could tell it had probably been cooking all night. The rice and beans were also great, and surprisingly, not heavy on the salt. It even came with a side of fries, though they were more on the al dente side--still pretty firm. The entire time we were eating, my husband kept saying, "My parents will love this place," and "We have to bring my parents here." It's true, it is definitely the kind of cooking that will have you reminiscing about your island home.
I could barely make it halfway through my meal when I realized I was STUFFED. I took the rest home and ate it the next day, and it was still amazing (and by that time, the fries were softer and more delicious).
SERVICE SPEED: I was knocked off my socks when I saw the food coming out so quickly since nothing in Chile is fast. This is the benefit to ordering pre-prepared home-cooked meals that feel like you are in someone's home. I didn't feel rushed to finish my meal quickly like in the U.S., but watching the frantic speed of the three servers at lunchtime made me almost nervous. They were like a symphony--everyone doing their part quickly and with ease. It was beautiful and terrifying at once. This most certainly cannot be called "fast food" in the sense of coming out of a freezer, thrown on a grille, and handed to you in your car at the drive-thru window, but it is most certainly FAST in the sense that it gets on the plate and in front of you within minutes (maybe even seconds).
PRICE: I was absolutely amazed that for my husband and myself, our total came to much less than $20 USD. This is hands-down the best meal value in Las Condes and we will absolutely be back. You just cannot beat the delicious and unique recipes, the beautiful space, the speed of the food, and the price.
