Traditional Bolivian Kitchen packs Surprises! Sancho Panza Bolivia!

A cascade of surprises! First is the name! Sancho Panza? A reference to Spanish literature? Hailing from Madrid Pablo Zarate has had great success in La Paz with Spanish Restaurante Sancho Panza. He now teams up with Bolivian Enrique Mendoza and Bolivian Chef, Cristian Vargas to launch Sancho Panza Cocina Boliviana. 

The menu is truly national in scope. Foods from the mountains, valleys and lowlands are featured in daily specials and coupled with an ample salad bar and buffet for all the sides you can eat. A wine list selected to complement the dishes purveyed, thrills the palate. And the list of national beer labels is as delightful as it is comprehensive. Chef Vargas attends to time-tested traditional recipes, uses only local ingredients and elevates it all to achieve a beautiful dining experience. The environment is well appointed. The service is attentive without being intrusive. And prices are very affordable. It's the perfect restauarant for the traveller who wants to enjoy local fare and, also, for the Bolivian who wants to savour dishes that grandmother lovingly prepared for the family.

Nestled amongst international hotels, the restaurant is situated nicely on the second floor of Hotel Las Brisas on Calle Illampu making it easy to find from all points in the city. Even though just new on the scene, Sancho Panza Cocina Boliviana is one of the finest traditional kitchens in the city!

And, by the way, count on the surprises!

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2013. All Rights Reserved. mickhuerta@gmail.com 
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PAELLA On Top of the World! Sancho Panza - La Paz, Bolivia

The squabble over proper method to cook Paella is one that began long, long ago and will continue as long as there are people who love Spanish food and pour their hearts into making it distinctive and wonderful. Passion is as much of an ingredient as any selection of seafood, saffron or type of olive oil. This being the situation, no arguments will be resolved here!

However, one thing that disappoints no end is an establishment that cooks all ingredients separately: the rice cooked with colorant giving the look of saffron, seafood in one pan, all other ingredients finished in anothers. Then they´re combined in a chafing-dish, rice at bottom and the expensive stuff arranged prettily on the top. No! That is not Paella! In many places there is much nonsense of this sort served to the unsuspecting. Simply put, Paella is an open approach with regional differences but one dictate remains firm. All ingredients are cooked in one pan. That pan is called a Paella and the dish takes its name from this unique shallow Spanish cooking vessel. And the difference is in the taste, texture and aroma of Paella done properly!

With that established let´s talk about delicious Paella at 3600 meters (12,000ft), cooked perfectly with threads of pungent saffron in the traditional way and served beautifully at table! Sancho Panza - La Paz, Bolivia shines! Our Paella arrived with ample food for four. The fun of Paella is that it is a dish of community. And being two, we shared with the friendly table next to us. The Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) was chilled nicely and dry enough to accent the feast. Our conversation was dominated by the miracle. What miracle, you might ask? Well, water boils at a much lower temperature at altitude than at sea level thus slowing the cooking process. And in the best conditions having rice and all other ingredients cooked perfectly at the very same moment is tough timing. But at altitude in the Andes Mountains? Now that is a feat of extraordinary culinary prowess. At Sancho Panza, our meal was flawless. We ate, laughed and with our neighbours poured more Cava! The evening felt like those we´d loved so much in Spain. Undoubtedly a chef that can transport you to heaven for a short time surely works magic. And if a little magic is what you seek while dining, at Sancho Panza you´re sure to be carried away. Enchanted!

Restaurante “Sancho Panza”
Avenida Ecuador 738
Edificio Miguel Ángel, Sopocachi
La Paz, Bolivia

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://mickhuerta.blogspot.com
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Sancho Panza Succeeds Again! - La Paz, Bolivia

Restaurant Sancho Panza in La Paz continually endeavors to bring the Spanish Table to South America. And in that noble effort, this most recent offering is simply stunning! Huevos Rotos (Broken Eggs)!

This is one of those plates mamas in Madrid make weekly. Fast, easy and sums up being greater than it's parts. Yet any wet blanket could flippantly insist that this is ham & eggs with fried potatoes, a dish common world over. Admittedly yes, more or less.

A chef worth his salt would attest that "it's not what you do but how you do it." And the Madrileños (residents of Madrid) have combined uncomplicated ingredients and made true alchemy. Then Restaurante Sancho Panza gives an inspired twist with a timbal (mold) & applies a free hand with glorious Serrano Ham, a dusting of Smoked Paprika and the result rendered us mum. With our mouths full we contemplated this sublime fusion of ingredients. My companion commented she'd never had anything quite so good and added it was a complete surprise that simplicity could lead to such a pinnacle dining experience. In ensuing conversation, we thought this same recipe would be fabulous with Smoked Salmon, as well. But that would require a departure from tradition and a different wine than the smooth Bolivian Red, Aranjuez Terruño, that we sipped contentedly.

Pablo Zárate Osuna (Madrileño/chef/owner) has the sensibilities to achieve these little triumphs on a plate. Bravo Don Pablo! Restaurante Sancho Panza succeeds once again in the Sopocachi neighborhood of La Paz, Bolivia!

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2012. All Rights Reserved.
mickhuerta@gmail.com
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Sancho Panza - The Spanish Table in La Paz, Bolivia

Restaurante “Sancho Panza”

The exterior is rather unpretentious. Not much to be done when you´re located in a tall building. Just a few signs with logo, a sculpture of Don Quixote (Sancho´s jefe) just outside the door and your name tastefully etched into the large plate glass window. Perfect. Open the door and enter Spain. Vibrant red on the walls, a copy of Picasso´s Guernica and a silent flat screen sporting Euro-football, the room felt ample, warm and cozy.

Tapas? Of course tapas! Being it´s sourced fresh from Peru; our first impulse was to order a Tabla of seafood (an assortment). It was explained that the Tabla held food enough for 4-5 people, even with big appetites some items would go cold in the time required to eat it all. And we, being two, couldn´t have taken it on. We ordered, instead, à la carte.

Calamares a la Romana - Squid fried in batter
Gambas al Ajillo - Shrimp to the Garlic
Croqueta Pollo y Jamon – Croquette of Chicken & Ham

All three were temptingly done and well presented with individual salads accompanying each tapa. The aioli sauce was fresh and bright; Salsa Golf, a classic with seafood was good. However, I prefer Salsa Romesco but that´s just being nit-picking. On a prior visit, we sampled the Tortilla Española which was as good as any I´ve enjoyed in Madrid and the Jamon Serrano heavenly. Seems there´s now a Polish chef in Bolivia making ham Spanish style; to that chef we say welcome, we are happy to share the same city! Without missing a beat Sancho Panza puts this Spanish Jamon to good use! And best of all in the form of tapas!

One word of advice, Bolivians fancy all fish and seafood well cooked. So if you prefer to eat in the style of seaside Spain (lightly cooked), just let your server know. They were happy to accommodate. To end the meal with Crema Catalana is ideal. If Crème Brûlée springs to mind, know there are differences in baked custards. Crema Catalana is not made with heavy cream like it´s French cousin which is served cold. So if a lighter dessert traditionally served warm appeals then this is your sweet finish. The version at Sancho Panza is very good!

The wine list is well thought out. The Barra variety bread was great for dunking in the sauce of our garlic shrimp. Lunch is either prix fixe (approx. $4.90) or a la carte. Our dinner was $20 for two with wine.

Pablo Zarate Osuna, the owner from Madrid, has clear vision that his restaurant should offer the classic plates of Spain. He even insists on pure Spanish olive oil; the green Borges liter tins are proudly displayed in a row above the bar. In all of the Andes, there are not many Spanish restaurants; even fewer who have the lofty goal of authenticity and then deliver. There are many surprises in store at Sancho Panza in La Paz, Bolivia and the attention to detail will readily transport you to the Spanish table. It all comes together to make this a delicious job well done!

Restaurante “Sancho Panza”
Avenida Ecuador 738
Edificio Miguel Ángel, Sopocachi
La Paz, Bolivia

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2011. All Rights Reserved.
http://mickhuerta.blogspot.com
All Accordin' - Travel, Food, Wines and Gardens!