Odeliza Life of a US Expat in South America

Hi All,

Swiss food anyone? Well, that is what the restaurant named Rosti features.

Located at Prudencio Vazquez and Vega 852. Telephone number 710.53 32.

My other half and I live right around the corner from this place. The decor outside was really cute. Fashioned inside an old European house. Painted yellow and brown. On the corner of a tree lined brick street. The interior is very small and causal. But sometimes people that come to eat there dress up. So I think its for any type of style.

I was attracted to the place cause they featured fondue. Which I love. I also like to have afternoon tea there. Rosti has a special tea time from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Sundays.

If I were to recommend something it would have to be the Swiss cakes. Which are similar to potato pancakes. I have the one that is mixed with four cheese. Pretty heavy on the tummy, so I don’t order anything else.

The desserts are ok just a little dry. But if you do the fondue desserts its so much better.

Ciao,

O

Hi All,

I promised I’d talk about my numero uno choice pizza place in Montevideo, Uruguay. Don Ciccio located at Bonpland 507 telephone 710.5151. Owned by a couple of really cool people. Vivianna and her boyfriend.

Some time in 2006, my other half and I ate at Don Ciccio. We did not know at the time that Vivianna and her boyfriend just opened the place that day. No one was there, so we figured the place was not very well known or dread that it was very well known for the wrong reasons.

To our amazement Vivianna’s boyfriend is actually Italian and lived in in Italy. So that is why I can never understand him. Which really has no relevance at all, I just felt like saying it.

Their pizza is cooked in a real brick oven. Supper thin crust and delicious home made pizza sauce.

We love the Regina Margherita grande. Which is a “large” size thin crust pizza. Topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Very basic, but I’d say would be one of the top pizza’s ordered. In 2006, the price of said pizza was 120 for a large and now its 180 (pesos).

For a dolci we would order Zuccotto. A sorta chocolate, cream, walnuts, and some other stuff cake. Yum.

Fast forward to 2007, and now Vivianna and her boyfriend expanded to the building next to them and they are busier than ever.

Don Ciccio has a very casual dinning experience. No fork and knife there. There are two outside areas one in the front and one in the back. It use to be an old small house. So it’s decor is very intimate.

We still eat there at least once a week. This time, we just call for delivery and we don’t even have to tell them what we want.

Ciao,

O

Hi All,

My other half and I wanted to watch a movie. So while waiting for our movie to start we decided to have a late lunch sort of early dinner at Don Pepporone.

Located at the old prison turned mall, Punta Caretas Shopping Mall. Don Pepporone can best be described as a Cheese Cake factory chain with out the cheese cake.

Don Pepporone is all about the meat. Blood sausages, steaks, kidney, and other meat stuff I’d rather not get into. Bad idea for vegetarians. People crowding around the all you can meat bar. I mean the all you can eat bar.

I was confused. I mean, there were no signs of a reception area and waiters made it a point to make no eye contact with us.

So we just found a place to sit on our own. Then it was another long wait for a menu. Were we suppose to find our own menu as well.

We waved a waiter down and got his attention. And we did not let him leave until we placed our order. For an appetizer we ordered a caprese; fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and olive oil. I ordered a spinach ravioli with cream sauce. My other half ordered a sun dried tomato and cheese ravioli with cream sauce.

About ten minutes after our order we finally got our water. From that point on, my other half and I were ready to walk out. But I was starving and most of the other places to eat were really just about meat. So we waited.

Our appetizer and two main dishes arrived at the same time. Even though we asked for an entrada (appetizer) first. But, hey I was just happy to eat.

I referred to a Cheese Cake factory chain like restaurant because of the long wait time for large portions of meager dishes.

We took a few bites and it was time for our movie to start showing previews. Waved down the waiter and asked for our check. The waiter’s English got increasingly better and was quick to inform us that his tip was not included in the tab.

The nerve.

My experience with this place was totally drab.

Ciao for now,

O

Hi All,

I love pizza! Thin crust, deep dish, and lots of extra pizza sauce on the side, for dipping. Of course.

When my other half and I arrived to Montevideo, Uruguay in August 2006, we were starved. Unfortunately, we arrived during what the Uruguayans would call a “break time”. Between 3p.m.-7p.m. most eatery places shut down for a break.

Even our hotel’s restaurant had a cerrado sign (closed). Desperate to eat, and still committed vegetarians, we asked the front desk clerk for some suggestions.

Chez Pineiro, located on 21 de September. Telephone is 710. 4713 the only place he suggested.

Looking back, I now realized it was one of the very few places that stayed opened while other places took their breaks.

We ordered an Americano Capri Pizza. Real brick oven baked thin crust. Our mouths were watering. A medium sized pizza with gooey mozzarella cheese, fresh red tomatoes, and cuts of fresh basil. No need for extra pizza sauce. It cost us about $8.00 North American dollars. It was deliciouso.

After a few months, we were in the area once again. Recalling how my luggage went missing and I had only slippers, shorts, and a t-shirt to keep me warm during the very cold August days. And our first Pizza in Uruguay.

We decided to eat at good old Chez Pineiro. Ordered the same Americano Capri Pizza. This time it was not as amazing. However, still true to its flavor of real brick oven baked thin crust and gooey mozzarella cheese.

What would I say for new comers? Vegetarians don’t even think about coming to Uruguay and surviving. You won’t. Sorry to be so harsh, but its true.

And Pizza lovers, well, Chez hits second on my list of Pizza joints in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Ciao for now,

O

Hi All,

Sin Azucar (translates to without sugar) is located at Echeverria 610 and 21 de September. Telephone is 712.0206.

For anyone trying to stay away from sugar. Great news. Sinz Azucar, owned by two brothers and a friend started a sweets bakery.

Sin Azuar is all about the Italian style baked goods and treats as well as some Uruguayan influences. My favorite would have to be the chocolate and almond cream puff.  Total cost for one is .80 cents. Wow.

Plus, you’ll never miss the sugar.

Ciao

O

Hi All,

How is everyone? I know it’s been a while since I’ve written in my Restaurants review section. But honestly there aren’t very many places to eat in Montevideo, Uruguay. I have lived here for one year and three months to date.

When I was new to the area, my other half and I ate out at all the hot restaurants . I use the word “all” because Montevideo, Uruguay is a very small city. There are about 1.5 to 2.0 million people living in Uruguay. Most of the population lives in Montevideo. It is considered the metropolitan area.

Luckily, I wrote down my first time experiences . So I hope it helps.

Ciao

O

Hi all,

It took me a while to find a place that sold “exotic health foods”. I add my “air quotes ” only because in Montevideo, Uruguay, exotic is well, soy sauce.

I went to a place called La Molienda. Which Translates to the powdered. The store’s address is Ejido 1439 and Mercedes. The telephone is 901.3947. The hours of operation is Monday through Friday from 9:30-1:00 p.m. and 1:30 -7:00 p.m. I guess they are closed for a half hour for lunch.

I was surprised to see that La Molienda sold seitan. For non-vegetarians, seitan can be used as a meat replacement. On top of that the store also boast fresh tofu. When I asked the clerk to show me the tofu. It was plastic wrapped in what I could only describe as a facial soap container one would get from a purchase at Clinique. It was in traditional rectangular form. Without water. So, I would loosely use “Fresh” and “Preservative Free”.

La Molienda also sells Soba flour and real Japanese soba noodles. Well, I use the word real but I don’t think it is authentic. But what is authentic “exotic” food in Montevideo, Uruguay? If the makers of said tofu and soba noodles have not lived or been to its country of origin or have Asian or Japanese heritage.

So the store also sells the following flours; chic Pea, rice, wheat, soy, and other flours that I don’t quite know the translations in English.

They also sell semi sweet mini chocolate chips and agar-agar. Which is overly priced, in my opinion. Well. This whole website is really, just “my opinion”.

If you are looking for a place to purchase baking goods or vegetarian baking goods, this is a good place to start. There is a sales clerk there by the name of Luciana, she speaks pretty good English, for my non-speaking Spanish readers.

Ciao,

O