ARAUCANA - Brussels

To talk about "Araucana" (name given to a local no-tail hen whose eggs are somewhat blue/green and to a conifer from Chili) is to talk about Adela Baraquett Jorat, a formet Chilean trade unionist (now aged 80 and sometimes still present in the restaurant to dance with the customers!) whose leftist ideas brought her to a forced exile to Europe during the Pinochet regime.

Fully covered with press articles, masks from the early civilizations, photos, and other colourful stuff, the walls of Araucana perfectly witness the history, the people and the way of life of both Chili and the rest of South America.

Although one should primarily go to this informal restaurant to have fun, to feel that the world is a place where everybody could live in harmony with the rest of human beings, that values such as respect and conviviality are not necessarily outdated in our times, and to remember that values have nothing to do neither with the age nor with the tough living conditions one might have had in life, no visitor should miss the opportunity to taste the home-made "ceviche" (Chilean national dish), the "empanadas" and the steaks (Argentinian beef).

Please be advised that nobody visiting this folkloric place will be able to go back home without listening a genuine live compilation of the best South American hits of all times from Peruvian José, who confirms with no hesitation that "all women in the world are beautiful, even those who are not".

Note: 5.4/10

Articulo dedicado a Rodrigo, a quien espero ver de nuevo pronto, quizas en su pais.