Seafood Eating at Angelmó

Angelmó Inlet, in the City of Puerto Montt, is a space where everything has the flavor and aroma of fish, including its colorful boats that go out to sea everyday, its market and the most appreciated diners. We devoted our midday to going around the market and its surroundings. After that, we chose a place to have lunch. Within a noisy space with classic marble counters covered with ice, we observed the various kinds of fish and countless seafood options. Many of them were unknown to us. We made some questions about the place where the sailors’ nets find salmon, conger, oysters, mussel, large oysters, picorocos and other varieties, and learned how to cook them in addition to some recipes. Both the fishing boats and the commuters’ launches that lead to Tenglo Island and other isles located farther away are moored behind the venue. This is a classic fishermen nook where the tide causes the barges to run aground in the sand for some hours everyday.

We noticed we could eat at that very spot, at the classic simple small restaurants known as cocinerías, where the products on display are cooked for customers. Another option is to approach the palafitos standing on one side of the market and housing several family restaurants overlooking the bay and the Calbuco Volcano. Hosted by women, each of them is named after their cook. Their menus include specialties such as curantos a olla or pulmay, chupes or sailors’ soup.

Pa´mar adentro

We chose a restaurant which we had been recommended. It stood a few meters away from the market. Its ample spaces offered a very pleasant environment which we found appropriate to share lunch and enjoy the varied menu containing sea dishes. We asked about some of the options and heard the waiter’s recommendations. While we waited for our orders to be ready, we tasted home baked bread and Chilean pebre together with the good white wine we had chosen. The aroma came first. Then, the dishes were distributed around our long table. Amazed at the seafood festival before our eyes, we recognized prawn, locos, choritos, machas and large oysters. Grilled, fried or prepared in some other fashion, the fish we had chosen -such as salmon and hake- turned out to be delicious. The garnishes were bountiful and well presented. Lunch took longer than what we had expected because we felt at ease and let ourselves be seduced by a tasty dessert to crown the sea feast. While visiting Puerto Montt, tasting the sea cuisine is a must. No matter what option is chosen, this is a local tradition indeed.