Baco

Baco is a casual French restaurant. And although the food is good it is the atmosphere and service which make dining at Baco the most memorable.

Baco isn't elegant. It's informal, and at the same time slightly sophisticated. But unlike so many "sophisticated" restaurants that suffer from being a little too gaudy, too minimalistic, or too stale, Baco is the perfect mix ... classy enough to rank it as a fine dining experience, but casual enough that you can feel comfortable in a pair of khakis and a T-shirt.

On my latest visit to Baco I decided to give the Beef Burgundy a second chance. My first meal ever at Baco was the Beef Burgundy. I found it to be slightly overcooked and overall slightly disappointing. But this time the beef was tender and juicy. This particular dish lacks much flare. It's basic French comfort food. But I must admit I had trouble tasting the rich red wine flavor that the beef was supposed to have been braised in. And the gravy was a little thick. Instead of a rich full flavored gravy it reminded me a little of the brown gravy my mother used to make from the pan drippings.

But despite the lack of wine taste in the gravy, the dish was executed well enough that I gobbled it all down. I had a side of Gratin Dauphinois (potato gratin) which was adequate, but still nothing to brag about. I've eaten at Baco dozens of times and it's one of my favorite dinner spots in Santiago. But this particular dish has failed to shine on both occasions. I'll be returning to Baco many times in the future. But I'm quite certain this will be the last chance I'll give the Beef Burgundy.

For dessert I tried the Frutilla Baco. A concoction of sweetened strawberries, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and almonds. Tasty. But again, not likely to win an award for culinary creativity.