Medellin Reports

[Mr Enternational]

So what bothers me so much about seeing roaches dead or alive on food for display, is I can't help but imagine what things look like in the kitchen out of public view.

Yeah well welcome to earth. Just imagine the deer that are shitting on that lettuce when it is out in the field growing. Sounds like you were neither a boy scout or in the military or have been to Asia where they eat bugs for snacks.

[Manizales911]

So what bothers me so much about seeing roaches dead or alive on food for display, is I can't help but imagine what things look like in the kitchen out of public view.

I'm guessing they don't have any Health Dept doing strict random inspections or an FDA inspecting the food supply.

I once stayed at an Airbnb in Bogota above a bakery / resto and it was full of roaches like I've never seen in my life, I asked bldg manager how often they spray.

He said we don't bother the bakery is full of them its just a waste of money. I left.

If restaurants in Centro don't have any rules or regulations (or at least not any real enforcement) I doubt its any different in Poblado or anywhere else.

I seriously doubt most locals would've been upset by what I saw.

That's a very big problem, that tells me it isn't "safe" to eat anywhere here.

Does anyone know of a powdered food supplement I can bring to use as a food substitute for a few weeks at a time?

Only serious replies please.

Colombia actually has strict rules, inspections and enforcement, so does the state of Florida yet dozens of restaurants get shut down daily in Florida. It's a fact that almost every restaurant in the world has roaches regardless of their hygiene. I was in the restaurant supply business at one time and the stories I could tell about some of the high end restaurants in Connecticut.

[Black Page]

I tend to think Bogota has better restaurants and the food on the coast has more flavor, but in general I don't think most people travel to Colombia for the food. If one is having unprotected sex with crack heads in El Centro, the food in Medellin probably isn't your biggest health risk.

If you are in El Centro, you will probably see roaches along with a lot of other things you probably won't see on a reg in more upscale parts of the city. Cabs are inexpensive enough where you can get out of the roach infested areas and at least eat in decent venues around the city.

You might have to pay more to eat non local food at more upscale places, but to me it is worth it. Also, try to stay away from chains that receive everything in plastic bags and just heat up food prepared in some distribution center. Lastly, enjoy the things that are native to Colombia like the fruits, especially things like avocados and dragon fruit and the fresh bread and good coffee.

I applaude your post! Standing ovation from me. Kudos. So much truth in 3 paragraphs.

[Black Page]

Does anyone know of a powdered food supplement I can bring to use as a food substitute for a few weeks at a time?
Only serious replies please.

I am serious, although you probably won't take me seriously.

If you apply your same sanity standard to all other contexts as food, I'd suggest you bring to Medellin also some plastic doll, to use as a woman substitute for the few weeks you'll stay in Medellin.

When I travel, I am interested to experience the local architecture and natural parks, as much as trying local food and local women.

Relax: there are very good restaurants in Medellin, all worth to try (I'd say the same about women).

[Fun Luvr]

Does anyone know of a powdered food supplement I can bring to use as a food substitute for a few weeks at a time?

You can search the internet for survival food kits. You'll see a variety of choices. I've never tried any of them.

[Nounce]

I am referring to the number of years (since 1961) it's been in business.

I thought that makes it old but not old school.

[Nounce]

I am providing my observation with context. Over the years, I only remember seeing one roach during sex in Laureles. The girl stood up on the bed and won't get down to the floor because of the cockroach. It is safe to say I have experienced more robbery attempts than I have seen cockroach. The girl is also afraid of it.

I ate all over the city, including El Centro. I am amazed at the bias. LOL.

My apartment was sprayed a month ago. I went out with a paisa last week. We took a walk in the morning. She said we should shower after then go out to lunch when I said just go directly to lunch without showing.


El Centro in the rain, beer 4.5 - 9 mil, depending where you sit.

[DiscoverFL]

Serious response. They do have relatively-strict food health regulations, and yearly inspections are the norm. However, just as a food truck or vendor in a Chinatown (NYC) or Little Haiti (Miami) is likely to escape close scrunity and likely to have a roach problem; so is some shady food vendor in El Centro. If I was to judge Miami and NYC by that same standard, I'd write off both cities too. They also have strict regulations on the distribution system, including stricter-than-US regulations on food transport (notice how all food transport vehicles require special labeling so they cannot be dual-used, we don't have that requirement, among other things). Most colombians I know would be disgusted by what you saw and simply move on to another vendor. About the same as US residents in NYC or Miami seeing the same thing. I'll add to that, that when visiting many nicer food establishments I am surprised at the very strict safety clothing (hair nets, masks) required for kitchen workers that are beyond anything we have in the USA. McDonalds in Medellin feels almost like a hospital compared to our mess here. I think you need to take a step back and try a different pair of colored glasses in order to take a fresh look at the food situation. This is a poorer country, so judging by the poorest street food offerings is not really fair to their food culture, their pride, and their food quality.

I'm guessing they don't have any Health Dept doing strict random inspections or an FDA inspecting the food supply.... If restaurants in Centro don't have any rules or regulations (or at least not any real enforcement) I doubt its any different in Poblado or anywhere else...I seriously doubt most locals would've been upset by what I saw... That's a very big problem, that tells me it isn't "safe" to eat anywhere here... Only serious replies please.

[Nounce]

Well, to be fair, that happens almost everywhere in the world, not just in Colombia!

If you come from USA, I noted that steakhouses in Chicago or NY propose some Italian red wines, which I can buy for 10 euro in a supermarket in Italy, for 50-100 USD on the wine list. Then, you understand why usually I drink beer with my steak...

It's a higher end steak house that serves literally the bottom shelf wine.

[FFlintstone69]

Yeah it's crazy sometimes. I make most of my meals at home. I rarely eat at restaurants except in Poblado and Laureles. I was never a good cook but I got a lot better during the pandemic when there was no alternative. There was a Tostao near my building. There was always flies in the food case. The counter girls were too lazy to shoo them or even keep the case door closed so they didn't fly in. It makes me sad that most Colombians don't benefit from international level hygiene unless they live in or near a foreigner heavy neighborhood. If you aren't sure what I'm getting at, you only have to compare the condition of the rolling shopping baskets at the Exito in San Antonio with the any Carulla. Carulla and Exito are part of the same company. The Carulla baskets are cleaned every day. The Exito baskets are as filthy as any sidewalk trash bin. It reminds me of decades ago in the US when hood food shops were not regularly inspected by the Health Department.

So what bothers me so much about seeing roaches dead or alive on food for display, is I can't help but imagine what things look like in the kitchen out of public view.

I'm guessing they don't have any Health Dept doing strict random inspections or an FDA inspecting the food supply.

I once stayed at an Airbnb in Bogota above a bakery / resto and it was full of roaches like I've never seen in my life, I asked bldg manager how often they spray.

He said we don't bother the bakery is full of them its just a waste of money. I left.

If restaurants in Centro don't have any rules or regulations (or at least not any real enforcement) I doubt its any different in Poblado or anywhere else.

I seriously doubt most locals would've been upset by what I saw.

That's a very big problem, that tells me it isn't "safe" to eat anywhere here.

Does anyone know of a powdered food supplement I can bring to use as a food substitute for a few weeks at a time?

Only serious replies please.

[Knowledge]

I am referring to the number of years (since 1961) it's been in business.

It's a argentinian restaurant. That is why they are old school, I guess you are referring to the uniform.

[Knowledge]

All facts.

I tend to think Bogota has better restaurants and the food on the coast has more flavor, but in general I don't think most people travel to Colombia for the food. If one is having unprotected sex with crack heads in El Centro, the food in Medellin probably isn't your biggest health risk.

If you are in El Centro, you will probably see roaches along with a lot of other things you probably won't see on a reg in more upscale parts of the city. Cabs are inexpensive enough where you can get out of the roach infested areas and at least eat in decent venues around the city.

You might have to pay more to eat non local food at more upscale places, but to me it is worth it. Also, try to stay away from chains that receive everything in plastic bags and just heat up food prepared in some distribution center. Lastly, enjoy the things that are native to Colombia like the fruits, especially things like avocados and dragon fruit and the fresh bread and good coffee.

[Orgasmico]

I tend to think Bogota has better restaurants and the food on the coast has more flavor, but in general I don't think most people travel to Colombia for the food. If one is having unprotected sex with crack heads in El Centro, the food in Medellin probably isn't your biggest health risk.

If you are in El Centro, you will probably see roaches along with a lot of other things you probably won't see on a reg in more upscale parts of the city. Cabs are inexpensive enough where you can get out of the roach infested areas and at least eat in decent venues around the city.

You might have to pay more to eat non local food at more upscale places, but to me it is worth it. Also, try to stay away from chains that receive everything in plastic bags and just heat up food prepared in some distribution center. Lastly, enjoy the things that are native to Colombia like the fruits, especially things like avocados and dragon fruit and the fresh bread and good coffee.

[Black Page]

This is probably the 2nd post in what will be a bunch of posts off-topic about food. But in short, food in Medellin is amazing if you bother to do a little research and go to the places that make great food.

GOLDEN post. It will be useful to me. Let me add "Sancho Paisa" on the road to airport, or the always good San Carbon for a steak grilled on charcoal.

[Black Page]

Many serve supermarket wines with a high markup or high corkage fee. I saw a 2 USD bottle wine in Argentina costing more than 30 USD in some restaurants.

Well, to be fair, that happens almost everywhere in the world, not just in Colombia!

If you come from USA, I noted that steakhouses in Chicago or NY propose some Italian red wines, which I can buy for 10 euro in a supermarket in Italy, for 50-100 USD on the wine list. Then, you understand why usually I drink beer with my steak...