Cotelé

Top choice in Puerto Montt


This quincho (barbecue hut) steakhouse has a long-standing reputation for its meticulous grillmen, who honor the meat with Picasso-level focus. Grill maestro Julio Elgueta, who has been manning the open hearth here through various changes since 2002, isn't shy about letting you know he has skills. Fair enough: the top-end Angus cuts (sirloin, rib eye and filet) are stunning.

Steaks work from a base of CH$2000 and are priced per kilo from there (Julio will bring the precooked slabs to the table and cut to order) and are served with roasted breadsticks with a fiery merkén paste, sopapillas (fried bread) with pebre (coriander, chopped onion, olive oil, garlic and spicy peppers) and potatoes. Perfect order: 350g Angus filet with green peppercorn sauce. The bad news? At the time of research, the former South African owner had sold it and returned home; while it's not expected to not to skip a beat, change always brings uncertainty.

In Pelluco, it can be easily reached by buses from the terminal marked Chamiza/Pelluco (CH$400, 10 minutes) but this Slow Food steak means you'll need to Uber (CH$2000 to CH$4000) home – buses stop around 8:30pm or so. Reservations are a good idea, especially Thursday through Sunday – there are just 10 tables.