Cuisine of Tegucigalpa

A restaurant in Tegucigalpa

The cuisine of Tegucigalpa refers to the cuisine and restaurants of the city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Rice, beans, and tortillas are a staple of the Honduran diet, and there is little difference in quality between streetside vendor or a top restaurant.^[1] The city, like in most other places in Honduras, offers a wide variety of cuisine of taste from not only Honduras but also from Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international countries. It offers food varieties from street food to gourmet food in five star restaurants with candlelit ambiance.^[2][3] However, according to Frommer's, the "Tegucigalpa's dining scene is considerably more varied when compared to the rest of the country, but lack the quality and depth of other Latin American cities."^[1]

Restaurants

In recent years some notable Japanese, Italian and international restaurants have appeared in the city, marking it as different from the rest of the country with a fusion of styles. Of major note in this respect are the Japanese restaurants of Akai Kuroi which serves sushi, sashimi and teppanyaki, and Nobu which serves sushi, sashimi and fresh seafood, tempura, pad Thai, curries and soups.^[1] Gino's is the Italian restaurant of note, owned by the Honorary Consul General to Belize, and serves pastas, with sauces and rosemary and sea salt-scented focaccia, washed down with cappuccino.^[1]

An anafre – an appetizer based on hot fried beans – with tortillas

Restaurants of note serving international cuisine are Charlotte's Bistro, Porcao and the La Cumbre Restaurant which serves German (foods such as Jagerschnitzels and pork medallions) and international cuisine and the Fine London Pub which serves British and international cuisine (such as burgers, salads and seafood).^[1] Hamburgers are popular across the city with burger restaurants such as BIGOS Hamburguesas Hondureñas and global firms such as McDonalds. The most notable restaurant serving Honduran cuisine is El Patio, opened in the 1970s, which cooks grilled meat and chicken, kebabs of chicken, beef, shrimp, chorizo, and dishes such as anafre (bean and cheese fondue) and chuleta de cerdo (pork chops).^[1] However, most dishes are served with fries and onion rings.^[1]

Don Quijote restaurant, with branches in La Leona and Valle de Angeles serves Spanish cuisine such as paellas and international fusion.^[4][5]

An old fashioned and elegant restaurant, displaying a plaque reading "Here Lived Dr Policarpo Bonilla, President of the Republic from 1894 to 1899" is known for its continental and local cuisine and well stocked wines.^[4]

Honduran cuisines (which is a fusion of African, Spanish, and indigenous cuisine), particularly beef specialties, are served in the Epocas restaurant. Anafre, a delicacy of black beans with cheese fondue with vegetables, is a popular dish of the Restaurant El Anafre, in the central plaza area.^[4]

There is also a notable Argentine restaurant in Tegucigalpa called Ni Fu Ni Fa which serves thick imported beef steaks and Argentine wine and a Cuban restaurant Sabor Cubano which serves Cuban dishes such as ropa vieja (flank steak in a tomato sauce), estofado de cerdo (braised garlic pork) and Cuban pastries and cocktails, being a notable venue for live music and dancing in the evenings.^[1]

Pupusas, baleadas (wheat flour tortillas), soups, grilled beef and chicken are popular dishes served during lunch in the food stands around Iglesia Los Dolores.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Gill, Nicholas (19 October 2009). Frommer's Honduras. Frommer's. p. 81. ISBN 9780470159439. http://books.google.com/books?id=nvcOZIl7KkQC&pg=PA81. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
2. ^ Carolyn McCarthy; Greg Benchwick; Joshua Samuel Brown (1 November 2010). Central America. Lonely Planet. pp. 348–. ISBN 9781741791471. http://books.google.com/books?id=v2_hn25dUfEC&pg=PA348. Retrieved 4 June 2011. 
3. ^ "Honduran Food and Drink". honduras.embassyhomepage.com. http://honduras.embassyhomepage.com/honduran_food_honduran_drinks_restaurants_tegucigalpa_honduran_cuisine_honduran_food_recipe_book_honduran_embassy_london_uk.htm. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} Fiallos, Maria (1 March 2006). Adventure Guide Honduras & the Bay Islands. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 413. ISBN 9781588435750. http://books.google.com/books?id=saeiwf9kTtYC&pg=PA413. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
5. ^ Beresky, Andrew E. (27 February 1991). Fodor's Central America. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 198. ISBN 9780679018933. http://books.google.com/books?id=wu5qAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
6. ^ "Lonely Planet review for Food Stands". Lonely Planet.com. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/honduras/tegucigalpa/restaurants/hawker/food-stands. Retrieved 3 June 2011.