El Chato (Bogotá, Colombia)
Nowhere in Colombia expresses the colorful, exuberant personality of that country better than El Chato, a leafy brick-floored restaurant that thrums with good vibes. Friends chatter over a soundtrack of Grace Jones and Talking Heads, a serious cocktail program with a tropical bent adds to the fun, and chef Alvaro Clavijo—who has cooked in restaurants in Paris, New York City, Barcelona and Copenhagen—delivers food that is approachable yet wildly creative. Crab comes with avocado, cilantro, and funky fermented jicama.Combinations like shiitake mushrooms with pine, honey, and bee pollen taste at once revelatory and exactly right. I had a blast eating here solo, but perhaps more than any other restaurant I visited this year, El Chato cried out for a boisterous group of friends who could share in the revelry. elchato.co
