A veggie abroad (RANT)

As a vegetarian it is almost impossible to eat in Chile. At every Peruvian or Chilean restaurant I visit, I endlessly search through menus in disbelief for there are no veggie dishes that will relieve my hunger and give me a taste of real South American food. The disproportionate amount of meat to veg dishes leaves me embarrassed and often offended! Needless to say, South America is known for their extremely strong meat sense, but I did have high hopes for some sort of recognition for us veggies. So what happens next?

“Mmmm puedo tener arroz con verduras y papas fritas por favor?” (plain boiled rice with vegetables and chips (or if I’m in a Peruvian restaurant, rice and yuca.*)

Yep. The above is what most of my meals out consist of; side dishes I’ve put together to give myself a main. It doesn’t seem to escape me even when the food is FREE! The perks of being an intercambio* are perhaps, a traveller’s dream! “Why would I spend money eating out and shopping for tonnes of food when I can eat in la U* for free?” is what most intercambios debate. Yet my poor veggie self has the least options available to me and I’ve given up even trying to explain that I’m a vegetarian. Instead I opt for the plain ol’ healthy (but not satisfying) salad with three vegetables of your choice. Yippeeeeee, how exciting!

Don’t get me wrong; there are a few veg restaurants around - if you’re looking for more salad and more bread, or perhaps pasta. Personally, I’m an adventurous eater, drawn by herbs, condiments and anything spicy and I just cannot seem to find anything adventurous. (Hence why I’m always on the look out for a Peruvian restaurant with an array (or at least 3) of veggie dishes. I just cannot fathom why vegetables (unless its sweetcorn, peas or carrots) are so rare in dishes here. 

So yes, I have resorted to eating in doors EVERYDAY. And it will be that way until I find a restaurant that can respect the small minority of veggie eaters.

But a BIG kudos to Chile for the establishment of La Vega. A landscape in the heart of Recoleta which boasts colourful fruit and veg, (some that I’ve never seen before), dairy products and meat, busy vendors eager to sell and a flood of shoppers impatiently scurrying about in search of the best deal. La Vega market oozes culture and passion for food. And over here, at least I’m able to find food that I can cook myself!

Yuca – Mogo/Cassava

Intercambio – Exchange student

La U – Uni (University)