ZLO Food, Drinks, Beds

2011 Food Freda Rumford March 2011

By Freda Rumford from the March 2011 Edition

1pm– (11pm-12am.. is a guess)

Recently, when hit with an attack of the munchies, we were astonished to find that it was almost 1 p.m. and we hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. Goodness gracious we had better find a watering hole pretty quickly before we faded away!

Fortunately “Big Daddy” remembered that a new little restaurant opened recently that he had on his “Want to try List” and this could be the perfect opportunity.

Arriving in front of big locked gates opposite the last Pemex in Santiago, we wondered if it were just a dinner place but as a delivery truck was parked outside, if we waited a while, we’d be able to ask. Only a couple parking spots outside and extra parking is available at the Pemex.

Sure enough, at 12.55 p.m. (more or less) the gates opened, the delivery man exited and we pounced. Checking his watch, the chef (as the gatekeeper turned out to be) said time was close enough and welcomed us in. Opening hours are from 1 p.m. till ?

ZLO is a small restaurant, right on the Santiago Bay Beach, with a beautiful view of the rolling sea and well within sound of the surf. A few tables were lined up against the wall opposite a long polished bar with steps leading down to the beach. Quite possibly it could become a favourite of many Beach walkers in need of refreshment as well as those on their way back from shopping in town. Probably maximum capacity would be 50 patrons.

Prices on the menu are very reasonable most under 100 pesos with the most expensive being Bourbon Steak at 137 pesos. As this was lunch time, we opted for sandwiches, myself choosing roast pork tenderloin and green peppers with gouda (95 pesos) and “Big Daddy” opting for a tuna melt (69 pesos). Both arrived in reasonable time on a large plate with piping hot French fries, the filling in a flavoured crusty roll, mine being whole wheat, his jalapeno and with a small salad alongside. Naturally we each eyed the other’s meal and decided they looked too good not to share. Both were absolutely delicious, with perhaps the less expensive tuna melt being the winner.

Other offerings on the menu are various sandwiches of neat sounding ingredients, tapas, salads, meat & poultry, burgers, and sea foods, French fries with cheese sauce (the nearest thing to poutine) plus the usual shrimp and fish choices. If memory serves me correctly, the dessert menu sounded pretty good too; rice pudding with tangerine sherbet in particular. It might be neat one day to try the Spanish Deli Platter for just 95 pesos.

The beers were icy cold and at the usual 26 peso price, margaritas 65 pesos. Piña Colada 75 and a reasonable selection of other liquors, including gin, scotch, rye and bourbon displayed behind the bar. The service was good, fast and unassuming.

This was a good experience and should the diner have a little too much wine or not fancy the drive home, ZLO has overnight rooms to rent as well.

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