Untitled - Barranquilla Capital Americana de la Cultura 2013

Legendary Places and People
In the collective imaginary of the people from Barranquilla, there’s a city map marked
with a series of special places that stand out very visibly: the public establishments
of food and drinks that have -throughout time and as wide as the city has grown-
positioned or are positioning themselves as unavoidable landmarks of our gastronomic
habits.
These places, some now days gone while others still exist, have a very high place
in the top of mind and top of heart of the people from Barranquilla. In some cases
given to their association with their owners, and in others, because they have for some
reason, achieved the category of legendary.
That’s how in 1936, in the San Blas Street between the 41st and 43rd street, two Greek
citizens Nicolás Angelogeanopoulos and Andrés Aristidú opened the doors of the
Heladería Americana. Not long after, it became “the place to be for the elite of
Barranquilla”, just as its own advertising promoted. Its specialties were artisan ice
creams, pastries and cakes; and the jewel of its menu: the Frozzo Malt ice cream,
which was even cited by Garcia Márquez in his memoirs and in his novel Love in the
Times of Cholera. Now days, the Heladería Americana maintains its prestige intact.
Also in the San Blas Street, these two entrepreneurs created the Lunchería Americana,
where dinner style food was offered. It became a meeting place for journalists,
politicians and intellectuals.
Close to this location, was the Roma cafe, in the middle of the Paseo Bolivar with the
43rd and 41st street. Its signature dish was the chicken rice. Open 24 hours a day, it
was the place of literary gathering for famous writers and artists, including those of the
famous Barranquilla Group.
The Chop Suey, on the corner of the 46th street with the 72nd street, was founded by
José Yi and then passed on to Jorge Makong: “a Chinese that appeared to be from
the coast”. They sold, as said by the old people from Barranquilla, the best chicken
rice in the world. It had marvelous facilities and during Carnivals it was home to wellattended
dances. It became the place for trio serenades and to hang out until dawn.
It remained in that location from 1935 to 1965 and then was moved to its current venue:
49th street between 72nd and 74th street.
Hotel Esperia
Across from the 72nd street, between this one and 74th street, in the 46th street was
the Chow Mein, which belonged to Chinese Alberto Ow. Its signature dish: the special
chow fan. Also in the 72nd street, but in the northeastern corner of the 43rd street was
El Deportivo, an elegant restaurant which offered international gourmet cuisine. And
in the very same 72nd street, between the 47th and 48th street exited for many years,
approximately since the beginning of the 1960’s El Mediterraneo. It belonged to the
Greek Tarchopulos and Sideris families and had a big salon and a splendid terrace,
where well known literary gatherings amongst journalists and politicians took place.
In the Chiquinquirá neighborhood, La Casa del Recuerdo, specialized in pork
scratchings, was the temple of the famous Negro Adán (Adán Moreno Salaregui),
a charismatic and playful character, mentioned by García Márquez in his novel
Autumn of the Patriarch.
In the Garden City neighborhood, on the 42nd street with 79th street, the Peñita place
was famous during the second half of the XXth century, a place that counted with a
numerous clientele that included distinguished personalities of the city. It was very
well known and loved because of its pork scratchings, pork chops, egg arepas, bean
fritters, carimañolas and other types of fried fruits of the Caribbean Coast.
In the corner of the 62nd street with 44th street, can be found, since almost over half a
century ago, La Tiendecita, the place where writer Álvaro Cepeda Samudio prepared
“on occasions his famous hen, tail and rib stew” according to Heriberto Fiorillo’s book
La Cueva, Chronicles of the Barranquilla Group.
The Mi Vaquita restauant, in the 46th street between the 70th and the 72nd street, was
a huge patio with straw huts where birthdays and company parties were celebrated.
Its owner was Pepe Bejman. Also in the northern part of the city, in the Veinte de Julio
Avenue was the equally famous Spanish bar La Silla Coja, where food and wines from
the homeland were offered and where Spanish artists frequently performed.
On the outer part of Barranquilla, there are two unforgettable places that must be
named. The first is the Pradomar Hotel, which was the country venue of the Hotel
El Prado, and whose restaurant remained at its full capacity during the weekends.
The other is the Esperia Hotel, a property of a German citizen, whose sea terrace ( a
concrete platform built in the sea and who one could only reach through a gangway)
was very famous and sought after between 1940 and 1950.