BALZAC

This restaurant was a complete disappointment to me. Not so much for the food, which was average, but for the service. The waiters in Balzac have no idea of what a good service is, they are rude and they make you feel like you are nothing but one more table to serve. For me, a good dining experience is a combination of several factors: food, service and ambience. The owners should invest in training their people, because a bad service can spoil a good meal and an amazing place.

One night we decided to have dinner at Balzac, but we had no reservations since we were just walking by the place. We arrived pretty early and there were several tables empty, but one of the waiters explained to us that they were reserved. He left us 20 min waiting for a table and then he forgot about us. When we asked again, he looked upset and he said that he had explained to us the situation and that we should keep waiting. By that time, none of the free tables were occupied, so we decided to leave. Apparently, they didn’t care.

Another night, we decided to make a reservation and give the restaurant another chance, maybe the previous time we had had bad luck…..

To start with, my husband and I ordered two glasses of wine and the waiter served us a ridiculously small amount of wine, honestly, it was like two sips. I have never seen that in my life! We complained about it, but he ignored us, so my husband decided to return his glass. The waiter took the wine and he didn’t even apologize. Then, he brought the food. We had the steak with mashed potatoes. I didn’t like it, the meat was not tender and it had nerves on it. And I think that by that time the night was ruined for us….

The only good things that I can come up with were the bread with butter and the mashed potatoes.

Overall it was a sour experience….I would not go back and I would not recommend it.

Address: Calle 83 #12-19, Bogotá- Colombia

Tel.: (571) 6105210- 6106206
Price range: $$$$

HARRY SASSON

The restaurant is set in a beautiful English mansion completely restored and surrounded by lush greenery. Even though it was Monday night, the place was packed, so make sure to make a reservation.The place is huge and there is something wrong about its acoustics because the noise level is pretty high. But apart from that, the restaurant is amazing and the food is great.

For starters we had the octupus with potatoes and spicy sausage and the chicken in teriyaki sauce. Everything was delicious, tender and cooked perfectly well. As a main course I had the linguine with mussels in a white wine sauce. The dessert was the best part. We had the chocolate dessert: a brownie with chocolate mousse that was incredibly good. I would definitely go back just for that dessert.

If you are looking for a quiet and romantic dinner, maybe this is not the place, but for any other occasion I think is great.

Address: Cra. 9 #75- 70, Bogotá- Colombia

Tel.: (571)3477155
Price range: $$$$

IL GIARDINO- Champagne bar

A great pasta place in Usaquén. I loved the vertical gardens surrounding the tables and the abundant light coming from the big windows both creating a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. During the night, the place is illuminated with candles and old movies are shown on a big screen.

As a courtesy, they offer you freshly baked bread with bocconcini cheese in olive oil.

Since the menu was quite extensive for my taste, I decided to focus on the pasta options. I chose the gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese in a creamy sauce and it was delicious! They literally melted in my mouth.

The restaurant is also a champagne bar featuring a great selection of sparkling wines.

Address: Calle 119 # 6-24, Usaquén. Bogotá- Colombia

Tel.: (571) 2149184

Price range: $$$

JULIA antipastería - pizzería - enoteca

Julia is the hidden gem of Bogotá. This pizza place located in the G Zone blew my mind away. The restaurant is very small and cozy with a rustic decoration, perfect for a romantic dinner. All the pizzas are made in a wooden oven, and there are also salads and antipasti. There is a nice wine selection from Italy and all the dishes are prepared with Buffalo mozzarella.
I tried the delicious "Julia" salad and the pizza "Coppa Rúgula" with arugula and prosciutto ham and a glass of an amazing Chianti wine. I would definitely recommend this place.

Address: Carrera 5 No. 69a- 19. Bogotá. Colombia
Tel.: (571)348.27.33/ 348.28.35
Price Range: $$