Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Hearty pumpkin soup, but no Colombian food... My BFF and I'd be flying back to Singapore via Istanbul, Turkey with Turkish Airlines. As the first leg of our journey would be in Business Class, we enjoyed access to the flagship lounge of Avianca, the flag carrier of Colombia, at the principal international gateway of Bogota. Who could resist a glass of Baileys before a flight?

'Ajiaco', a popular soup dish in Bogota, is a must! Perched atop the sacred Monserrate, a mountain towering over 3,000-metre above the city centre of Bogota, Restaurante Casa Santa Clara is a charming restaurant that showcases traditional cuisine from across Colombia. Despite not making a reservation at this popular venue, my BFF and I were fortunate to secure a table after waiting for 20 minutes or so.

Cassava and cheese croquettes, anyone? Opened in 2018, Origen Bistro in Bogota, Colombia may be a relatively young restaurant, but it's quickly risen to fame for its delectable blend of traditional Colombian flavours and contemporary gastronomy. The restaurant also exudes charm through its architecture, featuring Spanish colonial style with Andalusian influences.

Possibly Bogota's wildest restaurant-cum-bar! An iconic nightlife destination in Bogota, Andrés Carne de Res is truly a feast for the senses. Prior to my trip to Colombia, never had I been to such an eclectic establishment spread across five stories with 11 distinct dining areas, over 500 staff members and the capacity to accommodate up to 3,300 customers at once!

Chillin' with ice-blended coffee infused with 'arequipe'! Juan Valdez Café is a coffee chain founded by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia in 2002. It takes its name from a fictional character: a coffee farmer that's been portrayed in advertisements by the federation since 1958. While not as well-known as other global coffee chains, it's successfully expanded its reach to locations as distant as Malaysia.

Indulging in delicious Chinese noodle with 'wok hei'! You might think I'd dive straight into local food upon reaching Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. However, the very first thing that I had was actually Asian cuisine. Since 1998, Wok has taken pride in introducing a diverse range of Southeast and East Asian dishes, from the bold flavours of Indonesia to the refined delicacies of Japan.