Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 913

emphasis is on the locally sourced seafood (BsF90-160).
Mon-Sat 11am-6pm.
Cooperativa Nutrioriente C Santiago Mariño, at
C Igualidad. A very clean, very cheap self-service restaurant,
with plates of beef, vegetarian, chicken, fish and sides for
BsF40. As the name suggests, some options are healthy and
low-fat. Mon-Sat 7.30am-5pm.
Hamburguesa C Marcano between Ortega & Campo Sur.
The absolute definition of a burger shack, owner Magali
has been dishing out excellent burgers, steaks and other
delights from this front garden patch for years. Grab your
food to go or sit down at the rickety street-side furniture to
tuck in immediately. Burgers BsF25. Mon-Sat 6-10pm.
Ì Punto Criollo C Igualdad, at C Fraternidad T 0295
263 6745. Towering plates of mixed seafood and comida
criolla at every table of this constantly packed local joint.
Meat dishes feature heavily ( bistec BsF80, medallones
BsF100, beef stroganoff BsF87), the seafood is excellent
(from BsF87) and the choice of sides is endless. Daily
10.30am-10pm.
Restaurant Mérida C Arismendi, south of C Maneiro.
Though naming an island restaurant after Venezuela's most
renowned mountain town was an odd decision, this is a
friendly budget option with communal atmosphere. Tuck
into the day's menu (BsF30) scribbled on a board, as you
share a table with other diners in the pleasant courtyard of
the owners' home. Mon-Sat 10am-3pm, closed Sun.

CENTRO COMERCIAL COSTA AZUL
Aldea Beach Complejo Margarita Village, behind the
Centro Comercial Costa Azul. The main musical flavour is
electronica at this open-air club by the seashore with
three dance areas. Thurs-Sat 9am-3pm.
British Bulldog T 0295 267 1527. You've gotta give
the place credit for trying so hard with the pub theme -
with memorabilia, advertisements for drinks they don't
serve and an enormous Union Jack. At weekends, local
bands play amazingly accurate renditions of European and
American hard-rock classics. Mon-Wed 9pm-midnight,
Thurs-Sat till 4am.
Opah T 0295 262 8186. Your best bet for traditional salsa
dancing with a local crowd, though the giant video screen
and fog machines remind you that you're in the twenty-
first century - or maybe the 1980s. Thurs-Sat 9pm-3am.

11

PAMPATAR
Beach Bar C El Cristo, La Caranta T 0295 267 2392,
W beachbar.com.ve. Have a few refreshing cocktails après-
plage at this laidback bar with bamboo gazebos facing the
beach. Tues-Sun 7pm-3am.
Latitud Diez °59 C El Cristo, Sector La Caranta T 0295
267 1850, W latituddiez59.com. Snazzy club with an
outdoor terrace where you can have a boogie or a cocktail
as you check out the view. Thurs-Sat until late.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange Banco Universal, C Marcano
between C Santiago Mariño & C Malave; Banco Mercantil,
C San Nicolás, at C Mariño.
Hospital Clínica Margarita, C Marcano, at C Díaz T 0295
264 9158.
Internet Grafica Multicolor (BsF6/hr), C Fajardo between
calles Marcano & Igualdad, Mon-Sat 8.30am-5.30pm.
Laundry Lavanderia HR, C Marcano, at C Santiago Mariño
(Mon-Fri 8am-5.30pm, Sat till noon; BsF15/kg; T 0295
264 9158); Edi's Lavandería, C Marcano between calles
Campo Sur & Fermín (self service; Mon-Sat 7.45am-
7.30pm, Sun until 1pm), also has an internet café while
you wait (BsF6/hr).
Pharmacy FarmaSigo, C Marcano, at C Díaz, daily
8.30am-6.30pm.
Phones There are plenty of cheap calling places on
Boulevard Guevara and Boulevard Gómez.
Police Station on C Arismendi, just south of C Maneiro
T 0295 264 1494.
Post Ipostel, C Maneiro between C Fraternidad & Bulevar
Gómez.
Shopping Margarita is famed for its duty-free shopping.
Two pedestrianized streets, Bulevar Gómez and Bulevar
Guevara, are lined with vendors selling mostly knockoff
items and pirated CDs - though the occasional used-book
vendor may be holding some treasures.

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Night owls are in for a treat on the island. Most action
takes place in Pampatar or in the Centro Comercial Costa
Azul, a 2km taxi ride east of Porlamar (BsF30). Most clubs
have no cover charge.

Ì TREAT YOURSELF
El Fondeadero C Joaquin Maneiro
beside the castle, Pampatar T 0295 267
1526. Sitting in a prime spot between the
castle and the beach, El Fondeadero is
recognized not only as one of Venezuela's
best restaurants, but one of Latin
America's top seafood eateries. For all the
praise it receives, the menu is surprisingly
reasonable, with chunky fillets of red
snapper, swordfish and island specialities
such as the delicious mojito de pescado
(BsF60) emerging at intervals from the
open-fronted kitchen. If you're not feeling
peckish, it's worthwhile grabbing a seat at
the stylishly tiled bar, ordering a beer
(BsF20) or a batido (BsF22) and watching
the crystal-clear sea through the wide
windows. Live music Wed-Sat from 8pm,
open 11am-midnight.