THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 123

dubbed almuerzo ejecutivo ) for Bs21-28 - not bad for five courses. Even in La Paz's poshest
restaurants you'll rarely need to spend more than Bs140-175 per person (the expensive tag
really is relative in Bolivia) to enjoy a really good meal; great value given the quality of food
and service.
INEXPENSIVE
Cafe Beirut Belisario Salinas 380 02 2444486; map . Though this cavernous café/restaur-
ant lacks pretty much any Middle Eastern atmosphere and the music - and much of the food
- is in fact, inexplicably Mexican, their library-sized menu actually hides the moistest, tasti-
est falafel in the city. Look out also for their stuffed vine leaves and, if you have the stomach
for it, the kebbi , a concoction of raw meat, wheat, lemon and spices. Daily 8am-11.30pm.
Eli's Pizza Express Av 16 de Julio 1800 02 2318171; map . Perennially popular, no-non-
sense fast-food outlet with reasonably good pizza, a hefty slice of which makes for a great
late-night snack at around Bs11. Outdoor tables on a Sun afternoon. Also branches on Plaza
Avaroa and across the street in the Cine Monje Campero . Daily 8.30am-11.30pm.
Namas Té Zoilo Flores 1334 02 2481401, namastebolivia.com ; map . Run by Gonz
Jove, an artist/sculptor responsible for several of the alfresco murals around La Paz, this
colourful bohemian enclave offers the best value vegetarian (much of it vegan) almuerzos
(Bs15) in the city, prepared with healthy doses of quinoa and a flair for traditional adapta-
tions. The fruity desserts are likewise imaginative, and they do delicious takes on the usual
sandwiches, burritos, tacos etc. There's also a lovely garden and weekend club nights hos-
ted by Gonz's brother Paul aka Dj Pituko. Mon-Wed 8am-4pm, Thurs-Sat 8am-4pm &
7pm-1am.
Paceña La Salteña Av 20 de Octubre 2379 02 2441993; map . A La Paz institution with
branches all over the city (also on Av Montenegro 1560 and Loayza 233), where a couple of
perfectly pursed pastries won't set you back much more than Bs10. Note that the little bowl
of chopped peppers that comes with your salteñas actually contains hot chilli peppers, even
if they look suspiciously like the sweet variety. Mon-Fri 8am-2pm, Sat & Sun 8.15am-3pm.
Restaurant Jalal Sagárnaga 380 7759 8088; map . Jalal is housed in the same location, if
not exactly the same room, as Lebanese specialist, Yussef, which closed in December 2010.
Amenable owner Damian Yararí was the chef at the Clube de Unión Arabe in Zona Sur for
twenty years, and he's kept on some of the old Yussef staff, serving up delicious tapas-like
portions of falafel, hummous, tabouleh , babaganoush and other Middle Eastern classics for
around Bs10 each. The decor and ambience still need a bit of work, but as a replacement for
Yussef, it's well on its way. Mon-Sat 11am-11pm.
Sabor Cubano Sagárnaga 357 02 2451797, saborcubanobolivia.com ; map . Cheap,
tasty andfilling foodinsatisfyingly tattered surroundings,withgraffiti-choked walls andvin-
tage Cuban sounds. Various permutations of rice, beans, avocado and yucca as well as stand-