THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 126

peccable and there's also rich Tarijan wine by the glass. Mon-Sat noon-3pm & 7-11pm, Sun
noon-4pm.
La Comédie Pasaje Medinacelli 2234 02 2423561, lacomedie-lapaz.com ; map .
Indefatigably stylish and humorous (see if you can get your hands on one of their Bolivia
6-Argentina 0 commemorative posters), this Gallic institution is a favourite meeting place
for La Paz's French community, who either linger by the bar or tuck into some of the city's
most flawlessly conceived food. Amid an affable art and antique-arranged interior, you can
watch the chefs beavering away behind a large plate glass window, whipping up several vari-
eties of duck (Bs60) - potted, pâté-d and roasted - or lighter snacks such as tartodie (toasted
French bread with cheese, tomato and anchovies). Veggies aren't completely neglected; the
meat-free moussaka is to mourir for, as is the chocolate mousse. Needless to say, there's also
a cellar of real French wine. Mon-Fri noon-3pm & 7-11pm, Sat & Sun 7- 11pm.
Maphrao On Hermanos Manchego 2586 02 2434682; map . Maphrao On was the first
Asian restaurant in Bolivia when it opened in 2001, and it remains a difficult place to drag
yourself away from, with bamboo furniture, great swathes of indoor vegetation, warm ser-
vice, a great atmosphere and a soundtrack of nice, jazzy deep house; all things considered, it
mayjustbethesinglemostsatisfying eatingexperience inLaPaz.Withthemenurunningthe
gamut of Indian, Chinese and South East Asian cuisine, you can savour the novelty of having
a fiery Indian samosa starter and a creamy red Thai curry main. Or try the fish Haidarabad,
cooked with cumin, sesame seeds, chilli and ginger (ninety percent of spices are imported
from country of origin). Portions are substantial, so make sure there's enough space in your
stomach before splashing out, and be sure to leave room for their orgasmic strawberry lem-
onade. Daily noon-4pm & 7pm-midnight.
Restaurant El Consulado Carlos Bravo 229 02 2117706, cafeelconsulado.com ;
map . The rarest of finds in central La Paz, a real garden restaurant in the grounds of a stun-
ning colonial conversion, with seating both in a bright (heated) conservatory and - for those
days when the air isn't too chilly - the garden itself. The prize-winning food is mouth-wa-
teringly fresh and largely organic, with attentive service and obvious attention to detail; try
the zingy-crisp minestrone soup, or a dish of “new Bolivian food” such as duck carpac-
cio smoked in coca leaves with quinoa and orange salad. Wash it down with a glass of
their shocking pink hibiscus juice and don't miss the mousse de cupuazú , a spike of floral
Amazonian flavour. Main dish prices nudge the Bs50 mark but are well worth it. Tues-Sun
8am-10pm.
Wagamama Pasaje Pinilla 2557, just off Av Arce 02 2434911; map . Not part of the
London-based Wagamama chain but a high-end, authentic and perennially popular Japanese
restaurant in its own right, patronized by a wall-to-wall cross section of La Paz society.
While the decor's a little tired and service can be slow (everything is prepared freshly from