5 typical delicacies loved by Uruguayans and where to eat them in Montevideo

It's part of any good trip to try the typical delicacies of the place you're in, but the typical doesn't always translate into quality. Just as in the southeast of Brazil we have delicious coxinhas and cheese breads, greasy and withered versions of these delicacies can also be a common reality.

Every now and then I receive messages from Brazilians who travel to Uruguay in the eagerness to try a chivito. The famous Uruguayan x-tudão is the most famous of the country's typical foods, leaving out the obvious ones like empanada and dulce de leche. It is also not uncommon to be disappointed when tasting the famous sandwich which, sorry Uruguayans, is after all a sandwich.

However, the search for the traditional can also be rewarding, with well-executed versions that seek to take the popular to perfection.

To help with this discovery of regional flavors, I prepared a list of five typical Uruguayan foods in the best versions I found in the country's capital:

• Chivito

The typical Uruguayan snack is so famous there that it even became a book telling its story. In “Chivito”, by Alejandro Sequeira and Armando Olivera, you will find recipes and the origin of the most famous chivitos in the country.

The dish created in the 1940s in Punta del Este is found in all parts of Uruguay and its composition varies from place to place, but basically it cannot be missing: steak, lettuce, tomato and, of course, bread. From minimalist to exaggerated, chivito can also include cheese, ham, bacon, egg, olives, vinaigrette, French fries and even Russian salad – from then on there are no limits.

In fact, many places take great care in the portion of fries and the size of the bread to make the meal even more gigantic. Even chef Anthony Bourdain wrote articles about the sandwich, showing the version of Bar Arocena and further helping to increase the reputation of the place.

But if I have to invest in a chivito, my favorite version is definitely the one from Rotiseria Republic , served only on Thursdays. The sandwich includes lomo (a soft cut of beef), pancetta, danbo cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, aioli and egg. Everything in perfect harmony in a delicious bun.

Bar Arocena: Av. Arocena 1564, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 2600 0483 / Opening hours: open every day, 24 hours a day.

Rotiseria Republic: Acevedo Díaz 1269, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 2401 7547 / Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, from 9am to 8pm.

• Asado

Just like that, with just one “S”, as in Hispanic spelling. When you hear “an asado” the chances are high that you will be served an Asado de Tira, a cross-section of the beef rib, with a firmer texture, but very tasty. It's one of my favorite cuts and goes very well with wine made from the country's most famous grape, tannat.

When it comes to parrilla, they come in all ranges of costs and qualities. A La Pulpería It is frequented by tourists and locals. The house has just undergone a beautiful renovation of its structure and serves an excellent high-quality asado. Already the La Tira It's a very simple and economical place, a rustic experience attended mainly by Uruguayans who go to eat the famous cut of meat sitting at small tables on the street.

La Pulpería: Lagunillas 448, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 2710 8657 / Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, from 7pm to midnight; Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm.

La Tira Parrillita Palermo: Magallanes 1104, Montevideo / Opening hours: Thursday, from 8pm to midnight; Friday, from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm and from 8:00 pm to midnight; Saturday and Sunday, from 12pm to 5:30pm.

• Fainá

Fainá is the heritage of the Genoese immigrants who landed in Uruguay. The Uruguayan version is very reminiscent of farinata, very typical in Genoa. A thin dough that basically contains chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt, baked in the oven.

Loved by Uruguayans, it is served in several more traditional places, bars and pizzerias. It can be tasted in its most classic version, very crunchy and with just a little black pepper in the Bar Tasende a place that is already over 90 years old, close to the Solis Theater.

At Vermutería Flowers , fainá can come with cheese and go well with house vermouths. In Punta del Este, the Sassy Pizzeria There is a more audacious version serving a flashy fried egg with soft yolk on top and cibollete.

Bar Tasende: Ciudadela 1300, Montevideo / Tel: +598 2900-3504 / Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to midnight.

Vermutería Flores: Miñones 455, corner of Joaquín Nuñez, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 9398-2211 / Opening hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, from 6:30 pm to 2 am; Thursday and Saturday, from 6:30 pm to 2:30 am.

Sassy Pizzeria: Calle 8 and 9, close to the lighthouse / Tel.: +598 4243 6038 / Opening hours: every day, from 12pm to midnight.

• Chajá

Many Uruguayan desserts, such as dulce de leche flan, alfajor and dulce de leche pancake, are also popular with Argentines, but if there is one dessert that Uruguay can certainly call its own, it is Chajá; a type of cake covered with meringue, cream and peaches, which most of the time also has dulce de leche in one of the layers.

Although a bit sweet and rustic, chajá could not fail to appear on this list. The dessert created in the north of Uruguay, in Paysandú, can be tasted throughout the country, but those in Montevideo can find the most famous version in the bakery Chajá Bistro .

Chajá Bistro: Blvr. 26 de Marzo 3516, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 2622 1003 / Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:30 am to 6 pm; Saturday, from 9:30 am to 1 pm.

• Masini

The traditional Carrera Confectionery is responsible for another dessert loved by Uruguayans. A little less sweet than Chajá, Masini has two slices of pionono (a type of very thin and light sponge cake) interspersed with whipped cream and covered with a layer of burnt yolk, lighter and perfect for those who want something traditional, but less sugary.

Carrera Confectionery: Magallanes 1434, corner of Colonia, Montevideo / Tel.: +598 2400 2859 / Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 8pm; Sunday, from 9am to 2pm.

*The texts published by Insiders and Columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CNN Viagem & Gastronomia.

About Giuliana Nogueira

Giuliana Nogueira is Brazilian, a psychologist, photographer and communications advisor. She is neither a winemaker nor a sommelierè, but she is an oenophile, especially passionate about Uruguayan wines and Uruguay. She maintains Instagram @Instatannat, talking more about Uruguayan wines than the Uruguayans themselves. Whenever he can, he travels to the land of our neighbors, who know how to welcome people very well.