In Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca, cuisine is not just food; it is memory, resistance, and celebration. Valluno gastronomy, with its roots in the blend of indigenous, African, and Spanish cultures, tells stories of rivers, mountains, and sugarcane fields. It is a cuisine that tastes like damp earth after rain, like wood-fired stoves, and like hands that knead with patience. Here, each dish is an act of love for tradition, a thread that connects grandmothers to grandchildren, and travelers to the soul of the Colombian Pacific.
Iconic Dishes: The Heart of the Valluno Table
Sancocho de gallina is more than a soup; it is a ritual. It is slowly cooked with free-range chicken, yuca, plantain, corn, and cilantro, in a broth that concentrates the flavor of hours of cooking. Its origin dates back to peasant kitchens, where it fed entire families after days in the fields. Today, it remains a symbol of gathering, especially on Sundays.
Aborrajados are ripe plantains stuffed with cheese, fried until golden. Crispy on the outside and sweet on the inside, they were born as a creative way to use leftover plantains. In Cali, they are accompanied with costeño sour cream and are a bite that melts borders between salty and sweet.
Champús is a drink that refreshes the soul. It contains corn, lulo, pineapple, cinnamon, and panela, and is served cold. Its history intertwines with popular festivals, such as the Cali Fair, where it calms the December heat. It is an elixir that speaks of the Valley's fruit abundance.
The Valluno bandeja paisa adapts the classic Antioquian dish with local touches: grilled meat, chicharrón, beans, rice, avocado, and arepa, but here fried plantain is added along with a touch of spicy chili. It represents the fusion of regions in a single hearty dish.
The Valluno tamal is wrapped in plantain leaf and filled with pork, chicken, rice, chickpeas, and raisins. Its preparation is laborious, often done as a family, and evokes festive mornings or special breakfasts.
Restaurants and Fondas: Guardians of Traditional Flavor
El Zaguán de San Antonio (Carrera 6 #2-48, San Antonio Neighborhood) is a colonial house that serves sancocho de gallina and aborrajados in a patio full of bougainvillea. Average prices: $25,000-$40,000 COP per dish. Specialty: homemade cooking with grandmother's recipes.
La Fonda de la Abuela (Avenida 4N #10-25, Granada) offers a rustic atmosphere where champús and the Valluno bandeja paisa stand out. Prices: $20,000-$35,000 COP. The cook, Doña Rosa, has been preserving ancestral techniques for 30 years.
Restaurante Platillos Voladores (Calle 15 #5-30, Centro) fuses traditional with innovation, such as Valluno tamales with gourmet touches. Prices: $30,000-$50,000 COP. Recognized by local chefs for its respect for native ingredients.
Mercado Alameda (Carrera 1 #10-04) is not just a market; it is a labyrinth of stalls selling fresh ingredients for Valluno cooking. Here, cooks like María "La Negra" offer informal workshops on how to prepare sancocho.
Culinary Experiences: Beyond the Plate
To experience Valluno cuisine, participate in cooking workshops at La Casa de los Sabores (San Fernando Neighborhood), where they teach how to make aborrajados and champús. Pair the dishes with typical drinks: sancocho with fresh guarapo, aborrajados with local craft beer, and champús as dessert.
Dare to try these dishes and share your favorite on social media. In Cali, every bite is a journey to the heart of Valle del Cauca, where tradition is served at every table with pride and flavor.
