Santa Sed - Chilean Family Cuisine

The following photos do not do justice to great little Chilean restaurant I discovered the other evening just steps away from the Canal Saint Martin. I'd walked past this place a few times, and it piqued my interest, but as I forgot the strange name, it slipped my mind. Then I found a review deep in the fooding archives, and decided to go check it out? Carla, the comely patronne, welcomed me as an old friend, tutoying me as if she had known me her whole life. Her enthusiasm and passion really do make the ambience in the restaurant what it is. She was so charming I could hardly keep my concentration on the food, which merited serious gastronomic reflection. All washed down with a pisco sour (pisco, sugar, lemon juice and a beaten egg white) cocktail and pichet of a decent Chilean Carménère. Special mention goes to the house red pepper and garlic butter. Coté deco, simple and cozy, with wooden tables, mismatched chairs, mosaic floor tiles, and ambient Latino dub.


Excellent ceviche, simply prepared fish with lemon juice and corriander

Empanadas de Pino, crispy crust, tasty spiced ground beef, acompanying tomato sauce freshly made

Pastel del Choclo, a Chilean specialty of ground corn,chopped onion, pieces of beef and chicken, hardboiled egg and black olives, all baked in the oven in a clay dish

Classic dolce de lethe, but in a crepe and sprinkled liberally with Chilean sour raisin liqueur