Seafood from Aqui Esta Coco in Santiago, Chile

Despite being only the second night in Santiago, there's an  excellent chance this will be the best meal had.

I had heard good things about Aqui Esta Coco and it's convenient location in Providencia, just a few blocks from my apartment, made it a "must visit". 

The menu is quite impressive. A comfortable 3 pages with seafood all but 4 of the options. Regardless of what type of seafood you like, you'll find it on the menu. And upon being served, everything seemed excellent in both quality and presentation. 

As for the meal itself. A tasty appetizer, two entrees, two desserts, a good bottle of cabernet, 2 glasses of a sauvignon blanc I paired with the entrees. Total cost with tip was 76.000, about $166US.

Patagonian scallops in a coconut saffron sauce with sautéed spinach at Aqui de Coco in Samtiago, Chile

Corvina (sea bass) with pulpo (octopus), squid and mussels with potatoes from Aqui de Coco in Santiago, Chile

One of the tastiest dishes I've had to date: grilled swordfish with the skin removed, served on top of butter Patagonian potato mash mixed with corn, peas, carrots, in a black butter sauce.

Corvina with capers in a butter sauce with quinoa roma

Chestnut Crème brûlée

Heaven: creamy coconut flan with whipped cream, candied Chilean hazelnuts and a sugary candied glass of pleasure from Aqui Esta Coco in Santiago, Chile.

Chocolatey bomb: rich chocolate cake with liquor icing, with chocolate helado and toasted candied macadamia nuts.

Update: August 6, 2011

With only two nights left for me in Santiago, and 1 for the person accompanying me on this Santiago trip, we opted to pass on exploring another seafood restaurant in favor of something we knew an liked. So it was back to Aqui Esta Coco for a final meal.

This time I had the Corvina in a butter and caper sauce with quinoa roma (photo below) and she had the seafood risotto. Afterwards, we shared a chestnut Crème brûlée.