Taking a Bite Out of Chile’s Sandwiches

Sandwiches may be one of the world’s universal foods, at least in bread-eating cultures. Take two starchy disks (or squares or maybe even just one), put your nation’s best products between, and a snack (or meal) is born.

Chile is no exception and there are several sandwiches that Chileans consider to be their own, taking the best examples of meat, cheese, and vegetables the country has to offer, and piling them on, Chilean style.

The Barros Luco and Barros Jarpa are two sandwiches, similar to Philly cheesesteaks, which are meaty and cheesy, served on oversized pan de molde (sliced white bread) or pan amasado (a “kneaded” bread, chewy and dense). They are named respectively for Chilean ex-president Ramón Barros Luco and his cousin, Ernesto Barros Jarpa, a government minister who often ate these sandwiches at Club La Unión, a members-only club frequented by government bigwigs. The Barros Luco features thinly-sliced steak and a mild melted cheese, similar to muenster, and the Barros Jarpa is similar, but has ham.

But farther afield, there are two bigger, and perhaps more uniquely Chilean sandwiches that take center stage, the lomito and the chacarero.

Lomito and Chacarero

Lomito is a sliced slow-cooked pork sandwich usually served on pan frica (a chewier hamburger-type bun). The lomito italiano, is, naturally, covered with the three colors of the Italian flag, represented by avocado, tomatoes, and homemade mayonnaise (in vast quantities). The lomito completo will have tangy sauerkraut and melted buttery cheese on it as well.

Perhaps the most eye-catching and unusual of the Chilean sandwiches is the chacarero, so named because of the toppings that come from la chacra or the farm. These include a large quantity of cooked julienned stringbeans together with peeled tomatoes and ají amarillo, a pale yellow hot pepper served in small rounds. These toppings are served on top of a hearty portion of flash-grilled turkey or (more commonly) steak.

You might be thinking that these two sandwiches are too messy to eat with your hands. And most Chileans would agree with you, choosing a fork and knife for for this task (or most of it), and then taking a long, long walk to “bajar la comida” (aid digestion).

Where to try them in Santiago:

Several picadas (greasy-spoon type restaurants) line the colonnade at Portal Fernandez Concha, on the south side of central Plaza de Armas, and all of them serve these sandwiches in a semi fast-food format. Pick the most crowded one for a real downtown experience.

Fuente Alemana is a more upscale but still traditional spot, favored by Anthony Bourdain on a recent visit to Chile, but known throughout Santiago for its plate (and stomach)-filling sandwiches.

Bar Nacional has a couple of locations, including the original on the downtown pedestrian street Huérfanos. They do a brisk lunch business. You can try any of the above sandwiches at Bar Nacional, or branch out to a couple of varieties not listed here, like the chemilico, which has a fried egg on it.

Can’t wait till you’re in Chile? Make a chacarero at home. Here’s how. 

Chacarero

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 cup julienned string beans
• 12 ounces thin-sliced boneless steaks or turkey breast
• 2 hearty rolls or french bread
• 1 hot pepper, such as ají cristal, ají amarillo or jalapeno, thinly sliced in rounds, seeded if desired
• fine salt, to taste

Get the full recipe.