In Guatemala we ate at many restaurants and one of the
best meals we had was at an large, wooden cabin on the side of the road going
from Antigua to Chichicastenango. Everything was so Guatemala.
Katok restaurant was selected by our Mayan guide, Bryan,
a former high school teacher who was never stumped by the hundreds of questions
we asked him along the way. The
restaurant has its own pig farm, slaughterhouse and processing plant and sell
meats and sausages in the restaurant.
I know what you’re saying – this breakfast looks pretty
ordinary and it was for Guatemalans and it was but the flavors were
exceptional, especially in combination with one another.
So how do you make a menu selection when you just don’t
really know the ins and outs of Guatemalan food? Easy! I had what he had!... two fried eggs with a thin,
grilled steak, tortillas with cheese, volteados (boiled,
mashed, and then refried) black beans, the most delicious fried plantains I’ve ever eaten, sweeter than sweet pineapple
and, as usual, fabulous Guatemalan coffee. In the states, I drink 1 cup of
coffee a day but in Guatemala, try 5-6.
By this time, just like the natives, I
was already craving the refried black beans and the Guatemalan coffee for
breakfast every morning. The breakfast also included mosh, which
I didn’t get a picture of, but is made with milk and oats and tastes like
porridge; the ideal preparation to take off the early morning chill that was
with us 24/7 that day. We also lucked out - our table was located right next to
an oversized heater so Bryan had to practically pull us from the table after
breakfast because it was so cozy warm.
Later, I found out
that in 2010, Katok was awarded a golden fork by the Guatemalan Institute of
Tourism, the Restaurant Guild and the committee for the Guatemalan Food Fair for
culinary excellence in Guatemala.
My head is still in
that spot on the highway to Chichicastenango, ready for
another breakfast; perhaps this time the breakfast soup I didn’t try with a raw
egg floating on the top.
Katok Restaurant is open daily from 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM daily
and both Patsy and I thought it was one of the best finds of our entire trip. It’s
located at Km
87 Pan American Hwy to Tecpan, Chimaltenango 04001 Guatemala. Phone: +502 7840 3387. You don’t want to miss it.
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