The concept is fairly new here. However, a handful of European-style cafés and restaurants now see Sunday brunch as an untapped opportunity to feed foreigners and Colombians alike.

Throw in al fresco seating and morning cocktails like the Mimosa and Bellini, and you’ve got a recipe for a delightful, boozy, finish to the weekend.

What follows is a collaborative effort between Dave and me to share our favorite weekend brunch spots. If you’re looking to catch up with friends on a Sunday morning or early afternoon, these are our top recommendations, in no particular order.

Ganso & Castor

Dave’s pick. Carrera 36 #7-46, Poblado. Weekend Hours: Sat 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sun 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Ganso & Castor is a Parisian-inspired café in the Provenza neighborhood of Poblado. As will become clear in this article, the Vía Provenza/Vía Primavera area is the epicenter of the city’s burgeoning brunch culture.

Eggs Benedict with asparagus will run you 14,500 pesos ($5.60). French toast, pancakes, omelets, and Quiche are also on the menu. A Mimosa costs 14,000 pesos ($5.45).

Due its size, no more than three tables outside and double that on the inside, plan to arrive early on Sunday. Otherwise, you may have to wait for a table to open.

Brie Bon

Ryan’s pick. Carrera 35 #7-118, Poblado. Weekend Hours: Sat 10 a.m. – Midnight, Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Best French food, best brunch. Not a bad combination for one restaurant and Brie Bon is even on the list of best places to take a date.

Ryan’s had the eggs Benedict and the French toast, both great dishes, and you can drink Mimosas if you want as well, something he has yet to do but probably will someday.

Ryan remembers one day talking to a friend about meeting for brunch. Ryan suggested they had several options, but his friend said, “No, let’s just go to the French place on Vía Provenza.”

The French place is Brie Bon.

Amoretti

Dave’s pick. Carrera 37 #8A-60, Vía Primavera, Poblado. Weekend Hours: Sat 12 p.m. – 10 p.m., Sun 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Switching gears from French-inspired to Italian-inspired, Amoretti offers brunch favorites at a slightly higher level than some of the other places.

Options include:

• French toast with apples, almonds, canela and maple syrup (12,500 pesos, $4.85)
• Mini waffles with fruit sauce and cream cheese (9,500 pesos, $3.70)
• Sour cream blueberry pancakes with maple syrup (12,500 pesos, $4.85)

Unlike Ganso & Castor and Brie Bon, Amoretti’s outdoor seating is on the second story of the building, not the sidewalk, so you’re that much more removed from the street noise.

Mundo Verde

Dave’s pick. Carrera 37 #8A-40, Vía Primavera, Poblado. Weekend Hours: Sat 12 p.m. – 10 p.m., Sun 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Mundo Verde means “Green World” and the restaurant has attracted a faithful following in recent years, in addition to tourists looking to escape fried food in favor of something healthy.

When Dave met his friend Ana for brunch here earlier in the year, they arrived about 10 a.m., enjoyed their brunch, and remained at their outdoor table for another hour chatting.

The waitress never once stopped by to offer the check, the classic hint that it’s time to move along, despite the restaurant filling up around us and a line forming on the sidewalk below.

Due to its popularity, you’ll want to plan to arrive by 11 a.m. on the weekends, lest you want to be one of the hungry diners waiting for a table.

Cariñito Café

Ryan and Dave agree on this one! Carrera 44 #20-55, Ciudad del Río. Weekend Hours: Sat 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Closed Sundays.

Ryan loves Spanish tortillas, and they have excellent ones at Cariñito. He had one on his last trip to Medellín. The menu also offers omelets and great coffee and hot chocolate.

Dave’s favorite dish is the avocado toasties, which consist of toast, a fried egg, and a healthy spread of fresh avocado.

The atmosphere is chic as well, something that will catch your eye when you’re looking for a cool café. Ryan felt so comfortable there; he ended up sticking around to work the entire day. It was a good decision. He later learned they have great sandwiches as well.

The lesson: at Cariñito you can have a good late lunch after a great brunch.

Do you have a favorite brunch place in Medellín? Share your recommendations below. 

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Calle Ocho might be better than both of them.

I see no reason to pay 17,000 pesos for ajiaco when I know how to make it myself, and while I love Cafe Zorba, it is often too crowded if you get there too late.

That gives everyone the chance to try the tapas and tasty entrées at Calle Ocho, one of Poblado’s great new restaurants.

If I had to describe the cuisine, it’s fusion, a mix of French, Spanish and Italian, and I’m disappointed I didn’t try it sooner.

I only noticed it because I had a meeting nearby last year, ironically at Cafe Zorba.

For a moment I thought of the street in Miami, the specific section of it that runs through Little Havana, the city’s Cuban community, a place with block parties and great food.

At the restaurant in Medellín I loved the ambience, the colors and the tables and chairs, topped with a nice, white tablecloth, so I stopped in to take a look at the menu.

I went with two tapas, one with shrimp, the other with steak, and both were delicious. I would have stayed longer to try an entrée if I had more time, but I put it on my list of places to keep in mind.

A couple of months passed. I still didn’t try it.

I worried, after taking a great job in Bogotá, that I would not get the chance so I made sure, when I was back in Medellín recently, to squeeze dinner at Calle Ocho into my busy schedule.

I am so happy I did.

The entrée I had, the lomito al vino con camarones, was even better than the tapas, which is saying something, considering how much I enjoyed my first dining experience here.

The pork was cooked perfectly and topped with a tasty wine sauce, shrimp included. I had so much broccoli and potatoes on the side, it made for a filling meal.

The plate cost 24,000 pesos (about $10), nothing when you consider several factors:

1. It was good. Really, it was.

2. It’s rare I find anything that good for that price in Bogotá.

3. With how quickly Medellín’s popularity is growing, the same can be said for The City of Eternal Spring.

4. Did I mention the taste?

They have a great deck out back, overlooking Parque Lineal La Presidenta, and I am hoping the owners add some tables out there. One of them told me they are thinking about it.

I know I’m thinking about it. I would love to have dinner with that kind of view. Cafe Zorba has it, and people often try to get the tables that line the back-end of the restaurant, just for that amenity.

A park view might force me to update my post on the Best Places to Take a Date in Medellín.

Regardless, even if Calle Ocho never adds seating out back, it’s still worth a try. The food is always my primary concern when I decide whether I like a restaurant, and Calle Ocho does not lack for quality.

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It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and while speed dating in Colombia won’t make this list, you’ll find many great options.

I’ll cover everything from restaurants to parks to live music, with a few other places mixed in to give you a good variety.

I’ve left out movies because I think that’s too cliché. Same with salsa dancing. And I didn’t include the theater, because I know not everyone who reads this post speaks Spanish. For those who do, check out the Teatro Metropolitano.

Otherwise, here are 10 places everyone can enjoy, regardless of language skills.

1. El Acontista

Calle 53 #43-81, El Centro

It took me nearly 3 1/2 years to find El Acontista. What a shame.

I live in Bogotá now, so I can’t enjoy all the time like I would if I still lived in Medellín.

Every Monday, there is live jazz. My friend Jen and I went this past week, to see Pablo Alzate y Su Bluesboy Trio (pictured above).

My only regret was not staying until the end, but I had already promised my old roommates I would watch The Walking Dead with them.

I enjoyed the music before I left, and even the atmosphere, something that seems straight out of a ’60s movie.

The pizza was pretty good too, and the other dishes people around us were ordering looked appetizing as well, so much so that I thought about eating two dinners that night.

I settled on dessert instead, the Oreo cheesecake, while Jen got the cheesecake with strawberry toppings, and we shared and mixed the chocolate syrup on my plate with pieces of her pie, and the strawberry syrup from her plate with pieces of mine.

You have to spend at least 10,000 pesos (about $4) if you want to go on jazz night, but that shouldn’t be a problem.

I’d pay more to listen to live jazz, and we did. The entrees, desserts, and — I almost forgot — bottle of wine was 76,000 pesos (about $35), unbelievably cheap for such a great experience.

I might have to come back, just for this.

2. Ciudad del Río

Carrera 43B #16-80, Poblado

I think of Ciudad del Río like a gourmet buffet. You have a lot to choose from, a lot of it very good.

Do you want to eat a great meal? You can get that at Bonuar.

Maybe just a nice cup of coffee and a little privacy? Check out the loft space at Cariñito.

Or how about some culture? There’s the Museo de Arte Moderno.

A relaxing day at the park? Parque Lineal Ciudad del Río works.

I almost made this No. 1 on the list. Almost.

3. Syborite

Circular 73B #77-57, Laureles

Syborite is probably Medellín’s best-kept secret. Even my friend Viviana, who loves places like this, did not know it until I told her about it.

They have great wine here, a big plus for me, and a lot of options to pair with it, from cheeses and meats to delicious sandwiches.

I found out about it from some friends who live nearby. Those are the regular customers, the ones in the neighborhood.

If you live nearby, or even if you don’t, you might want to join them.

4. Sushi House

Calle 35 #80A-09, Laureles

I’ve always liked the idea of cooking classes for a date. Unless you’re Hitch, you probably do too.

The best place to do this in Medellín is the sushi class at Sushi House.

Or, if you just want to eat, and not prepare the sushi yourself, you can sit on the floor at the low tables, the way they do in Japan.

I suggest going on a Wednesday. It’s three rolls for the price of two on that day.

5. La Cabaña del Recuerdo

Calle 38 sur #35-4, Envigado

Most Colombians like to dance. But instead of salsa — nice but unoriginal — or reggaeton — tacky and unoriginal — take your special someone to do some tango.

Envigado has the perfect place: La Cabaña del Recuerdo.

They have live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but beware of the table minimum. If you want to sit, you have to spend at least 100,000 pesos (about $45).

As long as you’re fine with that, you’ll have fun.

6. Parque El Salado

Carrera 27A #41 Sur 58 (Vereda El Vallano), Envigado

I loved Parque El Salado as soon as I saw it.

So it should be no surprise that it’s No. 1 in my story on the Best Parks in Medellín.

At Parque El Salado, you can do some hiking, swimming in the river, zip-lining, picnicking, or just relaxing and watching for the monkeys that sometimes hang out in some of the trees.

I need to go back, soon.

7. Delaire Sky Lounge

7th Floor, Centro Comercial Rio Sur, Poblado

For good food in a classy environment with a beautiful view, Delaire Sky Lounge is the place to be.

They have good appetizers, good pizza, good everything.

If you order mixed drinks, don’t be surprised if you pay a lot. But if you stick to beer and food, your tab shouldn’t be too bad.

And because of its location in Centro Comercial Rio Sur, near other nightlife spots such as Kukaramakara, Delaire can be just the beginning of a fun night out.

8. Santa Elena

East of northern and central Medellín

Like Ciudad del Río, you have lots of options if you visit this area just outside Medellín.

You can take the Metrocable to Parque Arví first. Maybe hike some of the trails or rent one of the free bicycles.

Then you can take the blue bus to Santa Elena, where you can indulge in traditional Colombian food at almost every restaurant.

If you have time for more than just a day trip, I’d recommend staying the night. At Hostal Rancho Rueda Libre, you can get up close with nature and have a nice getaway from the bustling city scene down in the valley.

9. Brie Bon

Carrera 35 #7-118, Poblado

I love brunch and French food, and Brie Bon has both.

I think it’s the best French restaurant in the city and one of the best places for brunch in the city as well (a list I’ll unveil next month).

That gives you two options for a date.

You’ll also enjoy the beautiful setting along Via Provenza, one of the prettiest streets in the city, and you’re near Parque Lleras, which gives you lots of options to continue your date if it’s going well.

10. San Felix

North of Medellín

If you and your date are looking for adventure, paragliding is a good way to go.

All you have to do is take the bus to San Felix from the Terminal del Norte, just a 45-minute ride. Once you get there, or even before, you can call Dragonfly Paragliding (300 333 0800).

It’s owned by two brothers who will show you a good time.

If you have a fear of heights, like I do, this is one way to conquer it, or at least overcome it for a half hour.

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In building a better Medellín Living blog and, now, iPhone app for our readers, we realize we have to make changes as well.

We also realize, with a following that has grown to more than 100,000 page views per month, we should be clear on everything to avoid any misconceptions about what we are trying to do.

That’s what this post is for. So let’s go through what you can expect from us going forward.

1. We’re not perfect.

Big surprise, right? Just want to put that out there because we know that’s the expectation. Heck, that’s the expectation we have of ourselves. But we are human, and do make mistakes, and will never be perfect.

That said, we will listen to your concerns and try to improve and make corrections when possible to make sure that we continue to be the No. 1 source of information for foreigners in Medellín.

2. We’ll take action.

This ties into No. 1. Last year, one of our contributors wrote a story on dating a Colombian man. In the comments section, the conversation turned toward her use of the word “gringo” in the story.

We responded appropriately in that section, we feel, but we wanted to take it a step further. We are lucky to have a talented young writer working with us named Ximena Restrepo who put together a great story about the word and its origin.

We plan to continue this kind of response to reader concerns, or whatever is appropriate for each situation, going forward.

3. We lean positive.

If you’re looking for hard news, Colombia Reports is your best bet. We’re focusing on the happy news.

Here at Medellín Living, you’ll find the best information on culture, dating, dining, nightlife, even how-to posts such as renting a furnished or unfurnished apartment.

Themes we neither write about nor promote include (but are not limited to): sex tourism, drug use or any actions that will violate Colombian or international law.

Because of our optimistic outlook, we reserve the right to delete comments, either parts of them or in their entirety, that we feel are not constructive toward the mission at Medellín Living, and that’s a key point.

Constructive criticism? We welcome it. Personal attacks? Unacceptable.

4. We encourage participation.

Constructive criticism is not only welcome, it is necessary. A good example of this is the feedback we get on our “Best of Medellín” series, in which we rank everything from parks to pizza.

Medellín is a big city and there’s a chance we might not know every place that deserves a spot in our rankings. That’s where readers enter the picture. We’ve tried dozens of places based on reader recommendations and more often than not, those places have found a way into the “Best of” posts when we make revisions based on new information.

Please continue to share what you enjoy in the city. It’s already proven to be quite beneficial.

5. We value our writers, so they will value our readers (you).

We pay our regular contributors because we value their time, energy and contributions. Compensating our writers is one of the reasons we raise money through our Patreon campaign.

We do not pay for unsolicited guest contributions, however those writers are made aware of this policy up front. In most instances, they are simply seeking a way to voice their experiences and opinions and give something back to the community.

The opinions expressed on Medellín Living are those of the individual writers and not necessarily those of the editors or site.

6. We are transparent.

If we do a story because we were invited to a free meal, tour, etc., we note that at the bottom or explicitly state as much contextually.

Or, sometimes we get something for free after the story, as a show of gratitude. But we had already decided to do the story because we liked the place so our objectivity was not compromised.

We can tell you this with certainty: we’re not going to write about a place or service we don’t like just because they offer something for free.

If you have any comments or questions about our editorial policy, please contact us.

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I’m not sure I have the right answers, but I have some good ones. Your recommendations are welcome as well. I want to know about as many of these street vendors as possible.

Right now I’m familiar with about a dozen of them, and I’m going to give you my favorites, but there aren’t five, only because there are three that are so good, I can’t bring myself to put any others in their company.

I’m not even going to rank them, because you can’t go wrong with any.

They’re good options, if you’re looking for something quick, good and cheap, without having to go to Burger King, Subway or one of the handful of ubiquitous fast food chains in the city.

I sometimes pick a couple of these places even over established restaurants. They’re that good.

The Meat Man

I’ll start with the one who is probably the most popular, so popular he got a nickname from a group of foreigners staying at a nearby hostel: The Meat Man.

Not only does he have some of the best street food in Medellín, his ribs should have been part of this story.

I love the picada, a plate that comes with ribs, chorizo, chicken and beef, along with sides of an arepa, coleslaw and fries.

The best part is, you can choose how much you want.

I usually get the plate for 5,000 pesos (about $2.50). It’s enough to fill me.

If I’m really hungry, I’ll buy the 10,000-peso plate (about $5). But on those in-between appetite days, I’ve gone for the 7,000-peso or 8,000-peso plate (about $3.50 to $4), the difference being a piece of meat or two

You’ll get a laugh or two while you’re waiting as well. The owner speaks English and loves making jokes with the foreigners who stop by.

He’s in a great place in Laureles, the corner of Calle 46 on the east side of La 70, so it’s not hard to find him, as long as it’s not a Monday, when he often takes the day off.

Big Mama

Just a block or so away, on the opposite of La 70 at Calle 44B, you’ll find The Meat Man’s sister. She sells pork tenderloin, which she cuts of the shoulder cooking at her cart.

The pork is always tender, and it comes with two arepas, salad, potato salad, fries, potatoes and a quail egg.

It’s a really big plate for 11,000 pesos (about $5.50). There are no smaller plates.

The single-option factor makes me reserve my visits for nights I’m really hungry, or when I’m sharing the plate with a friend.

I was hesitant to add a third, because Big Mama and The Meat Man are in a class by themselves, but the chorizo is so good in Sabaneta, I had to add one of the carts there.

Chorizo Cart

It’s at Calle 72 Sur and Carrera 45, just don’t ask me which corner exactly because I still don’t know my way around this booming suburb like I do Medellín.

It shouldn’t be hard to find, though. There’s a cart with lots of meat hanging from it, and lots of it sizzling on the grill behind it. I think I paid 8,000 pesos (about $4) for my chorizo.

I suppose I could have added a buñuelo cart to the list, to complete things, as Sabaneta is known as much for those fried balls of dough as it is its chorizo. But I’m not as big a fan of the buñuelo.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying I won’t change my mind and add it someday. Stranger things have happened.

Where’s your favorite place to get street food? Include the address, if you know it.

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They became the reason I signed up for Twitter. I wanted to find the best food trucks because a trend was taking hold in big cities across the United States, and these mobile businesses got the word out about their daily location on social media.

I started following Takorean and Red Hook Lobster, District Taco and Sabor’a Street.

Until then, I had found Twitter useless. In Bogotá, where the food truck trend has arrived and these mobile food stations are becoming as popular as they are in the states, Twitter is useless.

There are currently about 25 trucks here, and I decided to go to Bogotá’s primary food truck park, a lot at the southeast corner of Calle 81 and Carrera 14, next to Centro Comercial Atlantis Plaza. They are open for lunch and dinner everyday, except Sundays and holidays.

There were seven businesses, and now there are six, serving everything from Asian/Latin fusion to authentic roast beef sandwiches, although in my short time here I’ve seen a couple of trucks leave and new ones arrive, so I’ll continue to try them all.

It might be silly to make a Top 5 when there are only six, and the park has room for only one more, and there are many trucks in other parts of the city, and I know I’ve only done “Best Of” stories for everything in Medellín.

Well, there are two reasons:

1. I wanted to highlight a trend that I can update as I try more trucks.

2. Colombia’s second city, despite an emerging food truck trend (which Dave will tell you about soon), was not the first place to establish a presence of these restaurants on wheels the way the capital did.

So we’ll start with a Top 5 here, then eventually move on to making a post just like it for Medellín, when the time is right.

1. Francachella

Technically Francachella is not on wheels so you could argue it should not qualify for a spot in the best food trucks in Bogotá. But this little stand is among the trucks in the park, and it’s not as if the trucks go anywhere either.

Perhaps more important, the food is the best in the park.

I ordered a crepe with pork, tomatoes, mashed potatoes and some kind of mustard sauce, I believe it was. It was huge. Really tasty too.

I paid 14,000 pesos (about $7), maybe a little pricey by Medellín prices, but quite a deal in the capital, where everything is more expensive.

To put it another way, you’d pay more at Crepes & Waffles for something inferior to Francachella.

2. Bacon Street

It’s hard to find a great burger in Colombia. The people here almost always overcook the meat, something I constantly complain about, mainly because it’s so simple to avoid doing it.

Bacon Street understands this.

My meat was pink in the middle and not overwhelmed with salt. My friend Loon shared his food with me, as I gave him half of my roast beef sandwich.

The burger and fries cost 14,000 pesos (about $7).

Even better than the burger, though, is that the menu has poutine, a dish of fries, bacon, cheese and gravy, really bad for you but oh so good.

I paid only 10,000 pesos (about $5) for it, and it was worth it.

3. Roller Toaster

Finally, real roast beef in Colombia.

I never found it in Medellín. I mean, I found roast beef sandwiches, but the meat was awful, something that seemed processed and full of preservatives, hence the reason it was not one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in Medallo.

At Roller Toaster, they make you a great sandwich with the kind of quality meat found in delis in the United States, only for half the price.

The sandwich is called The Rocket (14,000 pesos, or about $7), and lettuce and tomatoes are part of the sandwich along with a red wine sauce. Although the sauce is tasty, I wish they would use less of it.

When you have great roast beef, I like to let the flavor of the meat be the primary taste.

4. Gorila Fusion

Gorila Fusion reminds me of Takorean, just with more options.

I had the bulgogi tacos combo, which came with fries and a soda, for 17,000 pesos (about $9). I could not finish the fries and gave it to the guy I paid to shine my shoes at the nearby plaza outside the Carulla at Calle 85.

But I liked the fries, which had a great seasoning, garlic and paprika among the spices, I think. And of course I liked the tacos, which were filled with lots of beef, lettuce and onions.

The hoison burrito with pork is pretty good too. Now I just have to try the kung pao quesadilla.

5. Patacón Peca’o

I’ve found that some people in Colombia are arepa people, some favor patacones. If I had to choose, I’d pick patacones.

At Petacón Peca’o, they prepare these fried, crispy bananas in the shape of a bowl, which they fill with everything from ceviche to pork to vegetables.

I picked the ceviche option, a small bowl for only 7,000 pesos (about $3.50). You can see in the pic that it is quite small.

It was all I needed on that day, just something to hold me until the big Christmas eve dinner I was preparing with my friends from Manizales.

The ceviche needed more spice, as it seemed to lack the pepper Peruvians include in one of their most famous dishes, but I understand that most Colombians are not fans of spicy food and it is tailored to them, naturally.

I’m just happy it wasn’t Colombian-style ceviche. Shrimp in a sauce of ketchup, lime juice and mayo isn’t the most appetizing thing in the world.

Were it made that way, there’s no way it would be on my list of the best food trucks in Bogotá.

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It took me only 35 years to make my first roll of sushi. I took a class. A sushi class at Sushi House.

I have been wanting to do something like that for a while. Even though, among my mix of ethnicities, Japanese is one of them, I never learned to make sushi when I was growing up in Hawaii.

In fact, I didn’t particularly like it until I went off to college in Reno, Nev., where almost every sushi joint had an all-you-can-eat lunch special for around $12.

Subsequent visits home meant lots of eating, but no learning. It was time, I felt, when I found out about the sushi class at Sushi House on Facebook.

I was excited, because the Laureles restaurant is one of my favorite places in the city to eat sushi.

By the next day, I made a reservation to take the class. It costs 90,000 pesos ($37) per person, and you receive two rolls — one of which you make yourself — the sushi kit, and, as the restaurant staff says, great memories.

One of the sushi chefs will start by teaching you how they prepare the rice — the type of rice you should use, how much water to use to prepare it, how much sugar and vinegar to mix in afterward so it’s ready to become a sushi roll.

How much exactly? Take the sushi class at Sushi House and find out.

Then you get to make your way to the station by all the raw seafood displayed in a glass case, where you make your rolls.

Luis, the owner, showed me how to place the rice on the nori, or dried seaweed, and how much to add. After that we added what would go in the roll, so he had to teach me how to cut the fish, avocado and anything else you would put in there.

He was very detailed, and those little things make a huge difference.

What are those details, you wonder? Take the sushi class at Sushi House and find out.

It was a process for me. Actually, I’ll save the euphemisms. I was terrible at it. But I had fun.

At one point, I almost laughed to myself, wondering how my friend Pedro would do. We once went to one of those all-you-can-eat places in Reno, and he had yet to learn to use chopsticks. His sushi kept falling apart before he could eat it so he finally asked for a fork.

The sushi chef was not discreet.

“FORK!!” he yelled to one of the waiters.

Everyone looked at us, and I nearly fell out of my high-top chair, laughing.

I’m sure Luis wanted to do the same at some point, considering how pathetic I was, but he was very patient and helpful.

This was important when we finally got to rolling the sushi, when I was more clumsy than ever. I had to continue to shape it, to make it look the way it should, because I didn’t have a natural feel for it, still don’t.

Thanks to Luis, we made it look right, and I had a great meal afterward, a meal a little bigger than normal because I asked that he teach me how to make nigiri and the geishas, or thin slices of salmon stuffed with avocado and cream cheese.

That made me think about how impressive it is that these sushi chefs can make a roll so quickly. I suppose repetition has a lot to do with it, but you have to be patient enough to learn it in the first place.

I take pride in being a good cook but I think sushi will always be on the same food list as pizza and several others: food I love, food I know how to prepare, but food I’d rather eat in a restaurant to save myself the time and ensure I get the quality I want.

Just don’t let that discourage you. I’m sure you can be a better sushi chef than me.

Take the sushi class at Sushi House and find out.

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My class was provided compliments of Sushi House. 

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The long trip Atlético Nacional makes to Buenos Aires might be an even longer trip on the way back. It just depends what happens at the tail of a home-and-home in Sudamericana Final 2014.

They need to play hard the whole game, to keep the pressure on River Plate, which beat its big rival Boca Juniors in the semifinals to advance to the championship round. In Medellín, they played only a great first half, when they took a 1-0 lead on an Orlando Berrio goal at the 34-minute mark.

The crowd was going nuts. About 60,000 fans on their feet, cheering at the top of their lungs.

Everyone was so excited. They thought we would get the win and go to Buenos Aires with a big advantage.

I know what you’re thinking: It must’ve been great to catch that game.

Like Robin Williams’ character Sean said in Good Will Hunting…

Ok, let’s be real upfront. I wasn’t having a drink with my future wife.

The idea was to go to the game, to watch Atlético Nacional face River Plate in the first of a home-and-home to determine the South American champion in the Sudamericana Final 2014, the continent’s second of two international tournaments. The second game is at 5:30 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday, December 10.

I negotiated the price down to 140,000 pesos (about $70) for a seat at the north end of the stadium, where all the Nacional fans sit. I couldn’t do it. I prefer to sit in the oriental section, around midfield, and those prices were way too high.

The best offer I got from the scalpers was 160,000 pesos (about $80).

If I weren’t about to make a trip to Brazil, perhaps I would have splurged. But I have been to the stadium, Atanasio Giradot, for a big game before, when Nacional played this spring in Copa Libertadores 2014, the biggest international tournament in South America.

What I had never done was watch a big game in one of the city’s best nightlife districts.

I’ve always liked La 70, more than Parque Lleras, so we picked my favorite spot along the popular street: La Charcu.

Most of the seating is on a patio that makes a semicircle around the tiny bar, where they have a great selection of international beers, different selections from places such as Belgium and Germany, with Delirium Tremons, one of my favorites, on the menu.

The food is pretty good too, and I liked the sangria. But by 7 p.m., I was focused on the game.

We had gotten there two hours earlier, to secure a seat and a table with a good view of the TV. My friend David asked, “It seems like all the action is at the other end” of La 70. The north end was full of food and T-shirt vendors, and people busting firecrackers.

I assured him the madness would soon arrive at our end.

It did, about 6:30 p.m., and by game time the hinchas were ready. Every bar, restaurant and tienda with a TV was full along La 70.

They understand what’s at stake.

A win in the Sudamericana Final 2014 will give Nacional only its second-ever international title, the first being when it won Copa Libertadores in 1989. And a win would make Nacional the only Colombian club team with two international titles. (Once Caldas made a surprising run to win the Copa Libertadores title in 2008.)

This is why everyone had so much spirit as Nacional came out aggressive and nearly scored twice before finally getting the back corner of the goal with only 10 minutes left in the first half.

On the same note, it’s why the crowd got noticeably calmer after the goal, when Nacional was obviously either a little winded or just trying to go into the half with a lead, probably a combination of both.

My friend Natalia complained about it. I told her they should be ready in the second half, that the rest at halftime would refresh them.

I was wrong.

Nacional came out slow again, and River was aggressive, eventually tying the game when Leonardo Pisculichui scored midway through the second half.

That got the attention of the Nacional players, but by then it was too late. The game ended in a tie.

I wonder what the Nacional players will think about during the long trip to Buenos Aires. I just hope they’re ready because if they’re not the return trip home might include a lot of silence and blank empty stares out the window.

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Taxis provide great convenience. But what if you knew the best bus routes in Medellín as well?

You could save a lot of money, at least 2 million pesos a year (about $1,000).

If you don’t take the bus, we understand. It’s a complicated system.

We’re not talking about the Metroplus: that has easy-to-follow routes that go to only certain parts of the city.

The Metro is even easier. There are two lines, one that runs north-south, the other east-west, with a couple of Metrocables.

Well that’s why we’re here.

We’ve written about taking the bus before, a long time ago, and there are some good tips in that story. This is a follow-up to it. So instead of telling you how to take the bus, we’re going to tell you the best bus routes in Medellín for foreigners, the ones that get you to your favorite destinations.

Hold on tight…these bus drivers sometimes seem like they’re racing…

1. Ruta Hotelera

These routes provides travelers with the most direct bus route between Laureles and Poblado, two of the city’s most popular districts.

There are two buses, the 304 and the 305.

Some of the most important stops along these routes include:

• Terminal del Sur: Here you can take buses to other parts of the country or take a domestic flight at the small airport next door, Enrique Olaya Herrera.
• La Milla del Oro: The Golden Mile, an opulent stretch of Avenida Poblado, is known for its business centers, malls, nightclubs and restaurants.
• The Hills: No, not that lame reality show that made a bunch of idiots famous. I’m talking about the hills of Poblado, where you’ll find some of the best shopping and eating, as well as some of the city’s most posh apartments.
• Parques Lleras and Parque Poblado: The two areas are known for their nightlife and restaurants.
• La 70: This is the Parque Lleras of Laureles.
• Avenida Nutibara: One of the main arteries of Laureles, you’ll find clubs, restaurants, grocery stores and a new theater along this stretch.

2. Envigado

You can’t miss them. They are the bright yellow buses that run between downtown Medellín and Envigado that say — wait for it — ENVIGADO on the front.

There are four different buses:

Two run along Avenida Poblado. One of them says La Paz on the front. This one goes to the neighborhoods in the southern part of the suburb.

The other one says Rosellon. This one goes to the hills in the eastern part of the city.

These are the same two options for the other two buses, only they run along Avenida Las Vegas.

Along the routes, you’ll pass landmarks such as:

• Ciudad del Rio/Museo del Arte Moderno: Spend a day here and enjoy not just the museum, but Ciudad del Rio’s beautiful park, a delicious lunch at Bonuar, and great coffee at Cariñito Café.
• Universidad EAFIT: Foreigners often take Spanish classes here, although there are other more economical options such as CIE Spanish school and I Speak Paisa.
• Every Metro station from San Antonio in El Centro to Envigado in, well, you know.
• Milla de Oro
• Several major malls (Monterey, Premium Plaza, Punto Clave, San Diego)
• Parque San Antonio
• Parques Lleras and Poblado

3. Circular Sur 302 and 303

Get ready to make a big loop on the 302 or 303, so big you will cover major roads in four districts: Belén, Candelaria, Laureles-Estadio and Poblado.

Like the other routes, you’ll pass places such as malls (Monterey), parks (Parque de Las Luces and Parque de Los Pies Descalzos) and nightlife districts (La 70), the most important place along the way is Migración Colombia.

If you’re staying in Medellín more than three months, it is essential you familiarize yourself with this office or you will be staying here illegally. It’s really easy to renew your tourist Visa.

If you get another Visa, be it business, girlfriend, marriage, work, etc., you’ll still have to make an appearance here.

4. Aeropuerto

Most people take a taxi to the international airport, José María Córdova. There is a cheaper option.

The bus.

Outside Centro Comercial San Diego, there is a bus stop along Las Palmas where a white bus with green trim and big letters that say AEROPUERTO will take you to the international airport for 9,000 pesos (about $4.50). But you might wait a while if you go there, as a reader pointed out in the comments, hence this late addition to the post.

The bus originates outside the Hotel Nutibara in downtown Medellín, near the Plaza de Botero.

A taxi costs 60,000 pesos (about $30) unless you are in a collectivo, or shared taxi, which will cost 15,000 (about $7.50).

If I’m making a trip that does not require me to take a lot of luggage, I opt for the airport bus.

5. Santa Elena

You’ll find these blue buses at a stop in El Centro, on a street called the Ayacucho. The bus stop is about four blocks east of the Oriental, where the big Iglesia de San José is.

The bus will take you to what is esentially downtown Santa Elena, where you can take other buses toward Parque Arví.

On your way, you should eat at Uchuva Lounge. Just call ahead. These days, they’re open by reservation only for groups of six or more.

You can ride the Santa Elena bus the opposite way as well, if you’ve already taken the Metrocable to Arví and want to take a different route home.

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Every time a new ethnic restaurant opens in Medellín, I get excited about the way the city is growing. This happened again recently after eating at a new place called Korea House.

It has a popular location, near Avenida Nutibara and Avenida Jardín, a busy intersection with a handful of well-known cafes and restaurants within walking distance, such as Cafe Zeppelin and Milagros.

I think Korea House will fit right in.

It’s a small restaurant, and the atmosphere reminds me of some of the ethnic places I’ve been in the states…small and comfortable.

The owner of Korea House, Kyehong Seo, who goes by Anna, has a goal of sharing her country’s food with everyone here.

To qualify things, when I go to an ethnic restaurant here, or any restaurant for that matter, I try to be mindful of the fact that only recently are Colombia’s major cities starting to import the ingredients that are so readily available in the big metropolises of the United States.

That no doubt can affect the authenticity of a dish.

That said, if something is bad, it’s bad.

Lucky for me, I found everything enjoyable at Korea House, starting with the kimchi.

This fermented and spicy cabbage is to Koreans what beans and rice is to Colombians.

I admit, I’ve had better in Hawaii. But it was still tasty enough that I reached for it more than a few times. We followed that with the pizza de kimchi.

It looked like a pizza but has the consistency of a thin pancake. It was one of my favorite dishes.

Shortly after, the kimbap arrived. It looks like sushi, tastes a little like sushi too, but the Koreans apparently don’t like it if you call it that.

A rice noodle dish came at the same time. It was mainly clear noodles with vegetables in what seemed like a chicken broth-based sauce.

Now it was time for the main dishes.

The first one that arrived was the bulgogi, or barbecued beef. I had tried this once at a small Korean restaurant near the George Washington University campus, when I used to live in Washington, D.C.

At that same restaurant, I also tried the bibimbap, a dish that mostly consists of rice and vegetables. I liked it better in Washington, but, as I said before, the U.S. capital city probably has access to more ingredients and spices than Medellín.

But the plate that came out that could challenge the pizza de kimchi for favorite of the day was the spicy chicken. It tasted a little different from the Korean chicken I used to eat in Hawaii, but I still liked it.

At the end of the meal, Anna, who deserves a thumbs up for bringing her food to a city so overwhelmingly traditional, asked if we wanted to sing karaoke. We declined because a few of us had to go back to work.

But I’ll go back for the food, and I just hope people will go to her restaurant with an open mind and enjoy her efforts.

I know I did.

Korea House accepts cash only. 

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