Ajiaco Santafereno

The soup depends on two things being right. The first is the potatoes: three varieties go in, and the crucial one is the papa criolla, a small yellow Andean potato that dissolves almost completely and thickens the broth, while the sabanera and pastusa hold their shape - substituting a single potato produces something else entirely. The second is guascas, a herb of the daisy family that grows as a weed in the Andes and gives the soup its particular slightly bitter, grassy note; it is difficult to source outside the region and dried versions are weaker. Shredded chicken, corn on the cob in pieces, and then capers, cream and sometimes avocado added at the table. It is served hot, which at Bogota's 2,600 metres matters.

What you actually see

• Three potato varieties - one dissolving to thicken, two holding shape.
• Guascas - an Andean weed herb that is hard to replace.
• Corn on the cob in the bowl - eaten with the hands.
• Capers and cream at the table - added by the eater.

When to go

Year round; Bogota is cool at all times. A meal.

Honest expectations

Versions outside Colombia rarely have real guascas or criolla potatoes and taste noticeably different. Restaurant quality varies widely. It is filling to the point of being a whole meal. Vegetarian versions are uncommon.

Nearby

La Candelaria holds the older restaurants; Monserrate is above.