After a full morning of Spanish lesson classes, Two Who Trek either enjoy an almuerzo with friends or lunch on their own. Almuerzos are a restaurant’s lunch special of the day. They include fresh juice, soup, meat, potato, rice and dessert. Portions often look small when compared to typical US servings but are perfect to fill a hungry student!
This almuerzo cost $2.50. Spaghetti with meat sauce, rice, cabbage slaw, traditional juice (usually a watermelon base) and rice pudding are shown. Also included was a large bowl of spinach and bean soup that was delicious.
To order an almuerzo, you simply are seated in the restaurant and say “Almuerzo” to the waiter. He then brings you the day’s meal. No substitutions are allowed. Generally you are eating within five minutes from your arrival at the restaurant.
A good almuerzo runs about $2.50 to $3.00 per person. “Executive” versions may top $4. You can get an almuerzo for as low as $1.25, but if you do, you’ll be spending the money you save on either Kaopectate or Cipro.
These five students are enjoying the soup part of an almuerzo lunch in a restaurant.
Generally when you finish an almerzo, you can simply pay at a cashier’s cage on the way out. Some restaurants have waiters that will bring you a check (la cuenta), then you pay the waiter. However, these places are the exceptions rather than the rule.
One day Two Who Trek decided to try a restaurant’s version of cuy (guinea pig). It was even more delicious than the version served at Gualaceo last weekend! However, it was more than $2.50 and definitely not an almuerzo as it took over an hour to prepare.
Two Who Trek 