You know its a good place when its hard to find.

Before even landing in Colombia, I had already read a selection of posts by other travelers who were raving about the restaurant called "La Mulata", so I was thrilled when I found out one day that we were going there for lunch. It is located with the walled city, and was just a short walk from where we were staying. You might have to ask someone to point it out, as most people its location, despite there being no sign. It might help to know that it is located under the Defensoría del Pueblo.

Sometimes you just walk into a place and know you are going to love it. Oh, what an adorable place! White washed walls, covered with art and words which I recognized from the menu, checkerboard floors, and brightly colored and playfully mismatched chairs. Even the menu looks like a piece of art with its splashily decorated boxes and a collaged effect of people, foods, and words absorbed my attention as orders were taken. 

La Mulata has three rooms for diners, including a back garden, so even if there is a wait, it is probably relatively short. Another plus? Fixed price menu of the day! In Cartagena, which can be very pricey, this is a great feature. And an additional reason to return again, which we ultimately ended up doing ourselves. 

Lunch starts with a bowl of soup. In the U.S., you rarely see diners interested in having hot soup in the summer. However, I can tell you that every time I have traveled to the Caribbean or Latin America, there is a hot soup served. So whether you decided to start with the fixed price one that is a lentil and chicken soup…or you order one as your main course (see picture below), soup is assuredly the way to start a meal here. 

This seafood soup was served with fried green plantains, and a side of coconut rice. I was informed this soup is good for “stamina” and we left it at that! Also, you might notice on your table that there are fresh lime wedges strewn in the metal napkin holders. Those are for squeezing into your soup. 

If you want to add a little heat, simply ask for “picante” at the server will bring over some hot sauce for you to sprinkle in the soup, which I highly suggest trying! Now you might be getting full from the soup, and from sipping your “Limonadas de Coco, a signature drink in the city, made of coconut milk and freshly squeezed lime juice, but try to save room…cause here comes the main course! 

It was seafood, and more seafood with us. From an early age, my father, a genuine seafood connoisseur, taught me that you should never eat seafood that you can smell. While I didn’t always love seafood, despite his persistence, his wisdom finally rubbed off on me. 

This seafood had ZERO fishy smell. It could have been pulled out of the ocean depths in the morning, and on my plate by noon. All three dishes were deliciously fresh and paired with either coconut rice (which I could not get enough of…even when my stomach was bursting!) or lightly sautéed vegetables, and strips of crispy plantains. 

For being considered a “bargain luncheonette”, this place is ridiculously hip with amazingly prepared, fresh food under $10 per person. During my trip, we also went to other more expensive restaurants, and when all was said and done, I would give my vote hands down to the food and staff at La Mulata. Now, next project… how can I make this food at home???

I discovered that the restaurant keeps a blog too, which does have a little mention of the menu, actual address, etc: http://lamulatacartagena.blogspot.com