We read the reviews for the La Fonda and our hotel also recommended it for traditional Guatemalan food. We may have hit a bad night, but our dinner was not the best. I will make this brief because I am on the internet at our hotel. Service- not good. Once she took our order and served us she never checked back to see if all was well or if we needed anything. The dinners we ordered sounded better on the menu then what was delivered on our plates. There are mant better places to eat in Antigua.

Believe it or not, it's hard to find good, authentic Guatemalan fare in Antigua, and that's exactly what I wanted! La Fonda de la Calle Real is definitely the place to taste delicious Guatemalan dishes from around the country.

La Fonda is apparently so popular that there are three restaurants in the town of Antigua alone. I chose to eat at the original and smallest restaurant, "La Fondita" on Avenida 5, between the famous yellow arch and the central plaza. The downstairs salon has a few seats but is dominated by the dark-wood antique bar. Up an ancient solid-wood staircase, there are plenty of tables, the walls are painted with quirky quotes, and several double doors open up on to tiny balconies that overlook the street. I was able to sit near the balconies both times I dined there. I especially enjoyed the view on Palm Sunday, when hundreds of people moved excitedly below us on their way to catch the latest holy procession move through the beautiful streets decorated with carpets of flowers and colored sand.

The first meal I had at La Fonda was the Comal de Recados (Q50). It was the perfect choice because it was a sample of three typical dishes. Kak'Iq is a traditional soup from the Coban region of Guatemala, made with turkey in a mint and cilantro broth. Rich and hearty, it goes down like a stew, and the flavors are unique and unforgettable. Pepian is a dish made with chicken pieces in a slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. And the third dish is, like the others, a saucy stew, with pieces of pork head and liver in a meaty brown gravy.

It was an incredible and satisfying meal, served with a bowl of seasoned rice with bits of vegetable and a corn tamale. I found the pork dish a little harder to eat, probably because I was imagining the kind of body parts I was chewing, but my dad happily ate his and the rest of mine. To drink, I had a large glass of the refreshing red jugo de Jamaica (Q16), and my dad had a bottle of Guatemala's national beer (Q18), Gallo.

On our second visit, I enjoyed a Guatemalan chile relleno (Q45) served with their yummy seasoned rice and a huge dollop of guacamole. Unlike a Mexican chile relleno, the Guatemalan variety is a mild bell pepper stuffed with meat and spices. Dad had a plate of spicy pork sausages with rice and guac on the side (Q46).

Both were tasty, but we were impressed more by our initial visit and the delightful tastes of Kak'Iq and Pepian. La Fonda has location, atmosphere, value, and above all, it provides the true taste of Guatemala; anyone visiting Antigua should put La Fonda on their list.

See La Fonda de la Calle Real's website or email lafondareal@conexion.com.gt

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This restaurant was on our to-do list before ever arriving in Guatemala. We had heard and read wonderful things; everybody recommended it and almost made it sound like a pilgrimage point. We arrived not knowing what to expect, other than great food. We liked what we saw.

La Fonda de la Calle Real is in an old two-story house. Seating is in the courtyard and under the arched portals surrounding it. There is also seating in various rooms of the house. The walls are painted a cheerful pinkish-orange with bright white accents, and the yard is full of plants.

The waitress didn’t seem too pleased by the early birds coming in as soon as the doors opened, but she was pleasant enough. She brought us menus and poured coffee; we noticed she also poured a cup for herself.

The menu is wonderful, with something to please everyone. Along with the everyday items offered, there is a huge assortment of Guatemala specialties. The descriptions of these dishes are thorough and even state what region the dish comes from. The breakfast section, though very complete, is not as impressive as the rest. We vowed to come back before leaving town but unfortunately did not.

The waitress, now in a much more cheerful mood, took our orders and even offered some suggestions. I ordered the El de mi Antojo (My Craving) for Q40. It consisted of a tenderloin steak, salsa, an egg (ranch or range), chorizo, refried beans, fried plantains, cheese, and bread. The serving was large; the food was great. The steak was tender and juicy, the salsa superb, and, of course, I loved the bananas. I wouldn’t know a ranch from a range egg, but it was definitely fresh. The sausage wasn’t to my liking but I am sure that had more to do with my taste than the quality.

Libby chose the El Antigüeño for Q30. It was a tamale (a red festive tamale, to be exact) wrapped in banana leaves, freshly baked bread, and sweetbread. Everything was great. Libby, the tamale queen, had a grin on her face for the rest of the day. One of these days we will return.

There are two or three of these restaurants in town. The one we went to is one block north of the central park.

Sample Menu
Desayuno Antigüeño……Q29.95
A tamale wrapped in banana leaves
Served with bread and hot chocolate
Cak-iq……Q46.95
Turkey soup flavored with mint, cilantro, and grilled chiles
Served with rice and a tamale
Parrillada Vegetariana……Q49.95
Assorted grilled vegetables tossed with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar
Queso Fundido con Ajo……Q33.95
Melted cheese with garlic
De Todo un Poco……Q74.95
Grilled beef tenderloin, chicken, sausage, and chorizo
Served with guacamole, rice and onions.
According to the menu, Bill Clinton ordered this dish.
Suban-iq……Q52.95
Chicken, pork, and beef steamed in leaves in a tomato and chile sauce
US$1Q7.50