Lenga Restaurant — Restaurant in Puerto Natales

Chilean food restaurant with a modern twist. Complimentary sopapaillas were served and tasted great. We started with ceviche and for the main course had humita en olla and the seafood Gnochis. Presentation was just lovely. All local ingredients used and tasted fresh. Ceviche had lemon foam on top - very diff from the usual lime taste which is dominant in that. This was served with potato chips. For gnochi we requested to only use mussel instead of the treo of seafood which they accommodated. The corn dish with caramelized sugar on top was served with salad and tomato slices on side. Very creative but tasting great. For drinks we had lemonade with mint and ginger. The chef Paula was welcoming everyone, making introductions, circulated and spoke to the tables. It's open only at dinner time but make sure you book. They have seating at the bar as well as table seating. The bar counter as well as the seating there is made from the native Lenga tree on which the name of the restaurant is based. They haven't packed number of tables together so it gives a very open feeling. The ingredients, berries used in most of the dishes are also native to Patagonia. Chef is Paula and her husband who opened this place two years back. They are very passionate about the food and take pride in the local preparations. For dessert we had the roasted milk, another Chilean speciality - resembled flan and was lovely. Definitely pricier but it's fine dining and one pays for the quality. Enjoyable experience celebrating Valentines Day here. There were red balloons put up inside. While leaving Paula gave us little Chilean salt as a gift. Hands...

Enjoyed a delightful gastronomic experience here, where the freshness of local ingredients shone through -- especially in the seafood. The chef is creative in the composition of dishes, and the key ingredients for each item are listed on the menu. For instance, I found the use of "lemon foam" to be a refreshing touch to many dishes, such as in the Cebiche Nicanor.

Key standout dishes for me were the Pastel de Choclo -- a hearty and warming corn pie dish -- and the Merluza en Mantequilla Negra -- a delicious fillet of an Austral Hake, a fish native to the surrounding seas. For dessert, the Pie de Limón was a good balance of tart and sweet, with the toasted meringue adding a nice crunch.

Service was very friendly and detail-oriented, with the staff coursing and pacing out our meal based on what was ordered. At the end, the chef even came out to thank us and chat about our visit (and point us to another...

The food at Lenga is really good. Both the presentation and the taste are on a very high level. What bothered us was the concept, that is not clear and not explained by the service staff. The menu is not split into starters and mains any more, so we asked the service how many plates we need for the two of us (assuming it's several plates for sharing). She told us just one per person is enough, but it was not. Moreover some dishes are just a bit boring by themselves (e.g., my wife ordered the chickpeas pil pil). It definitely makes more sense to order 3-4 dishes for sharing and/or desert if you like. We would have appreciated this advise before ordering. Other than that the service was very professional and the atmosphere at the restaurant was very pleasant. Therefore it's 5 stars for the food and rather 3-4 stars for the concept. I hope the chef takes this as a...