Given the vast coast of Chile, it's a small wonder that the national cuisine is heavily based on the fruits of the sea. Almost everywhere, excluding towns deep inland, you can find fresh seafood. The predominant dishes often come with rice  and feature clams, mussels, sea urchins, Chilean sea bass and abalone. Meat dishes tend to be Spanish-based with local modifications. Empanadas (cheese, meat, or seafood turnovers) are common, along with humitas -grated fresh corn pudding with basil. Perhaps the most loved dish is Pastel de Choclo, a beef and chicken pie topped with a sweet corn mixture and baked in an individual clay pot. Other national dishes include porotos (semi-ripe beans cooked with green beans), corn, squash and basil- and cazuela -a Chilean stew made with chicken or beef.

Santiago is very much a bar and pub city, though there are several discos. Santiagans enjoy heading out to their favorite haunt, perhaps to listen to some live guitar or jazz. Going to the theater is also big in Santiago, though if you don't speak Spanish the experience will obviously be diminished.

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