A “back to your origins” philosophy at an eco-hotel, you think deepening your connection to nature right? That’s certainly a central part of the experience at Bio Habitat Hotel, but after a few meals from chef Maria Clara at the hotel restaurant, Basto Restobar, I realized it means so much more. It’s about transporting you back to your comfort place, which for many, is found in particular childhood memories.

In Colombia, ‘Milo’ is a hot chocolate powder that children sneak behind their parents back. And so Maria came up with the ‘Milo Brownie’; a sweet Milo brownie paired with ice cream made of ‘KLIM’, a popular powdered milk. 

The ‘Mama’s Cake’ is one of the cook’s interpretation of getting back to her origins as it’s a dedication to her late mother. Here her mother’s recipe is elevated; a fluffy vanilla cake is submerged in rich arequipe (similar to caramel) cream and topped with a berry coulis. 

What separates a good dish from a memorable one is not execution of technique or the quality of the ingredients, it is the ability of the chef to use the sensory experience of dining to spark a previous experience in the diner’s life. I now realize the most effective way to get “back to your origins” might just be through the palate.