How jaded are we moderns? We are so used to negative reviews that we forget how effectively an enthusiastic review can inspire. I think I better start my diet because I'm gonna love BA.


Copyright 2002 The New York Times

Steak Endures in Lean Times

By R. W. APPLE Jr.

BUENOS AIRES


SURELY this is the moment to cry for Argentina. Or is it?

After years of economic contraction and months of political turmoil, money is short and times are hard. Vacations have been canceled and housing purchases deferred. Food-loving Argentines have been forced to forgo many of the pleasures of the table -- even curtailing their compulsive consumption of beef, this country's longstanding agricultural and gastronomic pride and joy. No longer can most people eat beef five or six times a week. No longer can they afford to consume something like 130 pounds of beef a year per person, more than twice as much as Americans. No longer do construction workers set up makeshift grills at curbside to cook steaks for lunch or dinner, perfuming much of downtown Buenos Aires with the sweet, smoky smell of sirloin.

Many working people have given up beef altogether; a few have even given up their habitual Friday night pizza. When President Eduardo Duhalde said recently that Argentina should "be more like Chile," which is a little like a British prime minister saying that his country should be more like Italy, it was widely suggested that he had given up steaks for humble pie.

Yet with the help of an influx of tourists, parts of Buenos Aires, which used to style itself "the Paris of Latin America," still twinkle like the City of Light. There may be a few empty places at Cabana Las Lilas, the town's top steakhouse, but the toothsome cuadriles (rump steaks) and sturdy malbec reds from Mendoza still draw the movers and shakers. The young, hip and beautiful pour into the Gran Bar Danzon to devour delectable sushi and ceviche and sample flights of chardonnay. They also frequent its smart new sibling, Sucre, where the chef is Fernando Trocca, who used to cook at Vandam in SoHo.

Families still go for Sunday lunch, often with babes in arms, to Il Matterello, a homely Italian spot in La Boca, the working-class quarter of brightly painted houses founded by immigrants from Genoa. There everyone laughs, talks, drinks and feasts on superb homemade pastas, which Buenos Aires gourmands fancy almost as much as their beloved bife.

Accomplished French food remains on offer (at La Bourgogne, among other places), as does skillfully prepared fish (like the elvers, or tiny eels, at Dora). Also available, inevitably, is some decidedly iffy international fare, such as that at Katrine, a French-Italian-Argentine establishment run by a Norwegian, which was skewered by Jonathan Meades of The Times of London as "all ambition and no achievement."

A FEW restaurants have been forced to close by 15 to 25 percent declines in business, including Harry Cipriani, once the hangout of many of the politicians now reluctant to show their faces in public. Francis Mallmann, a charismatic 46-year-old chef who shot to prominence through his television programs, is hoping to offset slumping receipts at his restaurants in Argentina and across the River Plate in Uruguay by opening a place this month in Westhampton on Long Island, called Patagonia.

But Argentines are Latins, after all, and most are reluctant to give up their evenings on the town. In addition, the devaluation of the peso, which has fallen from parity with the dollar to a current rate of three to the dollar, has helped the local restaurant trade in two ways: relatively prosperous Argentines get a lot more for their newly weak pesos in a Buenos Aires restaurant than in one in Miami, and foreign visitors find that Buenos Aires, once an expensive city, has turned into a cheaper one.

So Chileans, Brazilians and Europeans are traveling to Argentina, along with a rapidly increasing number of North Americans.

For them, everything is half price, or less. Dinner with wine at Las Lilas that used to cost $40 now goes for only $20. Lunch at Munich Recoleta, a Germanic brasserie, costs $12. Hoping to lure more Americans to his country, the new Argentine ambassador to Washington, Diego Guelar, touts food bargains in his capital.

"The best steak in the world, in a deluxe restaurant, for $15 tops," he enthused recently. "In a simpler place, a neighborhood parrilla or grill, it's only $5 or so. Unbeatable."

For most of the last century, the melancholy strains of the tango, so universally beloved here, have provided the perfect background music for bewildering failure. Early in the 1900's, Argentina was richer than France and had more cars than Japan. Uniquely in Latin America, it boasted a large middle class. Now it is a land of punctured hopes.

"It's our own fault," Mr. Mallmann said. "We've failed as a people because we haven't faced up to reality. We have to learn you can't buy everything with a credit card."

The portenos, as the locals call themselves, make do and pray that better days lie ahead. One of them explained the formula: "A good meal, a glass or two of good red wine and a good, healthy denunciation of the politicians and all their works makes our lives more tolerable."

BEFORE rioting broke out late last year in the streets of major cities, leading to five changes of presidents in two weeks, before impoverished government treasuries began printing scriplike "bonds" called patacones and lecops and lecors, my wife, Betsey, and I flew west to the Pampas, the infinitely rich inland seas of grass where the big steers graze.

We were the guests of Octavio Caraballo, a leading Argentine beef baron who owns Cabana Las Lilas -- a burly, gravel-voiced, larger-than-life figure who had already fired up a stogie when we met him at 10:30 in the morning. It took his Cessna only an hour and a quarter to leave the sprawl of Buenos Aires behind and deliver us to his 17,846-acre estancia, or ranch, also called Las Lilas, about 270 miles due west of the capital.

It is hard to imagine a better place for cattle than these immense grasslands, stretching table-flat to the horizon. Their potential was evident to early Spanish settlers. Juan Ortiz de Zarate, a forward-looking conquistador, took seven cows and a bull to the River Plate region in 1554, and they and their successors have thrived on an all-grass diet. Argentine steers are fed no grain and given no hormones, which produces meat with much lower fat content and cholesterol than American beef.

Munching away for centuries, generation after generation, on alfalfa, gray grass and clover, the herds have provided meat for markets both at home and abroad. Beef from the Pampas built the carnivore culture of Argentina, a country where discussions of steak cause grown men and women of all social classes to roll their eyes, smack their lips and pat their bellies. Beef from the Pampas also helped make the nation rich; at one time Argentina accounted for half the world's beef exports.

But no longer. Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease here have several times led countries abroad to close their markets to Argentine beef. Europe recently reopened its markets after all 52 million head of cattle in this country were vaccinated.

The big American market remains shut tight. United States authorities reopened it in 1997, and Argentine beef began to build a following among restaurateurs and supermarkets, but in 2000 a fresh outbreak of the disease brought a new closure. In 1999, sales of beef from Argentina reached about $52 million.

When Ambassador Guelar presented his credentials to President Bush several months ago, he also handed Mr. Bush a toy stuffed cow named Valentina as a reminder that Argentina was eager to resume the beef trade. More recently, Mr. Guelar said he expected that the American market would reopen next February, a year after the last appearance of foot-and-mouth disease in Argentine herds on Jan. 23.

Las Lilas and other estancias will have to augment their stocks, and slaughterhouses increase capacity, if exports are to resume. But the potential is certainly there. In good times, Mr. Caraballo told us, Las Lilas has fattened 4,500 to 5,000 steers a year -- brooding Angus, fuzzy-faced Herefords and crosses of the two. Calves weighing 400 pounds grow after 18 months on its pastures to about 1,000.

"The goal, of course, is to produce the most meat with the best flavor in the shortest time," he said as we rattled across the range in a truck, surrounded by swarms of butterflies. "If you're good to the land, I find, the land will be good to you."

>From a distance the gigantic beasts look like a fleet of cruisers and destroyers silhouetted against the horizon. Up close, they look even more formidable, until you notice the jaunty little yellow birds perched like lookouts on their broad backs.

In his breeding operation, one of the largest in the world, Mr. Caraballo uses the latest technology. Each bull's bloodline is recorded in a computer, and studies are carried out to evaluate fertility and other aspects of bovine reproduction. Ultrasound devices are used to calculate yield and quality, such as percentage of fat marbling.

But Las Lilas is also a stronghold of custom. It is manned by lean, laconic, self-sufficient gauchos in traditional dress -- broad-brimmed straw or green felt hats; ponchos whose design identifies the gaucho's home territory; the pleated trousers known as bombachas; and flat-heel boots. They ride tough quarter horses with white diamonds on their foreheads, much as their forebears did in the days of Mr. Caraballo's grandfather Alfredo Hirsch, who founded Las Lilas in 1912.

A wealthy man, Mr. Caraballo could collect Italian paintings or English furniture. But he surrounds himself instead with the artifacts of life on the estancia -- old ponchos, carriages, silver harness ornaments, caricatures of gauchos, photos of grand-champion steers. An inveterate traveler thoroughly at home in New York and Europe, he remains a man of the Pampas.

He gave us a proper Pampas lunch, packed with protein, daunting in quantity, on the veranda behind his peach-colored stucco ranch house. An asador (pit master) had started a fire of hardwood logs at 10 in the morning in a nearby grove, and had begun cooking ribs of beef a half-hour later. These were spread-eagled on an iron frame off to one side of the fire. Sausages, steaks and fillets of beef went onto a standard grill, known here as a parrilla.

The asador let both of the fires fade to gray coals before starting, so the meat would cook slowly.

We started with ham and cheese empanadas, and then tasty but pretty skimpy salads of cabbage and tomatoes; most Argentine grown-ups like vegetables about as much as most American kids do. The meat came to the table very well done, to put it mildly. A picky eater might have described it as burned.

But my first bite of rib-eye -- ojo de bife -- made me an ardent advocate of Argentine beef. It was a bit chewier than our grain-fed meat, but dripping with juice despite its long sojourn on the fire, vibrant, smoky and slightly gamy in flavor, with a salty caramelized crust. I thought the simple chimichurri sauce of garlic, parsley and red pepper flakes in olive oil a perfect condiment, but Mr. Caraballo turned up his nose.

"I don't think it's good for the blood," he said earnestly.

Health wasn't much on our minds, especially at the end of the meal. Already full to bursting with rib-eye, chorizo sausage and a succulent Argentine cut of ribs called tira de asado, we succumbed to a dessert of vanilla ice cream topped with gooey dulce de leche, or caramelized milk.

BACK in Buenos Aires, I joined Mr. Caraballo for dinner at Cabana Las Lilas; by then, Betsey had had enough beef for a lifetime or two. Housed in a converted warehouse in the dock area, the restaurant is paneled in dark "masculine" wood, with a series of huge parrillas at the entrance. These are of special design. The grill bars are in fact triangular steel channels, which conduct fats and juices away from the fire, where they might cause flare-ups.

Among the treats that evening were spicy chorizo sausages, crisp-skinned morcillas (blood sausages studded with raisins), crusty sweetbreads and amazingly tender kidneys, to say nothing of steak, steak and more steak. Tomato-and-onion salad. Souffle potatoes. The best red wine in the land. And a puckery lemon sorbet at the end.

This feast was as much fun to watch in preparation as to eat. The grill men deftly shuffled the cuts of meat from the hottest parts of the coals to cooler areas, turning them and methodically inspecting them every few minutes, in a bravura performance that is repeated night after night as the restaurant works its way through 90 tons of beef a year, which is roughly 4,600 steers!

The city is stuffed with steakhouses, not only grand ones like Las Lilas and El Mirasol, near the Four Seasons Hotel, and the much-loved Raya, in the Palermo district, but also thousands of simpler places. La Estancia, downtown, features beef cooked barbecue style over a campfire. Los Anos Locos, a big, loud barn of a place out along the river, is amazingly inexpensive.

Sadly, the very best beef I ate is out of reach for the moment. That was at Francis Mallman's house, in which he formerly operated a low-key, reservations-only semi-restaurant. I must confess that even his subtle touch could not convince me of the virtues of matambre -- flank steak poached and wrapped around hard-cooked eggs, carrots, parsley and bell peppers.

But a huge roasted sirloin bought from an Italian butcher in the neighborhood, not some elite provisioner of restaurants, came dangerously close to perfection. Mr. Mallmann called it a "corta de pistola" because the end of the sirloin drooped a bit, giving it the shape of a gun. He served it with crisp disks of pommes Anna and a concentrated, jammy merlot-malbec blend from the Salta region that stood up very well to the steak's richness.

Picking and choosing among the many other highlights in my notebooks, I must mention the knowledgeable, multilingual young sommelier at La Bourgogne, a Cuban named Orlando Vazquez, who taught me a lot about Latin American wines in a single evening. And the austere old Munich Recoleta, with its white-aproned waiters and stuffed kudu head on the wall, where I ate a classic milanesa or sauteed veal cutlet, accompanied by a properly drawn chopp, or draft beer. Jorge Luis Borges, the great novelist, was a regular there.

If I lived in Buenos Aires, I would hang out at Filo, a jazzy, modern, authentic pizzeria, as well as Il Matterello, whose homemade pastas made me sing. Green tagliatelle with parmesan, cream and pancetta was terrific; ravioli with tomatoes of exquisite concentration and sweetness was better; and fettuccine showered with chopped arugula was magnificent, with the heat of the noodles releasing a wonderfully springlike aroma from the arugula.

It was enough to make a person forget beef. Well, almost.

On the Grill
IN Argentina, people do not live by beef alone (except most of the time). Here are some fine restaurants in Buenos Aires:
LA BOURGOGNE
Ayacucho 2027
(54-11) 4805-3857
LA CABANA LAS LILAS
Alicia Moreau de Justo 516
(54-11) 4313-1336
FILO
San Martin 975
(54-11) 4311-0312
GRAN BAR DANZON
Libertad 1161
(54-11) 4811-1108
KATRINE
Alicia Moreau de Justo 138
(54-11) 4315-6222
IL MATTERELLO
Martin Rodriguez 517
(54-11) 4307-0529
MUNICH RECOLETA
Roberto M. Ortiz 1879
(54-11) 4804-3981
SUCRE
Sucre 676
(54-11) 4782-9082

I've been to BA twice in the past two weeks, and there is no shortage of people out shopping, dining in restaurants, and enjoying life. The devaluation may have put a damper on travel plans to other countries, but there is definitely life in BA.

Best steaks I had were at La Caballeriza at Village Recoleta. (Vincente Lopez 2024). The Italian food next door at La Strada was also very good. I enjoyed Tenorio on Junin for a basic unpretentious meal and good people watching. Hereford on Presidente Ortiz is about the same. I ate light lunches, a milanesa sandwich, salad, or a bocadillo de jamon crudo. Just enough to keep me walking around the city. One nght Gregorio, Ezy and I had pizza which was good. It came with many toppings including salad dressing. Sounds gross, but it was quite tasty. Thin crust. As for wines the Luigi Boscas (30 pesos in a restaurant) are quality. I also enjoyed the Trapiche and the Chandon. Whatever you do make sure to try some Malbecs. They are fruity and refreshing.

just saw an interesting link regarding steak restaurants in ba

http://www.sallys-place.com/travel/s_america/buenos_aires.htm

Crafter,

Personally I have heard of any of these resturants, and they left out some really good ones, and did not even mention Puerto Madero along the waterfront.

There is not a bad restaurant in BA, and if you don't like the one you are looking at, then pick another. There are hundreds.

Moondog

moondog:

thanks for your thoughts on the restaurant reviews - as always seems to be the case with those types of writeups, one should always as the locals for advice.

i thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in the local culture and really look forward to trying and eating the local cuisine so this will be a big part of my trip, especially since i love my bife and vino!

thanks again

Crafter

This review appears to be several years old, since it does not mention Puerto Madero. So, while the article is useful as a guide to areas of town in which good restaurants are concentrated, it should be noted that several new restaurant meccas have emerged and some of the specific restaurants cited in this guide have either gone out of business or moved.

Three areas mentioned in the article are still excellent spots to go when in search of a good steak or other cuisine.....

R.M.Ortiz in Recoleta: R.M.Ortiz is the pedestrian mall extension of Junin, the restaurant row of Recoleta. The entire Junin/Ortiz area is brimming with excellent restaurants which offer indoor or outdoor seating. Las Lilas, one of the restaurants cited in the article, has moved to Puerto Madero where it is still serving what are arguably the best steaks in Buenos Aires.

La Recova. Just down Libertador from Patio Bullrich, La Recova boasts a number of outstanding upscale restaurants. For example, there is a Spanish restaurant that serves tapas...muy bueno!

Retiro. Las Nazarenas and La Chacra, two of the restaurants cited in the article, are still located in this part of downtown. There are countless other grand and not-so-elegent restaurants in Retiro that serve up great food.

Two areas not mentioned in the article that any serious foodie should check out:

Puerto Madero. As Moondog states, this area along the waterfront contains a high concentration of wonderful restaurants, including Las Lilas (steaks), Rodizo (asado), Puerto Cristal (seafood) and Bisteca (tenedor libre--all you can eat).

Las Canitas. In Belgrano, near the Polo Grounds...lots of good restaurants, including a couple of Chinese and Thai restaurants.

Basically, while these areas provide high concentrations of good restaurants, excellent food can be had almost anywhere in the barrios visitors are most likely to find themselves in......
For example, if you are strolling down Lavalle stop in Vale Rio, on the corner of Lavalle and Esmeralda.....Enjoy the chicken verdeo, a succulant chicken breast smothered in a rich sauce.....Try a Tuti Fruiti for dessert....The whole meal will cost you less than the price of a MacCombo at home, and the taste will be infinitely more satisfying.....

As I have written before and still believe: It is hard to find an ugly woman or a bad restaurant in Buenos Aires! Enjoy both.

ezy:

fantastic information..and now you did it...i am getting hungry just thinking about the ba food ...just finished eating a wonderful tuna sandwhich topped off by a diet pepsi - ultimate lunch cuisine ;(.

what are the typical prices for 2 people for dinner for say at a place in Puerto Madero (las lilas, bisteca) with a moderately priced bottle of vino and desert?

have you guys taken any of your 'dates' to these restaurants - if so, is it a comfortable atmosphere? restaurants are a vital part for me when setting the moood with a girl as i prefer to first meet them for a drink in a quiet place and then head to dinner and then back to my room.

thanks ezy and mdoog - i am just going to print out what you wrote above and make it my bible for restauranteering in ba ;)

....maybe i should head to the capital grille for dinner ...

ah...precios...

las lilas...100pesos for 2 including an appetizer, wine, a succulant steak and tip. Chica appropriate? Por supesto! The restaurants in Puerto Madero are in renovated old brick buildings on the river front. Ask for a table in the back overlooking the river...the shimmer of lights off the water, the exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, starched white table cloths, attentive service....very romantic....

Bisteca...60 pesos including tip for 2. This is a very upscale all you can eat restaurant...again, ask for a table overlooking the river. A good place for Sunday brunch....New Age is a bubbly white wine that goes well with the food and which most chicas enjoy....

Rodizo will cost about the same as Bisteca. Here the waiters will bring grilled meats to your table on skewers and offer you samples of everything from pork to steak to chorizo sausage.
Excellent desserts and salads are also a part of the pre-set price. Great way to experience grilled meats and enjoy a leisurely meal with your esposa for the evening.....A hearty Malbec goes well with this meal.

The tapas restaurant in La Recova is also a good date destination, though a little more formal than the other restaurants. I think I was the only man in the place without a tie on my last visit....still, very impressive food and wine list.

Don't go too early....most restaurants in BA don't start hopping until 9-10 in the evening.

You mention a quiet bar for a before dinner drink...try Chandon in Puerto Madero. And do stock up on Chandon champagne for those special moments with chicas in your room/apartment....a small bottle of extra brut will set you back 12-20 pesos....consider it a small investment to help assure your satisfaciton en la cama...there is something about bubbly that elevates the mood/performence level of the chicas!!!

1 dollar=3.5 pesos as of this week, so you can see the prices are not that expensive. less than 30dollars for 2 at Las Lilas and 17dollars at Bisteca.

ah...precios...

las lilas...100pesos for 2 including an appetizer, wine, a succulant steak and tip. Chica appropriate? Por supesto! Ask for a table in the back overlooking the river...very romantic....

Bisteca...60 pesos including tip for 2. This is a very upscale all you can eat restaurant...again, ask for a table overlooking the river.

Rodizo will cost about the same as Bisteca. Here the waiters will bring grilled meats to your table on skewers and offer you samples of everything from pork to steak to chorizo sausage.
Excellent desserts and salads are also a part of the pre set price.

The tapas restaurant in La Recova is also a good date destination, though a little more formal than the other restaurants. I think I was the only man in the place without a tie on my last visit....still, very impressive food and wine list.

You mention a quiet bar for a before dinner drink...try Chandon in Puerto Madero. And do stock up on Chandon champagne for those special moments with chicas in your room/apartment....a small bottle of extra brut will set you back 12-20 pesos....consider it a small investment to help assure your satisfaciton en la cama...there is something about bubbly that elevates the mood/performence level of the chicas!!!

1 dollar=3.5 pesos as of this week, so you can see the prices are not that expensive. less than 30dollars for 2 at Las Lilas and 17dollars at Bisteca.

oops. double shot...wish I could do that as easily with the chicas....I am not as young as I once was...Thank God for hot young chicas and the miracle of modern medicine! Vitamin V Rocks!

funny ezy on the double shot. i took vit v to see what it would do and it completely messed me up -very stuffy nose, blue haze offer everything, headache and had a stiffy that lasted for about 2 hours after finishing a 2x session with a gal!

wow, I cannot believe the prices are so cheap at those restuarants especially given that they all seem to be first class places and very well reviewed! at those prices I can have lunch and dinner at those places and cafe and postres at a nice little cafe! $30 at the palm or peter luger's in the u.s. gets you a garbage salad or steak tomatoes and onions as appetizers!

you mentioned attire - what is the typical dress code in those places, should I break out the suits and ferragamo/armani ties ;) and sportcoats, or khakis's and a nice button down...

c

Khakis and a nice button down will work nicely in the chica clubs and in virtually every restaurant in town....although many of the locals do dress up, it is not essential to enjoy the best of BA....

Swedish restaurant lover is delighted by your report. Ezy and Moondog seems to be the experts. This new situation with the floating currency made me think twice about prices in BA, but I think this restaurant discussion has put and end to worries of becoming disappointment. In late November I will be enjoying life in BA like no other! And going to the derbys between La Boca and River Plate must be very thrilling. And not to forget, Café Orleans and the late night clubs...
thanks you all hombres for giving me all this information, especially Ezy, Moondog and Godfather...

Have been exploring Bs.As. for the last couple months and I just wanted to let everyone know about some of my favorite restaurants.
Cabaņa Las Lilas - Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 516, Puerto Madero, www.laslilas.com.ar

Basically the nicest Argentine restaurant in Bs.As. Best steak I've ever had. The Medallon de Lomo (a pound of filet mignon) is an amazing steak for 27 pesos. All the beef is grown on thier own Estancia, a variety of fresh baked gourmet breads, and a very classy presentation make this place one not to miss.

Hsiang Ting Tang - Taiwanese Cuisine, Arribeņos 2245, Belgrano, (Arribeņos and Mendoza, a few blocks off Libertador)

This place is the perfect compliment to all the rich and heavy Argentine foods (I can only take so many pounds of beef and empanadas de pollo). One of the best Asian restaurants I've been to (I spent a year in Thailand and Asian food is one of my passions). Great selection of appetizers which are all very good (Ravioles al vapor = Steamed Pork Wontons are my favorite), but the highlight is the Three Aroma Chicken (Pollo al Norma Aleandro, 18 pesos). Big juicy chunks of boneless chicken in a rich, dark sauce flavored with garlic, basil, and ginger. I promise you will be finishing the sauce with a spoon once the chicken is gone. The other big winner is a steaming hot beef dish (Carne Ting Tang, 15 pesos) which comes out to the table on a sizzling hot plate. The beef slices are so tender and the sauce once again is amazing. And to finish, some rice cakes and a cold sweet tea mixed with a little coffee. It could be the next thing in energy drinks.

Olsen - Gorriti 5870, Palermo, www.geocities.com/olsenbuenosaires/

Scandinavian Restaurant/Bar/Garden where everything is very stylish and the food is definitely gourmet. Was very busy on a weeknight around 11pm (I guess this place is very popular) and we almost didn't get a table for two. The theme is vodka, which is kept at about 15 degrees below zero in a built in glass freezer behind the bar. Great salads like Arugula with warm pear and brie. The must-do appetizer is the 3 Vodka/ 3 Smorrebrod. It's three open faced Danish sandwiches (one was ham and brie, another was lox and cream cheese) and three different vodkas to share...
My main was an open faced sandwich made of Beef Gravlox, Gruyere cheese, and tomatoes piled about 4 inches high. Delicious. The desserts looked interesting, but I was stuffed so maybe next time.

Hey guys, Iīm tired of Puerto Madero tourist class and tourist price food. I recommend Palermo viejo and choose any of the restaurants there. Start at 11pm and get a seat before they are crowded at 12:30. Recommendations are Dashi (for Sushi), Freud y Fahlers (small chica friendly portions, excellent taste, totally different than rest of BA) and basically all the area, as itīs the heart of living BA.

Dashi: Fitz Roy 1613, corner Gorriti, 4776 3500
Freud y Fahlers: Gurruchaga 1750 (secret tip!!)


If you are prepared to spend 30 mins/20 ARS in a cab, go to Martinez and visit Street "Darda Rocha". It combines a lot of restaurants of all levels. Top ones are

La rosa negra, Darda Rocha (close to Carmela)
Carmela, Darda Rocha 1810, 4717 2207

All cab drivers will know these places in Darda Rocha

Those ones you can see on many cars running in BA, they have a sticker next to their numberplates on the back showing either a black rose or the nicely painted CARMELA name.

Cheaper ones:
San Isidro Labrado (close to Darda Rocha y Panamericana)
Siga la vaca (pay once and eat as much meat as you can)

If you want to go a bit further: At Libertador, roughly 16.000, there are KANSAS and DALLAS grill. They are competitors, but equal in quality and provide local grill stuff. As this is San Isidro where a lot of rich people live, level of restaurants is good as well. However, no tourist traps as tourists donīt end up there.

Have fun, se come bien en Buenos Aires,

Flirty

Mucho gracias.

CP

I'll go out on a limb and say Dashi is a hit-or-miss w.r.t sushi. Go early afternoon; avoid late night.

One of the chicas; took me to a half-decent indian (Katmandu) - half-decent; because we have tons of good curry houses in London.

COMER



I found a new spot for the very budget minded! Comer is around the corner from Etoile on Guido between Ortiz and Ayacucho.

It's a buffet place, all you can eat. I liked it not only due to low price, but I like to grab a quick coffee when I wake up (noon?), and I like to eat protein in the morning, and I want something really fast! Here, all the food is ready for you, so I could get my immediate eats with my coffee.

ar$7 weekday lunches, not more than ar$11-13 for dinners anynight.

The place is huge, with 2 cold/salad buffets and 1 hot food buffet.




Granted, the buffet food is only average, but I only wanted pure of batata or pure of pumpkin, spinach and veggies (and they had plenty of all this).

The real gems were the made to order / short order counter, where you can get rabbit/chicken/fish/beef/pastas all made to your order, and the parilla in the rear of the place, with all types of meats.




And last, they had a dessert buffet, which included 6 different types of ice cream.

The service is typical Argentine top-level... and for a buffet? - the waiters are always attending to the food, and they wipe down your plate and glass before they let you use them, typically pouring you more soda/beer before you can reach for the bottle, etc.

Drinks cost extra, but for about ar$10-15 including beverage and tip, this place is a nice find.

This place also has lots of different cold cuts and about a dozen different cheeses.Take note that they shut down after 3pm and reopen at 830pm for dinner.Buffets here are called TENADOR LIBRES.

HI JUST WANTED TO MENTION ASIA DE CUBA , IN PUERTO MADERO GREAT SUSHI, GREAT FOOD A LITTLE DARK ,GREAT SERVICE,NEED RESEVATIONS BUT THE CHICAS LOVE IT, AROUND 100 TO 180 pesos DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ARE EATING OR DRINKING ..RIVALS NOBU (MOST EXPNSIVE EXCLUSIVE SUSHI JOINT IN NYC) I WOULD HAVE PAID 300 TO 400 DOLLARS IN NYC FOR WHAT I ATE AND DRANK HERE MY GIRLFRINDS LOVE IT HERE ALOS BICE, RODIZIO, AND OTHER IN PUETO MADERO ARE GREAT !!!!

Orient Express recently reintroduced La Cabana to BA, considered by some one of the greatest steak houses in the Americas, the portions nor the prices are for the weak, but an experience to remember
http://www.la-cabana.net/web/rcab/rcab_a2a_home.jsp

I also checked out Asia de Cuba, pretty good, with great prices. We didn't have reservation. So we greased 20 pesos and had a perfect table. Bigger portions then both california locations. Sushi cannot compare to Nobu (Miami)
Which is good. California has the best Sushi.
We also checked out Las Lilas steakhouse. For some reason SA meat are too damm tight/chewy. I even tried the filet and I was chewing the shit like big league bubble gum.

CN

I like to hit neighborhood/family restaurants instead of always going to Puerto Madero, so here are two I can recommend. Unfortunately, I don't have full info on them, both are parrillas with great steaks.

Campachero, or something like that:
This is one of two or three restaurants that are located across from the kids' playground where Larea deadends into Pueyrredon. This street block has the playground on one side, and a McDonalds and some restaurants on the other. Campach-something is mid-block, and has the parrilla visible from the window left of the door. There is great outside seating. Dinner for two was about AR$60 with tip without drinks/wine - appetizers and steaks. Great quality steaks.

Cabrera or Cabalero, or something like that:
This is a famous local's parrilla in Palermo Hollywood. I don't have much of any info on it, except that it's 1/2 block off of Thomas or Thames?...maybe on Cabrera street? ...anyway, it's only a few blocks south of Plaza Serano and if you ask around locals know it. It is very crowded for a small little place, reservations are recommended. It is super authentic.