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Joel Chusid's Insider Tips for Buenos Aires Food and WineBy Joel ChusidContrary to popular belief, there is far more to the cuisine of Buenos Aires than beef. In fact, Buenos Aires, as a world class city, has plenty of diversity in cuisine offerings, and they are wonderful. Food quality is excellent, but be warned now, it is served late! A better restaurant won’t even think of opening its doors before 9 pm. Generally people go to dinner 9:30 pm or later, especially in summer, when it is common to arrive for dinner at 11 pm or even midnight. It is also not unusual for gringo tourists to be standing outside a restaurant at 9:00 pm waiting for it to open, although some of the more casual places, mainly cafes, tend to remain open round the clock. They may offer sandwiches, soups, or more substantial items, although it may not seem obvious, and you might have to ask for a menu. There is a way to deal with this schedule. Do as the locals do, and have a snack of some sort around 6:00. Restaurants may not be open, but cafes are. Some people take a small sandwich, tea or just a coffee and pastry. This will get you through to the actual dinner hour.
Almost any restaurant in Buenos Aires will also deliver, including some McDonalds, with the service called McEntrega (McDeliver in English!). Better restaurants will also take reservations. As Argentines do not rush their meal, if you arrive without reservations at a popular place and there are no open tables, expect to wait for awhile. If you’re not in a rush, relax with a glass of Malbec and people watch. What amazes me is how slender most Argentine women are despite all the beef, bread, and ice cream they eat, and at such a late hour! Aside from the expected steak restaurants (Cabaňa Las Lilas, La Cabelleriza, Happening – in Puerto Madero, and all excellent), Italian food is everywhere, as are places for empanadas of all varieties (see below), which you should try. In Puerto Madero, Sigue La Vaca is an all you can eat steak place in the same area, but as it’s very moderately priced, there can be a line to get in.
In Recoleta, there is no shortage of restaurants (Lola, Munich del Pilar, and plenty more side by side); a few blocks away is the elegant Teatriz (Riobamba 1220 near Arenales) for nouvelle cuisine. The famous pizza and Italian restaurant, Los Immortales is also in Recoleta, but the original is on Corrientes in the theatre district. The area around Corrientes and Montevideo has several inexpensive but excellent restaurants like Pippo (open 24 hours) and Las Cañas (Montevideo 350) is particularly good; ask for Coco the waiter. One of the first places I ever ate at Argentina, still open but with a new name, is Aquellos Años (for great and reasonably priced steaks) on the Costanera, near the city airport. In some neighborhoods, you can find fresh pasta and incredible pastries on nearly every block. Near my apartment in Palermo’s Little Italy is a lasagneria. I love the pasta frola (not pasta but a sort of jam filled pastry-like cake), and the tartas, a sort of quiche made from a variety of vegetables that can make a great light lunch. Argentines are known for relishing cholesterol-elevating kidneys (riñones), entrails, and sweetbreads (mollejas), and these are always available at steak restaurants.
My favorite Italian place is Bella Italia, Rep. Arabe Siria 3285, 4802-4253, reservations a must as it’s open Mon-Sat dinner only, although they also have a more casual café across the street open far longer hours. You must try it, if it’s the only restaurant you try to in BA! Gustavo Lena, the owner, is now an old friend, and he will take care of you. If he’s not there, his mother is usually there overseeing things. Website: www.bellaitalia-gourmet.com.ar. Around the corner is another good restaurant, Cosentina, at Segui 3760. It’s owned by Fabio, who also operates the casual, but reasonably priced and good quality Matilda (Cerviño and Salguero) with free Wi-Fi that even works outdoors, and slightly more upscale with more of a rustic menu, Anastasia, a block away at Bulnes and Cabello. If you’re downtown, the lower level food court in Galerias Pacificos (Florida & Cordoba) offers something for everyone, if you happen to be shopping and want a quick bite. Across the street, however, is an unusual, trendy restaurant that many people don’t know about. That’s because it’s located in a real convent. El Claustro Santa Catalina, San Martin 705 (4312-0235) at Viamonte, is definitely worth a visit for lunch, if you can get in! Also downtown is Bengal at Arenales 822 (4393-0130), near Santa Fe and Suipacha, elegant and wonderful. In Belgrano, there are also plenty of eateries. I discovered Capisci, at Vuelta de Obligado 2072 (4788-4400) with pleasant al fresco dining, sometimes with live jazz, and it’s conveniently adjacent to the newest Persicco ice cream shrine. (Read on below about ice cream; it warrants its own section.) If you’re in BA for a few days and want to go to a place few locals have been, visit the tiny, but unique Chinatown, located on Arribeños in Belgrano. The most pleasant restaurant there, BuddhaBA (Buddha Buenos Aires, at #2288, tel. 4706-2382) is run by my friend, Margarita de Hsieh. It has a lovely garden, art gallery, and tea room as well as an attractive restaurant. Margarita is a travel agent and also owns a hotel downtown, but this 1920’s building is charming, and while the restaurant has a regular menu at night, the executive lunch for $5US is excellent. Margarita has been a resident of Buenos Aires for 25 years, and is believes in bringing Chinese and Argentines together. She is a gem, and just say Joel sent you. By all means, try the traditional Argentine street food, empanadas, baked, but sometimes fried, little pies with a variety of fillings. These are usually ordered as take out food; a guide comes with an order so you know what is what by the shape. There are four types, criollas, tucumanas, tucumanes, and salteñas. People will debate over whose are the best, but one of my favorites is Lo de Alvarado, salteña style, and they deliver from one of two locations (4812-3462). Romario is an informal place with branches all over town (near me, about 6 blocks down Cabello for pizza, empanadas, etc. delivery 4511-4444). Garbi’s is a wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant that also has a take-out. Of late, they had a special for $8 all you can eat, plus wine, but a nice $6 peso bottle of Malbec came with an added bonus – an additional bottle of the same to take with you. That means this fine wine costs less than $3 a bottle, and this is in a restaurant! Grants, which has several branches including one on Las Heras and on Scalabrini Ortiz, is an all you can eat place, with good, but not outstanding, quality at a very low price. An all you can eat luncheon buffet that includes even a sushi and stir-fry bar, costs about $3 plus beverage. While they’re cheap, avoid the awful Solo Empanadas chain. As promised, ice cream (helado) deserves special attention. Undoubtedly Buenos Aires has the best ice cream I’ve ever had. (sorry, Italy!) You’re in ice cream heaven with Persicco, one of which is near my home at Salguero and Cabello, although there are now a few more. It has free WiFi and a café area, but for ice cream, you need to understand the drill, that also applies in other heladerias. Look at the menu on the wall, choose the size you want, pay for it at the cashier, and then wait for your number to be called. In the meantime you can decide which flavor you want. There are half a dozen different dulce de leche flavors alone. Dulce de leche, similar to caramel, by the way, is an Argentine passion. You’ll find it flavoring everything. Persicco has “light” and even kosher ice cream, so identified. It’s worth it just to see the electrified atmosphere, but waits can be lengthy at peak times. This is the first Persicco in town and, while now there are others, people come from miles around to see and be seen there. It’s especially packed in the evening, even at 2am, but it open until 3am on weekends! They also deliver. Freddo is also quite good, has branches all over town, and uses a similar system for paying. A new hot spot, Volta, at Libertador 3060, is elegant and very popular. There are cafes, confiterias, tempting bakeries, and snack bars everywhere. This is where, as I suggested, you can “prepare” for late dining by snacking at 6, as well as taking breakfast, tea, or a coffee any time of day. Some are open all night, for that late night coffee or early breakfast after a typically long nigh out. Medias lunas are Argentine croissants, and there are two types: one made with butter (“manteca”) or one made with vegetable shortening (“grasa”) Near my place is a branch of Café Martinez, on Cerviño at Scalabrini Ortiz, and is great for breakfast or just coffee, and has free WiFi. It’s an Argentine version of Starbucks. Look for Guido, who speaks English, in the afternoons and evenings. Claudia, one of the owners, is from Colombia. We met at a wedding. The elegant Bella Italia also has a café on Rep. Arabe Siria as well as one in Belgrano. You can do a full meal or just a coffee at these places. Finding decaf can be difficult, so I have discovered an Argentine invention, the lagrima (literally the “tear”), which is steamed milk served in an expresso cup with a drop of coffee, especially in late evening. In restaurants, a tip of 10% is pretty standard, although check if it’s included in the bill. Sometimes, if you happen to be mistaken as a local, the waiter (or even the cashier in a supermarket) will ask “consumidor final?” to which your answer will always be yes. It has something to do with taxes, if you are going to resell the goods – a short answer to a complicated question. Argentine wines are outstanding, and right now they are among the best bargains in the world. High quality wines and champagnes are available at the supermarket or in liquor stores, and prices don’t vary much. There are some wines for sale for less than a dollar, but that’s pushing it. Anything 8 pesos or more (about $3US) is going to be quite drinkable, and something above 20 pesos is going to be remarkable. My favorites are the red Malbecs and Syrahs, and there are now all kinds of blends as well. Bonarda is becoming popular. Wines are also cheap in the airport duty free shop, and can be packaged for easy carry-on your departing flight, but they can sometimes be cheaper in supermarkets. I always try and pick up a half dozen bottles of a 500ml size of Trapiche Syrah, when I can find it for about $5. La Añada, on Segui 3572, near my apartment, has a nice selection. Roberto is the owner, and he’s very accommodating, but alas, he does not speak English. Terroir is a terrific and elegant place, in an old mansion, in Palermo, to taste and buy wines. It’s at Buschiazzo 3040 in Palermo, and can be reached at 4778-3443. Well known brands include: Trapiche, Luigi Bosca (AA is serving this label now in Business class on flights to South America, but it is not widely available in the US), Norton, Finca Flichman, Navarro Correas, Nieto Senetiner, and Valmont, which is produced by Chandon. Chandon (owned by the Louis Vuitton conglomerate) also produces a fine label, Terrazas, and other excellent sparkling wines in the country, and there is an elegant Chandon Bar at Puerto Madero. I recently discovered Calia, a wonderful wine, with Malbecs, Sirahs, and blends, and it costs only about 8 pesos from Roberto at La Añada. Bottom line: you will eat and drink very well in Buenos Aires, at a fraction of the cost for the same, or even lesser quality, as in other countries. Try some of the local dishes, and enjoy the experience. Photos Courtesy of Dan Chusid |
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Beef is indeed king, and reasonably priced, but there is
great variety for everyone, even vegans. Salads are innovative and large enough
for sharing, and are usually served with the meal, not before. Al fresco dining
is common in summer as the evenings usually cool off. But if it’s a warm
evening, look for “clerico” as a beverage offering, and by all means, try it.
It’s a local version of sangria made with white wine and very refreshing.
There are great restaurants in Las Cañitas (part of Palermo
Viejo) such as Profundo Azul (for sushi) and La Fonda del Polo. Nearby Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood) have dozens of restaurants and bistros, with new
ones opening all the time next to trendy boutiques. For great Polish food, try
La Casa Polaca on Jorge Luis Borges 2076, tel 4899-0514; reservations a must.
There is an excellent Armenian restaurant on Calle Armenia, plus on Friday
nights there is a wonderful Armenian dinner in the high school on the same
block. The food is prepared by the students’ mothers, and the students
themselves wait on tables. They earn funds to be able to take a two week trip to
their ancestral homeland. Ask around for information. In the same area, I also
like Reencuentro, a non-touristy but popular place where all you can eat is
about $6 plus wine. It’s on Cabrera 4801 at the corner of Armenia (4833-5666).
El Canal, on Salguero & Cerviño, a few blocks from my
apartment, gets few tourists, but is quite comfortable, is excellent for steaks,
and has a varied menu. Try provoleta, a slice of seasoned provolone cheese baked
in the oven. Named after an old TV station that stood on the site, El Canal is
one of my favorites, and I’m a regular there. Ask for Herman, “my” waiter.