Tag Archive: Argentina

Whinging About Lateness

Wednesday, May 21, 20080

Amongst the many whinges of local expats (is that an oxymoron?) that has come to the fore recently is the subject of simply showing up. While not unique to Argentina, or perhaps specific to Porteños, showing up, at least on time, is not habitual. It is not uncommon to find yourself waiting at a restaurant table, or even holding dinner at home, hoping nothing cooks to a crisp or dries to shoe leather, while awaiting the arrival of one local or another. To show up at all is practically a benediction on your existence, to show up within an hour of planned time, a blessing, within two, an extension of courtesy. To not show up at all, merely standard practice. After all, perhaps something more interesting popped up at last moment – and to advise you of that would, of course, be insulting, so better to simply not make the effort, nor answer your phone, and then avoid contact for a week or two hoping that all will be forgotten, or at least forgiven.

As I noted, this is not unique to Argentina. In Rome, while showing up is considered appropriate, arriving at least an hour, perhaps two, late, is de rigeur. It’s also common practice to show up with extra people in tow – after all, if you run into friends on the street, how could you not invite them to join you at your dining destination – be it restaurant or private home. I’m convinced that this is the impetus behind Roman food all being served “family style” – i.e., platters and large bowls of food – the host simply never knows how many people will actually be joining them for a meal, and better to have large quantities and self-serve.

New Yorkers, likewise, have their foibles. Twenty plus years in the restaurant business in that town, and it still amazes me that it is considered, by many, a perfectly acceptable practice to make reservations at multiple restaurants for a given evening, make the decision as to which to dine in at the ultimate moment, and not bother to advise the others of a change in your intentions. Most restaurants deal with large numbers of “no-shows”, and just accept it as part of doing business – the benefit for those “in the know” is that it’s often easier to score a table at a hard to book restaurant by simply showing up rather than trying to reserve in advance. While less common, I’ve encountered the same in private social plans, with people who accept invitations to more than one engagement, on the same day, and decide which one is most interesting when the moment arrives. It’s rare that they bother to notify the hosts of the other parties or dinners – or, if they do, it is with vague or patently phony excuses that everyone recognizes as a borderline polite way of saying “someone else is throwing a more exciting shindig than you.”

The whinging going on within the expat population here makes it clear that among the American folk, in particular, though many of the Brits are chiming in, that these cultural differences are not to be tolerated. After all, they’re down here, supporting the Argentine economy, with all those trust fund dollars, pounds, even euros, and why should they have to accept the cultural viewpoint of this country. I mean, after all, where would Argentina be, how would the locals survive, if it were not for the profligate spending in clubs and restaurants of these self-absorbed, spoiled, wankers? To use a British turn of phrase…

Mañana, if not later. There’s a rhythm to life here that’s not based on something that for me is pretty much an ingrained priority – pride in achievement and accomplishment, whether it’s in work or play. With that as a base, in the norteamericano culture, we find ourselves driven to constantly do things, try harder, give it one more shot… No question it leads to the common admonision to “stop and smell the roses”, and after a good amount of time here, there’s no question I’ve re-evaluated the level of importance of some of that stuff. Especially when put up against family and friends. Not that I didn’t have time for family and friends back in the States, but I have to face it, they were something scheduled into my days. Of course, working fulltime restaurant hours demands a huge amount of time, and I don’t have that to deal with here. But, the reverse can also be true, and the mañana idea can be carried to far extremes, and it seems to lead to a lackidaisical attitude that’s the equivalent of a shrug.

Why study when you know the teacher may or may not show up to teach class? When the same teacher doesn’t care if your homework is done now or turned in a month or two after the course is finished. After all, you’re going to pass – they can’t fail you, it would lower your self esteem, and that’s simply not permitted. Now, from my perspective, not having to accomplish anything is a surefire way of lowering self esteem… far more than getting a failing grade. But that’s the culture I was brought up in, where the idea of responsibility for actions actually exists.

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Flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict

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Three Chefs Weigh in on (the Lack of) Buenos Aires Street Food

Thursday, April 17, 20080

ComoSur
South American Gastronomy
April 17, 2008

THREE CHEFS WEIGH IN ON (THE LACK OF) BUENOS AIRES STREET FOOD
by Patrick Heiger

[I’ve put the parts of this article written by others in blockquote italics. All the photos are mine.]

Parrilla Costanera Norte

Although we want to believe that the streets of South America are as full of delicious street food treats like Mexico might be with tacos and tortas to go, it’s often the case that government regulations and strong social stigma have made the world of street food rather small, if almost nonexistent. While there are great empanadas to be had at the corner markets and holes in the wall of Buenos Aires, actually eating on the street is a near impossibility. Below, we talked with three of the city’s leading chefs, to get a little more insight, and some strong opinions, about where to go and what to eat if you absolutely must eat on the street. Let’s just say you’ll be craving some choripan by the time you’re done reading.

Dan Perlman | Casa Salt Shaker

I left New York City and moved to Buenos Aires before the food truck scene really took off. There was plenty of street food around – but it was more the smaller carts – early on in my time in the big apple it was hot dogs and wraps, though that gradually expanded into more and more offerings. When I travel the world, the first thing I do is start hitting the street food scene. So a decade ago, when I came to Buenos Aires, it was a surprise to find that it was near non-existent.

I would wander the streets forlornly, wishing for some sort of grilled or charred or even steamed something to nibble on. Something to keep the strength up. But, there was nada. In retrospect, and even today, I understand it. There are a couple of factors at work here. Buenos Aires streets are narrow, oft-times one wonders just how a car makes it down one, particularly if anyone else has parked along the side of the road.

But the biggest factor is, I think, cultural. Locals, porteños, don’t make a habit of standing while eating. Meals are not meant to be consumed while on one’s feet. They’re meant to be enjoyed, leisurely, preferably with a bottle of wine, a beer, a Fernet & Coke, or even just a soft drink. And they’re meant to be enjoyed with friends. The idea of standing, gulping something down and moving on is just not the style here. Even in bars people don’t tend to stand around drinking cocktails, they find a place to sit, to kick back and relax, to enjoy themselves.

BondipanNow, that’s not to say that there’s absolutely no street food scene. Here and there along the streets you’ll find a stand offering garapiñadas, caramelized nuts, or perhaps a pancho, a hot dog. But little else. When it comes to outdoor eating there are two arenas where the scene exists, albeit limited. The first are street festivals, often run by the city’s cultural department in tandem with some local embassy. A section of three or four blocks, or a part of a local park or plaza, is blocked off, tents are raised, and ethnic food of one variety or another is offered up.

But what about local fare itself? Let’s face it, we all know that Argentina is known for grilled meat, and that ought to translate well to the outdoors, no? And it does, in two particular places, the Costanera Sur and the Costanera Norte. Costaneras are, literally, boardwalks, though these have no boards. They are two areas of the city that offer up a walking gastronome’s wet dream of sizzling carne. But we’re not talking food trucks, we’re talking what more or less amount to anchored kiosks.

You see, local ordinances don’t allow for the concept of a mobile kitchen, so to get around the letter, if not the spirit of the law, enterprising locals have taken trailer mounted grills, removed their wheels, and often pegged them in place with chains linked to concrete pylons. And thus, we have the north boardwalk, running along the river just north of the domestic airport, where closing on a couple of dozen parrillas, or grills, offer up local sandwich classics – stuffed with beef, pork, or sausages of one sort or another, and an array of condiments to adorn them.

And in the south, sandwiched itself between the upscale Puerto Madero Este and the Reserva Ecologica, the southern boardwalk. During weekdays, there’s a paucity of offerings – a few scattered grills with the same sort of sandwich fare, but on weekends and holidays, the zone blossoms into a cornucopia of food, with not only sandwiches, but temporary stands offering full meals, ethnic cooking, baked goods, pastries, and more. Families turn out to spend the day, nibbling, imbibing, and getting some sun.

CondimentsThere is a new push for a food truck movement, and a few individuals are pushing hard, and there’s some support from the community and the gastronomy world. But, there’s an equally hard push back from those who don’t want to see their cultural mores with its stop and smell the roses feel, to change. Concerns about how food trucks will change the visual landscape, increased in litter and garbage, lines, problems with vermin, are all valid ones. But, things change, and we shall see what we shall see. In the meantime, I’ve adapted to my new home and know where to head if I need an outdoor food fix – the rest of the time, I’m content to put my feet up and relax, off-street.

Narda Lepes | Boca de Lobo
Street food in Buenos Aires isn’t organized. It’s spontaneous, and in many cases borders on the illegal. Laws have changed recently towards grills with gas, but there are those that for moral and historical reasons would rather be fugitives than ever stop cooking over coals.Choripan is the king, by far. A few ingredients and some important variables ultimately make the experience great. It’s worth mentioning to visitors in these parts that one never orders a sandwich of chorizo or bondiola or beef or morcilla. On the street you have to order a chori-pan, bondi-pan, vaci-pan or morci-pan. If you don’t, you’ll be looked down upon.One of my favorites is “Lo Del Tío” that, because of the legal gray area, they took his cart away, but he set up a grill in the same space. It’s at Avenida Dorrego, between Lugones and Figueroa Alcorta.

Feria de MataderosThe Feria de Mataderos is the best place to try all the best in one place. Empanadas, choripan, churros, pastelitos de membrillo and sweet potato, torta frita, tamales, humitas, and obviously meat, meat, and more meat. It’s in Mataderos, so they celebrate on the days when the butchers would close down the area. It’s a one-of-a-kind, real place. It’s a touristic zone set up for those who miss their home in the country’s interior, in the countryside. There’s tradition, folklore, music, horses, maté, and a lot of movement, all brought together with pride.Early some mornings you can see, on some corners, people selling tortas or bread with lard on the grill with really sweet coffee out of a jug. There’s one on the corner of Maria Campos and Santa Fe.And to get a true taste of what it’s like to eat on the street with the most beautiful views and alleyways of the city, go to the Costanera Sur, note South, not North. North is for restaurants. Go South. There, by instinct and feel, you’ll be able to decide which is the best street food stand. They’ve been there for more than 50 years. Obviously, look for the one with the longest line and the most smoke.

Fer Rivarola | El Baqueano

Buenos Aires isn’t a city that’s widely known for it’s street food, but there are a few places that have survived and dish up informal food. These include the parrillas on the Costanera Sur and Norte that have received some government reforms that have transformed them into nice-looking stands that serve up American-style food, but they’ve lose the essence of what they were doing originally. Now, for reasons of functionality, they’ve taken out their coal grills and changed them for gas. Generally speaking, and from what I’ve seen and experienced in other cities throughout Latin America, street food is a true reflection of the basic food from the small towns, closer to what people want and need. This is something that still hasn’t taken off yet in Buenos Aires.

Surely, a list of the top five street foods should be topped by a great empanada filled with meat, something that we can only dream of, because these are difficult things to find in the streets. You can find some vendors in the micro center selling this filled treat, screaming that they’re selling homemade empanadas, but those have a bit of a dodgy reputation, for sure.

I also love going to the Costanera and eating a great “radioactive” choripan, with a cold beer, on the banks of the river, something that even Kamilla Seidler from Gustu succumbed to when she came to participate in our Cocina Sin Fronteras. But, be careful, don’t go crazy with the dressings or extras that the stands offer, as they can be dangerous to your stomach’s health.We also go crazy for a great milanesa sandwich, and lucky for us, there’s a stand in the north of the city that has a great reputation called “Pequeño Demonio” where, without a doubt, you can eat the best bondiola sandwiches in the city, with great bread, great meat, and a shady corner so you can take a break.Another classic in Palermo is “El Puestito del Tío,” he’s been there for years, and you can get great morcipan, vacipan, and other great combinations of grilled meats wrapped in bread.

Lastly, for the more daring, during the early mornings in Retiro you can try chipas, a typical mesopotamian dish, which is a kind of cheesy bread made from mandioca starch, which for years has been the staple of the Guaraní villages.

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ComoSur, Online Publications

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Mi casa, su cuenta

Thursday, April 17, 20080

Guardian UK
The Observer Food Monthly
April 17, 2008

Mi casa, su cuenta

Have you ever visited a ‘secret’ restaurant? Would you ever consider opening your kitchen at home to paying diners?

Dan's chocolate cheesecake with butterscotch sauce.

Dan’s chocolate cheesecake with butterscotch sauce.


Let’s face it: everyone likes to be the first to know about something, to have that little bit of insider information that no one else has … yet. Over the last year and a half, the media have suddenly discovered the phenomenon of secret, or underground dining spots. Not generally actual restaurants, these are more often in-home (or in ever-changing locations) places to check out dishes from glorified home cooks and budding or moonlighting chefs.

It’s also not really new. There have been what we here in Argentina call restaurantes de puertas cerradas, or locked door restaurants, around for at least the last three decades. They’ve just become a bit less underground and secret as one source after another touts them as the best thing since sliced bread. They’re even making their way into tourism guidebooks.

I have to take some blame for the sudden discovery of this so-called trend – especially since everyone seems to think it started in Buenos Aires – it didn’t, really. We simply caught the wave at just the right moment.

We were the first here in town willing to talk about the idea with the press, which brought us a ton of business – but it also attracted attention from our building association and government agencies.

Opening a restaurant in Buenos Aires is easy enough if you have money. There’s little in the way of licensing, it’s a matter of complying with a set of health and building codes, and perhaps greasing a palm or two. We don’t get exempted from that, and while what we do may be “just a dinner party”, we decided on going down the safe route by bringing everything up to code and paying taxes on our income. This is not something that many of the several dozen in-home restaurants here have bothered to do. It’s a choice – and the more attention that the press pays to all of us, the more likely it is that taking these simple steps will have been the right move.

When we first threw open the doors of our home to an invited group of diners for an experimental dinner party it didn’t feel quite right presenting a bill at the end of the evening, but I’m over that now. We offer what I consider to be a unique dining experience here in Buenos Aires; a bi-weekly multi-course themed menu with matched wines, communal tables, and an ever increasing demand for more, more, more.

So why do we do it? On a personal level, we needed some income, and I like to cook. We also enjoy having people in our home and meeting new friends every week, even if we charge them for it. We’ve also found that for locals and visitors alike we provide a casual, relaxed atmosphere in which to meet new people and try interesting food – and many similar places offer that same ambiance, one of having been invited to a party – just one where you know neither the other guests nor the host before arriving.

For some of the owners I know it’s a sort of trial balloon, a way of seeing if their food will go over well before investing in a full-scale restaurant. In fact, the in-home spot I first went to here in Buenos Aires, Verdellama, has long since ceased household operations and the owners now operate two restaurants. For some, it’s simply a way of staying off the radar – something that’s getting harder and harder to do as the word
spreads.

We have fun, we don’t have to work all that hard, and we’ve built up a connected network of people operating similar adventures spread out across the globe – we hear about spots that have either recently opened, or in some cases have been open for years in places as wide ranging as Melbourne, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Havana (long a hotbed of such spots, where they actually have a name for them – paladares), Lima, Sacramento … the list goes on, and seems to get longer every week.

One of the questions I’m most commonly asked is “do you ever get guests who are a problem?” In a word, no, not really – I think it takes a certain kind of person to even opt to come to something like this. Also, most of us have some sort of screening process, whether it’s simply a gut feeling, a referral by a past customer, or whatever it may be.

And what about the other side of the coin – how the experience rates for the guest? A visit to a place like mine can be intimidating for the shy, but that just goes with the territory. It can be an issue for those who have various food concerns – allergies or simple dislikes – as the menus are often preset with no few options. Most of us are solo cooks, we don’t have teams in the kitchen to whip up special or alternative dishes, and truthfully, we probably don’t really care – it’s a “here’s my menu, if you’re not interested, go somewhere else” attitude – even if stated politely.

How would that go down with you? Is the setting in a case like this more important than getting the usual fussiness of a restaurant? And would you ever consider opening your home to paying guests?

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Guardian UK, Newspaper articles

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Wine and dine

Friday, February 8, 20080

Time Out
Buenos Aires for Visitors
Summer/Autumn 2008
Page 68

wining

Wine and dine
Where can apprentice oenologists sample great glasses? Dan Perlman goes in search of great bars.

Although getting a decent glass of wine in a bar or restaurant is far easier here than getting a decent cocktail, but then ‘decent’is a relative term. Most places offer up no more than a couple of regular wines by the glass, and if you’re lucky the bartender may even know the name of what they’re pouring into your glass. So if you’re more into quaffing the grape than you are downing a martini, where should you go for a large selection with knowledgeable and friendly service?

The ‘gran-daddy’of the local wine bar scene is Gran Bar Danzón. Low tables, lots of gleaming chrome, and the constant beat of house music give you a sense of the style of the place. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is some spot for brightly colored cocktails (although they offer a good number of those), they also offer constantly changing wine lists of over 200 selections, many available by the glass. Not surprising given that the owners also stand behind top restaurants Sucre and Bar Uriarte, both known for their wines. Danzón also has a well-staffed kitchen that churns out creative sushi and twists on local fare. Expect to shell out a fair amount for a visit, but the quality makes it all worthwhile.

A true newcomer on the scene, Portezuelo (Vicente López 2160, 4806 9462, www. portezeueloweb.com.ar) is the hotspot for wine in the trendy, if a bit touristy, Village Recoleta. Still, after stopping to lay flowers at Evita’s tomb or wandering the Recoleta artisan fair, you may find yourself in need of refreshment. Here you can pop yourself down in a faux old-time pub, livened by pumping hip hop and electonica. They may be into partying, but they’re also deadly serious about their beverage offerings with a regularly changing list of 15-20 wines by the cuartino (quarter liter carafe). While the wines tend to come from the major players, the variety is good, and it’s a great intro to Argentinian wines. The food is mainly of the steak and chips bent, but a perfectly reasonable proposition.

If you’re into the modern art scene, you’ll no doubt find yourself at some point visiting the MALBA. Or perhaps you’ll find yourself across the street at Renault’s Museum of Art, Science and Technology, catering to your inner nerd. Either way, Club Museo (Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 3399, 4802 9626, www.museorenault.com.ar) is a must. Offering up creative international cuisine and sushi, it is a nice way to attract museum clientele, but the real draw here is the wide ranging wine choice that doesn’t stick to the usual suspects. Top that off with more than two dozen selections by the glass (AR$9-23) from a changing selection from lesser known lines as well as the major producers, and you’ve got a winning combination.

Quite possibly the most serious of wine bars is the nearly hidden Epicureos (Soldado de la Independencia 851, 4772 8108, www.epicureos.com). This casual restaurant – deck furniture and directors’chairs, and a beautiful little garden in the rear – also doubles up as a wine shop. It has two major things going for it: a truly great kitchen turning out creative, interesting and delicious food, and access to a well-stocked and well-thought out winery. [Note: I swear, my original copy said ‘wine cellar’.] A regularly changing roster of more than 20 wines by the glass, truly covering the range of varietals and regions of the country, mostly from real, boutique level producers not the commercial biggies. With prices starting at AR$5, it’s a better bargain than any other wine bar in the city.

And finally, for a touch of true elegance, it would be impossible to pass up the stunning Park Hyatt Hotel. Home of several restaurants and bars, wine aficionados ust hund down the wine and cheese bar. It stocks a major collection of international wines, with a good selection offered by the glass. Thankfully a sommelier is always in attendance to guide your tastes. They also offer regular tastings where you can work your way through a particular winery, or style, with the expert assistance of the hotel’s wine director. The bar also has its own cheese ageing room, and is one of the few spots in town where you can sample the best of Argentina’s and other countries’ cheeses along with a glass of the grape. Can you imagine anything better?

In mid-2006, I started writing for Time Out Buenos Aires. With changes in their way of conducting business, I decided to part company with them after my last article and set of reviews in mid-2009.

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Magazine articles, Time Out Buenos Aires

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Melting pots

Friday, February 8, 20080

Time Out
Buenos Aires for Visitors
Summer/Autumn 2008
Page 20

Melting pots
Dan Perlman takes a tour through the gastronomic delights of Argentina’s far flung provinces without leaving city limits.

Argentina is 3,800 km (2,360 miles) north to south and 1,420 km (884 miles) east to west. That’s just less than 30 percent of the size of the United States; the eastern states of Canada and all of the UK would sit quite comfortably inside the province of Buenos Aires alone. In short, Argentina is a very big country indeed.

No surprise then that food culture varies markedly throughout the country. Fortunately, BA is pretty much the focal point of the country, so you don’t need to leave the capital city to get a chance to stab your fork into these tasty regional dishes.

Food from the north-west area of the country is well represented. What might be called Argentina’s rustic simply styled ‘mountain cuisin’, is featured in Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca and Santiago del Estero. Their rich hearty meals for example, locro (corn, potato, squash and meat stew), carbonada (stew of meat, vegetable and occasionally fruit), and mondongo (tripe stew) are often left in a pot simmering over the fire all day, ingredients being added over the course of one or more dinners. Many of these dishes share influences throughout the Altiplano, a region that extends into northern Chile, southern Peru and Bolivia.

Spots to sample this cuisine tend to be casual, almost lunch counter affairs usually starting with empanadas (turnovers), tamales or humitas (stuffed cornmeal dough steamed in corn husks) followed by a stew. The menus often offer little else, maybe a simple house wine and a flan casero (home-made flan) for dessert. Among our favorites are the two branches of La Cocina (Pueyrredón 1508, 4825 3171; Florida 142, 4326 7892). They focus on the reasonably spicy cooking of Catamarca. Their locro is easily one of the best in town, and offered with a choice of chilli sauce with various cheesy add-ons.

The cooking of Tucumán and Salta is probably best represented by the always popular La Querencia (Junin y Juncal, 4821 1888). Here the empanadas arrive with cracker like crusts and are stuffed with a variety of interesting fillings, but spicing tends to be more muted in comparison to other north-western regions. For the somewhat more picante cooking of Santiago del Estero, the empanadas at La Familia (Chile 984) in San Telmo are delicious if you don’t mind takeout only.

The north-east, strangely, is not well represented – the provinces of Formos, Chaco, Missiones, and Corrientes ahve a cuisine that’s heavily influenced by neighboring Paraguay. Often there is a stall at the weekend Mataderos gaucho fair that serves up excellent food from Paraguay and the north-east, well worth the trek if you’re a foodie.

For the specialty fish of the Paraná river that weaves through Santa Fé and Entre Rios, Jangada (Bonpland 1670, 4773 0411) in Palermo serves simple, perfectly grilled fish straight off the parrilla with just a touch of herbs, oil, and lemon.

Off to the west, Mendoza and San Juan are etter showcased. In a spot combining Mendozan art with the cuisine, Pan y Teatro (Las Casas 4095, 4924 6920, www.panyteatro.com.ar) in Boedo has superb pastel mendocino (potatoes flavored with a cinnamon and sugar mixture) and rabbit stewed in white wine. San Juan as the ‘don’t miss’, truly ‘don’t miss’, outposts of El Sanjuanino (Posadas 1515, 4804 2909; Sanchez de Bustamante 1788, 4822 8080; Pedro Goyena 700, 4924 0888, www.elsanjuanino.com) in Palermo, Recoleta and Caballito respectively, serving up divine empanadas and tamales.

Moving on south, the multi-province region – generally known as Patagonia, is easily the best covered part of the country. You could spend weeks just trying out all the little, and not so little, eateries that cover the rich culinary heritage of the forests, mountains, and coastline. Game, fish, and shellfish are strongly represented and interesting fruits, especially berries, figure in much of the cuisine. It’s also, in some ways, a more contemporary culinary experience, with many of the more creative chefs in the city featuring Patagonian ingredients with modern twists on classic cooking. The most famous is probably Patagonia Sur in La Boca, where star chef Francis Mallmann offers up high end dining at a high end price. Easier on the wallet is Aires de Patagonia, in Puerto Madero, which turns out beautifully elegant cuisine. Likewise the San Telmo and Palermo Hollywood locales of Divina Patagonia serve delicious modern versions of dishes such as venison with chocolate sauce, wild boar with raspberries, the famed Patagonian lamb in a variety of ways, and some wonderful seafood dishes that are equally creative.

For a more simple approach, it’s hard to miss San Telmo’s Mitico Sur. You can order from a alarge number of regional wines, paired with a variety of tablas – platters loaded with Patagonian specialities such as locally made cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, pickled vegetables, and plenty of lamb – and nibble away to your heart’s content.

In mid-2006, I started writing for Time Out Buenos Aires. With changes in their way of conducting business, I decided to part company with them after my last article and set of reviews in mid-2009.

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Magazine articles, Time Out Buenos Aires

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Malbec or bust?

Tuesday, August 7, 20070

Time Out
Buenos Aires for Visitors
Winter/Spring 2007
Page 64

timeout0708wine

Malbec or bust?
Dan Perlman finds a bottle for every budget

To some, it’s a ‘full-bodied explosion of currant fruit and notes of cocoa with subtle toasty oak and a long finish’. To others, ‘it’s just grape juice’. Forget politics or religion; a topic that truly polarizes the average dinner party crowd is wine, especially when the discussion turns into long-winded, pedantic arguments that inevitably end in the suggestion that the group orders a pricey bottle. And in most restaurants, a hundred dollars will get you some pretty amazing ‘grape juice’.

But, it’s not all about the money. For most of us its about the simple pleasure of enjoying a bottle of wine with friends, over a nice meal. Fortunately for connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike, Argentina produces a range of fine wines to suit all palates and budgets.

The good news for wine lovers of little means (or those who just don’t want to deal with pretentious sales staff in the city’s high-end wine shops) [Note: that parenthetical was added by my editor, who has a vastly different view of sommeliers and salespeople than I do.] is that you don’t need to go into a specialty store to pick up a drinkable bottle of red. Most basic grocery stores stock San Felipe ‘Doce Uvas’, a spicy, fruity blend of twelve different grapes that’ll cost you AR$8 in a shop and around AR$15 in a restaurant. Yup, we’re talking about the quirky, squat oval bottle on sale alongside shampoo and instant soup at your neighborhood supermarket.

In the same budget range, there’s an entire line of wines from a subsidiary of the well known Bodega Esmeralda, that are bottled with an eye towards emphasizing the pure flavors of individual grapes. There are a dozen of them, and so far all worth trying, but the current standout of the Rodas Colección 12 is their Petite Verdot, which will set you back about AR$8-9 in stores and around AR$15-18 in restaurants.

It’s a shame that these wines haven’t picked up more of a following in the restaurant world, because they’re amazingly food friendly – a line of Shiraz (or Syrah) blends coming from Bodegas Callia out of San Juan province – but if you see one, grab it. My personal favorite is the Callia Alta Shiraz-Tannat, a bold, spicy wine that’s a great steak complement – at AR$10-12 in stores and AR$18-20 in the few scattered dining spots that carry it, it’s a steal.

There’s a lot of competition in the next price range up, in fact, something around the AR$20-25 mark, or about AR$15-18 in stores. We’re partial to the Finca La Linda line, which isn’t obscure, but certainly isn’t one of the usual suspects, either. Their Tempranillo is particularly good.

For those who like to allocate more of their budget to wine, lay down AR$25-30 for a bottle of Sur de Los Andes Bonarda. While there’s as much of this grape planted in Argentina as there is Malbec, it’s not nearly as well known, but ought to be.

We haven’t recommended a Malbec yet. Where does the Argentinian classic fit in the budget list? It’s not that there aren’t good ones in the lower price ranges, but for our money, Malbec tends to shine when you hit the mid to higher range bottles. Our top pick in the next price range up is Malbec de Ricardo Santos, which costs about AR$35-40 in stores and AR$50-60 in a restaurant. It’s a beautifully structured unoaked Malbec, exactly what the grape is all about.

If your group appreciates the finer things but still wants to keep a bit of a rein on the budget, try a relatively new wine out of Salta, a blend of Malbec and Cabernet from high-altitude producer Raul Davidos. Bodega Tacuil “RD” is a true stunner, packed with fruit and amazingly balanced. Coming in at about AR$65 in stores and AR$80-90 in restaurants, the bottle can still be considered affordable.

One of the best known Argentinian wineries is Escorihuela Gascon. A couple of years ago they introduced a line of limited production wines, each of which is exceptional. Our personal favorite is the Escorihuela Gascon “Pequeños Producciones” Barbera, which will set you back AR$80-90 pesos in shops, and around AR$120 in restaurants.

Dig deep in your wallet: we’re heading upmarket towards some of the best bottles in Argentina, or indeed anywhere. The top-end wines – AR$100-500 in restaurants – just keep getting better and better. If you’re up for spending around AR$90 in the stores and AR$125 or so in restaurants, Trapiche Ciento Viente Años is a great blend of Malbec, Cabernet, and Petite Verdot.

The grand prize of Argentinian wine goes to a bottle that sings Malbec, San Pedro de Yacochuya, a wine from the Michel Rolland stable, which, depending on vintage, will set you back anywhere from AR$150-300 in stores and AR$250-500 at the table. If that works for your wallet and ‘grape juice’craving, you can’t do much better.

In mid-2006, I started writing for Time Out Buenos Aires. With changes in their way of conducting business, I decided to part company with them after my last article and set of reviews in mid-2009.

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Red Hot Chilli Pepper

Tuesday, August 7, 20070

Time Out
Buenos Aires for Visitors
Winter/Spring 2007
Page 16

timeout0708spicy

Red Hot Chilli Pepper
It’s impossible to get good spicy food in Buenos Aires, grumble most of the guidebooks. Wrong. You may have to chase a little harder for your chilli, but as Dan Perlman explains, it’s out there.

“Dull, tasteless, and bland” Those were the words out of the mouth of an ex-pat who has lived here for many years, in reference to local cuisine. I beg to differ. I really do. I’m not going to say that if you frequent your same corner café or parrilla all the time that you aren’t going to find that it isn’t the finest or best seasoned cuisine on the planet, but the same could be said of the same sort of spot anywhere in the world. For those of us who live here and love to have food that hits the high notes of spice, a bit, or a lot, of picante on a regular basis, it’s a common supposition that we simply have nowhere to go eat. I’m here to claim that that’s balderdash, a load of hooey, complete nonsense. You will have to seek places out more than you might in some major cities in the world, but if you stop taking the words of folks who simply haven’t made the effort, it’s really not that hard to find good, spicy cuisine in Buenos Aires.

Let’s start with some of the obvious suspects – the southeast Asian cuisines. While it’s true that there’s a limited number of good spots that offer up reasonably authentic fare, they are here. You want a good, spicy green curry? Right in the heart of Microcentro is the well known Empire Thai, at Tres Sargentos 427, where you can happily slurp away at a bowl filled with broth that’ll make your scalp sweat. They also offer up a fiery mixed saté that will have you reaching for the closest cold beer, even if it’s not yours. Equally well known, out in Las Cañitas, is Lotus Thai, Ortega y Gasset 1782, where an array of curries and other dishes are just waiting to sizzle your taste-buds. In a similar vein, the new kid on the block is Sudestada, Guatemala 5602, out in Palermo Viejo, where a blend of Vietnamese, Thai, and Indonesian “inspired” cuisine comes flying out of the trendy kitchen – their rice stir-fries are noted for their chili-laden qualities.

Moving north, on the globe, is the world of Korean cuisine. I’d venture to guess that not only most tourists, but a large number of long time residents, are unaware that Buenos Aires has a Korea-town, out in Flores along Carabobo street, where a variety of venues from small lunch counters to elegant dining rooms turn out food that could be an endurance test for some – it can sometimes be difficult to gain entry to some of these spots, as the local Korean community is somewhat insular, but friendly smiles and banter will generally get you through the door – finding any spot by name, unless you read Korean, is an impossibility – just follow your nose. For much more accessible Korean food, Bi Won, at Junín 548 just off the west edge of Recoleta, is a great spot to drop in when you’re craving a bi-bim-bop, rife with hot bean paste. If you really want to put yourself to a test, order their spicy squid stew.

On the Chinese front, while the vast majority of local restaurants are Taiwanese in style, there are a few that offer up the spicier cuisines of Szechuan and Hunan provinces. Among the best, Shi Yuan, Tagle 2531, in the heart of Barrio Norte for their great rendition of Kung Pao Chicken, and Dragon Porteño, Arribeños 2137, where you can order up a fiery Eggplant Yu-Xiang (they’ll even make it extra spicy on request).

Moving to the southwest, there’s of course, Indian cuisine, and the local set was long dominated by primarily watered down versions – but, in the last couple of years, some spots that don’t stint on the spice have sprung up – the strangely mixed Italian and Indian spot called Bengal, at Arenales 837, in Retiro, where they offer up probably the best Indian chicken curry in the city, the “Brick Lane Curry House” style pub found at Bangalore, Humboldt 1416, in Palermo Viejo, where they offer some interesting dishes not seen in many spots – including a great Tuna Jafrezi, seasoned with chilies, cumin, and coriander. The newly opened Tandoor, at Laprida 1293 in Barrio Norte is still a bit of an unknown entity, but promises to deliver some much desired hot versions of Indian regional cuisine.

Leaving Asia aside, it’s not hard to find Cuban restaurants here – there’s an entire strip of them along Salta in Centro, as well as scattered other spots. Easily accessible and in a popular spot for visitors, El Tocororo, at Alicia Moreau de Justo 1050 Dock 7 in Puerto Madero offers up great ropa vieja and masitas de puerco, arriving already fairly well down picante lane, and with side offerings of fiery habanero sauce.

Possibly the easiest spots to find are the Peruvian restaurants, and also a few scattered Bolivian restaurants (a higher concentration of the latter can be found out in the commercial center of Liniers, a short train ride away, for those feeling adventurous). At the top of the heap for Peruvian cuisine is easily Moche, at Nicaragua 5901, on the far reaches of Palermo near to Belgrano, where the former Peruvian embassy chef turns out beautifully creative authentic and spicy fare. For more home-style cooking from the heart of Peru is the wildly popular Contigo Perú, located behind the Barrancas del Belgrano train station at Echeverría 1627, where you can dine on anything from spicy ceviches to steaming platters of chili, onion, garlic, and ginger laden fish, chicken, and meat dishes. There are also many Peruvian restaurants in Once, the best of which is probably Sabor Norteño, La Rioja 186, with the extra added fun of summer weekend live music from local Peruvian musicians. On the Bolivian front, if you’re not headed for the far suburbs, your best bet is simply stopping in for the classic fiery Bolivian empanadas, or salteñas, and stews at La Paceña, Echeverria 2570, in Belgrano.

In mid-2006, I started writing for Time Out Buenos Aires. With changes in their way of conducting business, I decided to part company with them after my last article and set of reviews in mid-2009.

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Restaurants

Tuesday, August 7, 20070

Time Out
Buenos Aires for Visitors
Winter/Spring 2007

Restaurants

Eight reviews for the current issue.

Brasserie Berry

Tucumán 775, entre Maipú y Esmeralda, Microcentro (4394-5255). Subte C/Lavalle/29, 39, 100 bus.

Open 9am-4pm Mon-Wed; 9am-4pm, 7:30pm-12:30am Thur-Fri. Main Courses AR$22-35. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

In France, your typical brasserie is a place where a wide range of locals come together under one roof to drink and eat. By definition, a casual café where beer, wine, and liqueurs are served – no place for fancy mixed cocktails – along with simple, tasty one dish meals – a place to meet and greet, have a quick bite, and move on about your business. Brasserie Berry’s Lyonnaise owners have got the formula down right. At lunchtime, when the spot is at its best, local business-people (usually men) stream in the door, plunking down at a table, and fire off an order for a quickly grilled steak, a piece of properly roasted chicken, or a fillet of fish, accompanied by a simple green salad or potatoes, a glass of wine or beer, and back out the door. While the atmosphere is boisterous and casual, with greetings between regular patrons being shouted across the room, regulars being pecked on the cheek by one staff member after another, it’s not a place where people linger over coffee and dessert, nor conversation. Still, the food is well prepared, and faithful to the home cooking of the south of France. Dinner time brings around a few more classic dishes, such as salmon in a white wine and butter sauce, and lomo in a rosemary and red wine jus, but still keeps with a simple theme – no elaborate multi-course menus, no frills – just good hearty food.

Cluny

El Salvador 4618, entre Malabia y Armenia (4831-7176/www.cluny.com.ar).Bus 15, 39, 55..

Open from noon Mon-Sat. Main Courses AR$30-45. Credit AmEx, MC, V.

Named after the Cluny Museum in Paris, Cluny is a paean to the museum’s star exhibit, the famed Lady with Unicorn tapestries that celebrate six senses – taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing, and understanding. With that goal in mind, you might think you were in for some sort of overwhelming temple of haute cuisine, instead, it’s a fashionable, relaxed spot, with a regular crowd that likes to see and be seen, but also likes to enjoy excellent food. It’s a pretty room, with lots of mixed textures, colors, different surfaces – very fitting. Service is, amazingly for the neighborhood, completely attentive, friendly, and helpful. The kitchen turns out one dish after another that combines simple ideas with delicious touches – a spectacular salmon tartare with delicate fresh herbs, a veal risotto tinged with mushrooms and flavored oil, a beautifully roasted chicken breast encompassing a surprise hidden filling of roasted tomatoes. While the wine list leans towards the usual suspects, it’s also got some breadth to it, and while you may recognize nearly every name, there are a good number of names to choose from.

Freud y Fahler

Gurruchaga 1750, entre El Salvador y Costa Rica (4833-2153). Bus 39. 55.

Open Noon-3:30pm, 8:30-midnight Mon-Fri; 12:30pm-4pm, 8:30pm-1am Sat. Main Courses AR$20-60. Credit AmEx, V.

When a local psychiatrist decides to open a restaurant, and put his own name up in collaboration with his distant mentor, the best thing to do is just ignore the name and hope that your dinner doesn’t come with a character analysis. The Rorschach test based decor does little to ease your mind, but the food and service, thankfully, are not as unfamiliar as all that presages them. In fact, the staff are there to answer rather than ask questions, just the way a restaurant ought to be, and the food is downright homey. Sure it’s creative, in the sense that there are interesting little touches of color and design on your plate, but the food is simple and direct, with no frills – spaghetti in butter sauce with vegetables, cheese ravioli, veal milanesas, hearty tomato or squash soups, deep fried chicken fingers served atop some herbed quinoa are about as outre as it gets. Here and there a dish is offered up with two different preparations of the same ingredient on a plate, but neither will challenge your senses. The wine list is pretty basic, though there are a couple of gems that step outside the usual world of Malbec and Cabernet that are worth exploring. Sometimes eating dinner is just eating dinner…

El Manto

Costa Rica 5801, esquina Carranza (4774-2409/www.elmanto.com), Bus 34, 55, 93, 108, 111.

Open 8pm-1:30am daily. Main Courses AR$26-35. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

There is a slightly pervading air of secret fantasy in dining at El Manto. Not that the place is shrouded in the mists, in fact it sits prominently on a street corner. No, it’s the feel of the place – high concrete and brick walls and ceilings, dark colors of burgundy and black, mystical music playing softly in the background, and friendly but very silent waiters who move stealthily among the tables. Maybe it’s the fortune teller over in the corner waiting to read the dregs of your thick Armenian coffee at the finish of your meal. Maybe it’s the claim of nearly two millennia of history since the unnamed village from which the owners claim to come became the first bastion of Christianity in Armenia. Regardless, it’s definitely the spot for those who love this cuisine to come and set themselves down – it’s arguably one of the best. You’ll find all your favorites here – hummus, kibbe, kefte, kebabs, pilaf, tabouleh, and many more – and you’ll find them each prepared in a subtly different way than you’re probably used to. El Manto claims to be using traditional recipes that go back before all the modern shortcuts and substitute ingredients came into play – an insinuation on their part that others out there, perhaps, are not. Whether true or no, the food is definitely different, and served on a higher plane – read, more attractively – than the average Armenian joint in town. There’s an upstairs terrace and lounge that’s great for relaxing in, perhaps to contemplate the news delivered to you by the coffee clairvoyant, or perhaps just to kick back and enjoy one of the many selections from the short but well thought out and fairly priced wine list that includes a mix of well and lesser known producers.

Bereber

Armenia 1880, entre Nicaragua y Costa Rica (4833-5662). Bus 39, 55.

Open from 8:30pm daily; 12:30-4pm Thur-Sun. Main Courses $20-35. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

When you’re the only kid on the block with a ball, you’re the one everyone wants to hang out with. Bereber has the same advantage with the only offering in town of Moroccan cuisine. Luckily, they like to share, and what they offer up is as good as you’ll find in most food capitals outside of Morocco itself. The space is light and airy, with a lounge section where you can plop your backside on a cushion on the floor and eat or take tea, or for those who prefer to dine at a regular table, there’s both a good sized dining room and a rooftop terrace that’s open in nice weather. Service is charming and friendly, perhaps a bit too far on the laid back side at times, there are moments when you may be convinced that the staff have secretly slipped out a back exit and gone home. But it’s all worth it when the food arrives – properly fluffy steamed couscous dishes with vegetable broth and fiery hot, traditional harissa chili paste served on the side to adjust to your own liking, a rich olive and chicken tagine, a sweet and savory layered pastella, and lots of fresh lavash flatbread to keep you happily munching away. The cocoa dusted bakhlava is one of the best out there and worth taking with a cup of strong coffee or a mint tea. At lunchtime Bereber offers up a couple of daily fixed price menu options, a short array of “wraps” – vegetable, chicken, beef, or lamb, and one selected dish from their evening menu that varies from day to day. The bar serves up a nice array of cocktails, the wine list and beer selection are a bit on the sparse side.

Green Bamboo

Costa Rica 5802, esquina Carranza (4775-7050/www.green-bamboo.com.ar). Bus 34, 55, 93, 108, 111.

Open from 8:30pm daily Main Courses AR$25-35. Credit AmEx, MC, V.

It could easily be said that Vietnamese culture offers up a fascinating contrast between resonance and dissonance. The food – some of the most harmonious of the Asian cuisines – with a unique balance between sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and spiciness. The visuals of daily life – clanging, clamoring, busy, and conflicted. Green Bamboo has this contrast in spades. Visually arresting – with deep reds and shiny gold surfaces, black lacquered serving trays, and a decor that looks like a knick-knack factory exploded just the other side of the bar, hip-hop and hard rock music blaring at high volume, and a young, hip crowd jamming in for a cocktail or a table. We should also mention the food, elegant, balanced, delicious – in fact, it just keeps getting better as the kitchen has come to the awareness that there are folks out there who really do like spicy food, and now offers up each dish at a heat level from standard porteño bland to levels one through three, the last actually reaching a level that might almost start a sweat. (You can kick that up a notch with a spoonful from a bowl of freshly crushed chilies on request.) Green Bamboo offers up some of the best fried calamari you’ll ever have, tentacles, not rings – with a trio of dipping sauces, a great five-spice pork, orange lacquered chicken, spot-on curries. There’s a bit of a Trader Vic’s feel at moments, with dishes being served up in pineapple or coconut shells, but look past that and just enjoy. The bar mixes a great cocktail, from classic to creative, and the wine list has a great range, and a selection that isn’t just Malbec, Malbec, Malbec. Someone here is paying attention, as the place has steadily improved with each visit.

Bar Uriarte

Uriarte 1572, entre Honduras y Gorriti (4834-6004/www.baruriarte.com.ar). Bus 39, 55, 111, 166.

Open noon-2:30am daily. Main Courses AR$30-40 Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

The newer kid on the block from the folks who brought us Sucre and Gran Bar Danzon, Bar Uriarte looks like a redesigned low-height version of Sucre – that same modern industrial aesthetic, touched off with some touches of dark wood – sort of the slinky, sexy sibling. Staying in form, your senses are drawn to the open kitchen that takes up one entire side of the restaurant from front to back, with tables arranged along the opposing wall. Lounge on a sofa up front, grab one of the tables near to the wood burning oven, or head back to the patio at the rear – part indoor, part outdoor, depending on weather. Bar Uriarte’s kitchen turns out food that could simply be termed classic. Not classical, in the sense of something that feels old or stuffy, but classic in the sense of well done tradition. Superb pizzas come right out of that oven, great pastas from another station along the line – don’t miss their housemade gnocchi, for those in the mood for meat, perfectly cooked sweetbreads, and delicious steaks off the grill are hard to beat, particularly when accompanied by a big bowl of crispy golden fries. The wine list is long and excellent, not surprising given the pedigree, and the bar turns out a nice selection of cocktails.

Sucre

Sucre 676, entre Figueroa Alcorat y Castañeda (4782-9082/www.sucrerestaurant.com.ar) Train to Scalabrini Ortiz/37, 130 bus.

Open Noon-4pm, 8pm-2am daily. Main Courses AR$27-40 Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V

“Modern industrial” doesn’t begin to capture the atmosphere at this cavernous space. Visually, your attention is drawn to any of three competing elements, rather like being surrounded by a trio of dominatrices – a huge concrete and glass wine cellar sitting squarely in the center of the space, a floor to three-story high ceiling bar lined with colorful bottles along the entire right hand wall, and a gleaming copper and steel kitchen that fills the entire backfield. If you keep your head down you’ll make it safely to your table – whether it’s a low mesa ratón in the front lounge, a heavy wooden block in the central dining area, or a high perch on one of the stools overlooking the kitchen. Once safely seated, order anything, seriously, anything, off the nuevo-pan-Latino menu and you’ll be happy – make sure with your server that they got your order, they have a tendency to suffer from the same visual whiplash as guests, and time after time we find their attention wandering. However, the kitchen turns out plate after plate of delicious modern interpretations of ceviche, risotto, grilled salmon, slow braised pork bondiola, and others that will keep your tastebuds tingling. The star chef, Fernando Trocca, has a penchant for touches of “molecular gastronomy”, so expect a foam or gel or powder here and there, but he’s smart enough and talented enough to use them as touches, not as dishes. That wine cellar and the bar are not just pretty faces – Sucre offers up one of the most extensive and best selected wine lists in the city, and a range of cocktails that rivals the top bars in town.

The following reviews were submitted on request, but not included in the final edition.

Eliot Resto & otras pasiones

Honduras 5237, entre Uriarte y Godoy Cruz (4831-1112/www.eliot.restaurant.com.ar). Bus 39, 55, 111, 166.

Open 4pm-midnight Mon, 10am-midnight Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun. Main Courses AR$22-35 Credit AmEx, MC, V.

With a huge glass front, Eliot is nothing if not light and airy. The decor is minimal, tending towards randomly placed works of art with a vaguely indigenous quality to them – not indigenous necessarily to here, but indigenous to… somewhere. The tables are likewise scattered about, not quite arrayed in any set pattern, and not too close to each other – which, depending on your personal tastes, leaves you feeling like you have some privacy to chat with your companions without neighbors listening in, or feeling a certain lack of intimacy and warmth. We swear there’s a faint echo. But you’ll have little time to note those elements, as the servers here are quick on the draw and friendly to boot. They know the food, they’re happy to make recommendations, and fitting the space in which they work, they take advantage of it and come by and check up on you regularly. The food is lightly creative – classic local dishes of pastas, risottos, grilled fish and meats, leaning a little towards the Italian side of things, but each with interesting touches that set them apart from the ordinary – squash soup seasoned with cardamom seeds, beet juice tinged risotto with blue cheese, pork loin wrapped in prosciuto with an arugula pesto are just some of the better examples. This is creativity with restraint, and it works. The wine list is excellent, the bar turns out decent cocktails, and a lunch, they offer up an under 20 peso fixed price menu. We never did find out what the otras pasiones were…

José Luis

Av. Quintana 456, entre Ayacucho y Callao (4807-0606). Bus 10, 59, 60, 95, 101.

Open 12pm-3pm, 8:30pm-midnight Mon-Sat. Main Courses AR$25-45 Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

Buenos Aires is not noted for its seafood restaurants, and many of them are indeed questionable. But there’s no question here – José Luis is easily one of the top spots for denizens of the oceans to be dined upon. The style is Spanish, leaning towards Basque, and while there’s a small selection of red meat for those who simply can’t give up their daily steak, the vast part of the menu is fish. Here, they serve up fish as it was meant to be – simply grilled, a touch of olive oil and herbs, perhaps a little lemon. There are some more elaborate preparations that are worth checking out – their lenguado (flounder) roasted in creamed spinach is simply amazing. In truth, anything you select off the lists of fish, the different preparations, and at a variety of price levels (José Luis’ menu is interesting in that it seems to have items for every budget – from main courses that run under 20 pesos to those that get close to three figures), will be a delight. Service is fairly formal, and the dining room, especially at dinner time, is elegant – while there’s no dress code, you may feel like you ought to self-impose one. Don’t miss out on the traditional Spanish desserts mixed in with the local favorites. This is definitely a wine spot, and they offer up an excellent wine list, with good breadth of selection, albeit a bit on the pricey side.

In mid-2006, I started writing for Time Out Buenos Aires. With changes in their way of conducting business, I decided to part company with them after my last article and set of reviews in mid-2009.

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