Where to Eat
Casa Cruz, Uriarte 1658, Palermo Viejo, tel 4833-1112, gm@casa-cruz.com Germán Martitegui is the owner. Forget “Sucre” for an “in” place to go (“Sucre” has uncomfortable chairs and loud ambiance) “Casa Cruz” is everything a fine dining experience should be. Fantastic food in a truly romantic and comfortable setting. Expensive but worth every penny.
The more recent wave of starkly designed restaurants has carved a nouvelle Argentine cuisine from the traditional steak-and-pasta diet. At the top of the list sought for tourists is the always-full Sucre , Sucre 676, tel 4782-9082, for lunch and dinner daily, with the local über-chef Fernando Trocca at the helm. Dishes like leg of lamb with rosemary and mint (27 pesos) are consistently good, but the cavernous concrete space can leave some cold despite the huge fireplace.
Mott (El Salvador 4685; tel 4833-4306, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) sweetly updates the trend in a heaven-white box with many of Sucre’s design elements. There, Maria Lancio’s kitchen turns out interesting dishes like sweet-and-pungent fruit and mushroom risotto (24 pesos) and a tender lamb ragout with pumpkin tart (29 pesos).
Buenos Aires, of course, is beef-crazed, and Cabaña Las Lilas, Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo 516, tel 4313-1336 , based in the tourist-packed Puerto Madero port, is arguably its most famous, and expensive, purveyor, where a T-bone steak costs 49 pesos. This is where Clinton had a steak when he was visiting, very elegant “yuppie” decor, but the steaks are unreal. Great “special occasion” place.
Across the street from the soccer coliseum known as La Bombonera sits the classic Don Carlos, Brandsen 699, tel 4362-2433, closed Sunday and during soccer games, where the waiters bring a seemingly endless variety of dishes, from spinach fritters to steak, and the only ordering you do is answering Don Carlos’s one question: “Meats or pastas?” Lunch comes to about 35 pesos a person - no credit cards.
Highly recommended is the restaurant POSITANO Espectaculos in Palermo / Belgrano border, Olleros 1760, tel 4772 7539, for fine food and operatic theatre combined. Right now, with the Teatro Colon closed (from Nov 2006 for 6 months) expect to be entertained by any and or many of the finest Argentine opera singers, up close and personal !
For an update on parrillas, barbecue restaurants where more than a quarter of the patrons might actually speak Spanish, try La Dorita, Humboldt 1905 & 1892, tel 4773-0070, lunch and dinner daily, where a photographic take on the Last Supper as an Argentine BBQ overlooks diners drinking wine served in traditional penguin-shaped carafes and eating veal sweetbreads (12 pesos) and lomo, or tenderloin (20 pesos for two people).
788 Foodbar, Arenales 1877, Recoleta tel 4814-4788, has a very cool atmosphere, trendy, yuppie, we arrived at 9 pm and were the first in the restaurant to have dinner. There is an area with couches and comfortable chairs to have drinks. Food is excellent, wine list was a little pricey. For 2 the bill comes to about $125 pesos which includes appetizers, main dishes, 2 coffees, and a bottle of decent Argentine red wine. Complimentary champagne with the bill (in December 2004.)
Empire Bar - Tai food - Tres Sargentos 427, Retiro tel 4312-5706 gets good recommendations.
La Olla de Felix, Arenales between Montevideo and Rodriguez Peña, tel 4811-2873, open for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. Quite a find, and easy to walk by it without noticing. It’s very small, maybe 15 small tables, that’s why reservations are necessary. There are only 5 or 6 entrees, no appetizers, only 4 or 5 desserts. That’s it. Home style cooking, delicious. The entrees are inexpensive, wines are simple and inexpensive. A wonderful place.
La Parolaccia Trattoria, Riobamba 1046, tel 4812-1053, also locations in Belgrano and Puerto Madero. A wonderful Italian restaurant, beautiful decor, delicious and inexpensive for the quality of the food. Best calamari in Bs.As. Call for reservations as they fill up pretty quick.
Restó, Montevideo 938, near M. T. Alvear, tel 4816 6711, Mon to Fri, lunch, Thurs & Fri, dinner. Call for reservations, very small, romantic and intimate. Simply the most amazing food at the most incredible prices. Three price fix menus to choose from. French / California fusion.
Rodi Bar, Vicente Lopez 1900, right on the corner of Ayacucho, tel 4801-5230. A favorite family restaurant with great “neighborhood” atmosphere, you know you are in Argentina when you’re in here, very comfortable, waiters with bow ties. Huge menu selection (hilarious translations in English), grilled trout is very yummy (stay away from sauces on the fish), creamed spinach is creamy and mouth watering. Very reasonable and cheap wine list.
Tancat, Paraguay 645, Retiro, tel 4312-6106/5442. Great place “downtown” near the pedestrian street Florida. Specialty is “tapas” but everything is good here, great seafood.
Teatriz, Riobamba 1220, tel 4811-1915, teatriz@yahoo.com is very special and fabulous decor. Food, preparation and presentation are top rate, so the prices reflect that, also the wine list has some nice expensive choices, but luckily a few modestly priced bottles can be found. Make reservations!
A great web site to get information on restaurants in B.A. : elgourmet.com Click on “guia de restaurantes”, then “tipo de cocina” to find international spots. Or you can set up specific search parameters (neighborhood, type of cuisine, price). If you can’t read Spanish, the point rating system is easily understood.
The Economist (of all things) actually has a good listing of restaurants
If you’re hungry in Buenos Aires or just yearning to sample some local cuisine in any one of Buenos Aires many restaurants, don’t miss expat resident Dan Perlmans expansive and informative restaurant review list on his site Saltshaker.
