Buenos Aires, Argentina – Writing With My Mouth Full

Thankfully, it’s not all steaks in Buenos Aires. With some perseverance–as in, walking from San Telmo down Microcentro on the way to Recoleta–you can find a small restaurant tucked away from the busy streets. I wanted to experience the action of the city during the day but this proved sort of eh especially when you come from New York City. My companions were already starting to whine because we had been walking for at least two hours. I insisted on Restó for lunch after reading about its use of fresh ingredients in my trusty Knopf map guide and I kept telling them that all the walking will be worth it. My reputation was at stake. Restó better be better than good.

We finally found it behind the Central Society of Architects storefront an hour and a half before they were about to close for the rest of the afternoon. We felt like we’ve been in the jungle as soon as we walked in. The restaurant was a haven of cool air and quietness; we were sweaty and hungry. But all of us lit up as soon as we perused the menu: Rabbit! Quail! Fresh basil! Watermelon! We’ve been in Buenos Aires for two days and we’ve never seen watermelon on the street. And a menu without steak? Que horor! But a most welcomed change for our stomachs.

I found out later that chef-owner Maria Barrutia trained under Ferran Adriá. I swear that tidbit wasn’t mentioned in my guide book. Restó and I were meant to be! The menu changes almost daily, depending on what’s fresh in the market, and everything is cooked with so much skill and care that we couldn’t help but elicit an mmmm after every bite. The tomatoes were plump and bursting with flavor. The onions were sweet so they weren’t just a side; they were part of a whole dish. At Restó, I was thankful for the rock salt, freshly-ground pepper and the chive blossoms on my butter–attention to such detail make me appreciate those who work in the kitchen. (Note that most Buenos Aires tables leave their steaks unsalted and you’re left with table salt and pepper.)

You’ve just gotta trust me on this one.

Rabbit terrine:

Stuffed quail:

Restó is on Montevideo 938 in the El Centro neighborhood. Lunch is a very good deal. Dinner requires reservations, so call them at 11/4816-6711.

The mostly American crowd waiting outside made me question the reviews I read before coming, but it was our last night together with G. and he really wanted to share our last meal at La Cabrera. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; I was just wondering where the locals were. It was a warm but cool night. Even when some people in the crowd got demanding–we witnessed someone hand a AR$20 bill–the maitre d’ kept her cool and distributed cold glasses of champagne and small bites of hot sausages to everyone waiting outside. We jumped off our seats when, an hour and a half later, she called the Dr.’s name. We were still seated before the $20-guy and his pouting girlfriend.

Fellow German tourists said it best when we talked about the food we’ve been eating in Argentina: There are two flavors in this country: dulce de leche and unsalted beef. Because the country is considered to have the best beef in the world, no seasoning is ever added to all the cuts you order. This is, of course, okay if the beef is not overcooked; but the problem in a country of parillas, or grills, is that the meat hangs and cooks by the fire for hours at a time, resulting in the driest and blandest meat I’ve also tasted in my life. When the meat comes out this way, I need all the salt I can get.

At La Cabrera, they’re smart enough to cater to the particular tourist who might like their meat medium-rare even if it’s not the traditional way of cooking in Argentina. We ordered a medium-rare cut of rib-eye steak and it came out, well, perfectly. We knew not to order two steaks for the three of us, but we did order the sausage to complete our meal. An array of gravy and sauces came with our order and our waiter was nice enough to let us know we wouldn’t be needing any more food.

The service is brisk because they are very busy, but our waiter was attentive enough to take group photos for the table behind us and entertain my request to get a copy of the pig diagram hanging on the wall. (His answer? No, it’s not for sale.)

Anyone who has researched places to eat in Buenos Aires has surely come across La Cabrera. It’s highly reputed and it is indeed the place where I got the perfect steak in Argentina–and that was after two weeks of eating a lot of beef.

La Cabrera is on Cabrera 5099 in the Palermo Viejo neighborhood. There is another one across the big street next to Casa Blanca. Look for the crowd waiting outside at both places.

Category: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Where to eat in Buenos Aires, Argentina: Resto

Where to eat in Buenos Aires, Argentina: La Cabrera