Among the most frustrating things I have found living in Argentina the past 8 years has been the dining scene in Buenos Aires. I found it mainly consistently disappointing with the same old, same old menus, little variety, as well as the mediocre food and service. My reference base was that of a being native New Yorker, so what other city can beat New York City´s dining scene? Well, all that changed though, when I met Perry and went out dining with him. There are lots of restaurants I can recommend now.
I will recommend four places up-front:
Crizia in Palermo Soho is my favorite. Not only is it a place where the rich and famous media personalities hang out, but everything there is special from the moment you arrive. The bread dish is unique and to die for (you have to eat it all and order more). The salad was really full of greens: It looked and felt healthy. My main course of Patagonian lamb was prepared to my liking of medium rare and was the best I have ever had in my life.
Mott, also in Palermo Soho, is my second favorite. It is welcoming, appealing to the eye, has a very international staff, makes mean mojitos and pisco sours. Our dinner there consisted of a finely-squeezed, straight from the source pumpkin soup and a seafood wok with rice that was very healthy and light. Dessert was a killer tiramisu that puts most porteño confiterias to shame.
Mochica is in Almagro and Peruvian to the tee for all you Peru fans: It is welcoming in décor and service. Our waiter was the friendliest, fastest and most efficient waiter in Argentina. We started with a papa a la huancaina, which was better than any potato I ever tried in Peru. The main dish was a seafood combination that was abundant as delicious. I took leftovers home that lasted me two days. Surprisingly, for how expensive dining can be these days, the bill here can be reasonable.
El Farol is also in Almagro. It is as good Italian as it can get in Italy itself, a rare find in this city full of people of Italian heritage with generally bad, low quality Italian food. The owner is very welcoming and there is a strong neighborhood feel to the place. There is a very nice spread of antipasto dishes presented on a table for all to start with. I had a black pasta with shrimp dish that simply melted in your mouth.
Your thoughts, additions and recommendations?
I will recommend four places up-front:
Crizia in Palermo Soho is my favorite. Not only is it a place where the rich and famous media personalities hang out, but everything there is special from the moment you arrive. The bread dish is unique and to die for (you have to eat it all and order more). The salad was really full of greens: It looked and felt healthy. My main course of Patagonian lamb was prepared to my liking of medium rare and was the best I have ever had in my life.
Mott, also in Palermo Soho, is my second favorite. It is welcoming, appealing to the eye, has a very international staff, makes mean mojitos and pisco sours. Our dinner there consisted of a finely-squeezed, straight from the source pumpkin soup and a seafood wok with rice that was very healthy and light. Dessert was a killer tiramisu that puts most porteño confiterias to shame.
Mochica is in Almagro and Peruvian to the tee for all you Peru fans: It is welcoming in décor and service. Our waiter was the friendliest, fastest and most efficient waiter in Argentina. We started with a papa a la huancaina, which was better than any potato I ever tried in Peru. The main dish was a seafood combination that was abundant as delicious. I took leftovers home that lasted me two days. Surprisingly, for how expensive dining can be these days, the bill here can be reasonable.
El Farol is also in Almagro. It is as good Italian as it can get in Italy itself, a rare find in this city full of people of Italian heritage with generally bad, low quality Italian food. The owner is very welcoming and there is a strong neighborhood feel to the place. There is a very nice spread of antipasto dishes presented on a table for all to start with. I had a black pasta with shrimp dish that simply melted in your mouth.
Your thoughts, additions and recommendations?
