Syngirl, I disagree. It is hard to get good raw ingredients here. This topic has come up here many times. The question of where to get good French and English cheese came up. I have asked cheese vendors and they tell me that there is no imported English cheese in Argentina though several basic types of French cheese are imported. Local cheese is generally poor quality with a few half way decent options but no variety. So just forget about cheese here if this is something you really love. Free range or organic chicken? It is extremely hard to find, as well as other varieties of foul. Yes, there are exceptions but the effort you have to go to in order to obtain it, not to mention the cost, are too great for someone who has other things to do like work! Vegetables are terribly disappointing. You cant find the variety here. The supermarkets are the worst, I agree. It is all a matter of luck. One day you may find something fresh but, again, it’s a great effort. Since you bring up the US, when I am there I never rely on the supermarket. I frequent a farmers’ market as well as the supermarket. I buy a lot from the Amish. I don’t know if the readers of this website know about the Amish. They are a religious community founded in the 1600’s in North America. They have communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, some other parts of the US and Canada. They live as they did in the 1600’s and 1700’s. Most will not use any electricity. Their products are natural and wholesome.
Delfo, there ARE a few good Italian restaurants. Try Pieggari in La Recova. The portions (main courses) are huge and intended to be shared. Some of the dishes are actually quite spicy. The quality of pasta is good. Bread is bad. They will offer you “pan de pizza” which is better but beware, they will charge you for it without telling you so in advance. Waiters are a little abrupt and the place is expensive. Il Matarello in La Boca is a very genuine old fashioned Italian place with excellent pasta, especially lasagna. Informal service (a bit too informal) and also not cheap. Unfortunately the tourists have discovered the place. The neighborhood is dangerous at night, so go for lunch and make a reservation. It’s located in one of the old immigrant houses, painted bright colors. Interesting. Also try Mancini on Libertad between Posadas and Libertador. The pasta is good. More reasonably priced than the other two places.
One good local item is wine. Unfortunately prices of good wine have risen a lot (some of the high end Argentine wines are now cheaper in the US where international competition keeps prices relatively low). Argentine winemakers keep improving and I am now finding not only good reds but some impressive whites as well.
