My recommendations for (decent) restaurants in BA.

[MizzMarr]

.....so expensive and come to think of it, they are really cheap ingredients....

i have decided that i will make my own tortillas (rapiditas are lame and i can't find corn tortillas to make tacos anywhere in BA).

I have given up on mexican food in BA so I will cook it myself. It safes me from complaining about how expensive and lame mexican restaurants are.

Try these guys for your corn chip and tortilla needs:
http://www.tortillapanchovilla.com.ar/productos/productos.htm

 

[starlucia]

What I'm confused about is where you've been reading that people like the food here! I've lived here for several years, and food complaining is THE number one favorite pasttime of expats.

Hee. This.

I think the only people who rave about the food here are people who are happy eating beef every night. Certainly not those whose idea of "good food" includes anything fresh, organic, creative, or exotic. Or from the sea. Or that incorporates flavorings other than "salt" and "grease."

That said, the only two restaurants I'm willing to shell out money for anymore are Meraviglia for lunch and Brasserie Petanque for dinner (the only decent salmon -- and by salmon, I mean the real kind, not "salmon blanco" -- in the city.)

 

[cbonanni]

I agree there are few memorable place to eat in Bs As. Best food and as spicy as I like comes out of my own kitchen. But really the food price are getting outrageous.

 

[DontMindMe]

That said, the only two restaurants I'm willing to shell out money for anymore are Meraviglia for lunch and Brasserie Petanque for dinner (the only decent salmon -- and by salmon, I mean the real kind, not "salmon blanco" -- in the city.)

I'm thinking of heading back to Brasserie Petanque since I live in the neighborhood and have heard good things about the dinner options. However, the one lunch special I had was atrocious, completely devoid of flavor and came with absolutely dreadful service. (Yes, dreadful by BA standards!) My crepe and salad tasted like air, and my boyfriend's beef dish was so tough neither of us could chew it. My face will turn red if I even think about the service, so I will leave it to your imagination.

Does anyone have any recommendations for specific dinner dishes here? It was such a lovely place visually and I will definitely try it again, if only for that salmon. It would be nice to have some outside of a mediocre sushi roll!

 

[starlucia]

[quote name='Don'tMindMe']I'm thinking of heading back to Brasserie Petanque since I live in the neighborhood and have heard good things about the dinner options. However, the one lunch special I had was atrocious, completely devoid of flavor and came with absolutely dreadful service. (Yes, dreadful by BA standards!) My crepe and salad tasted like air, and my boyfriend's beef dish was so tough neither of us could chew it. My face will turn red if I even think about the service, so I will leave it to your imagination.

Does anyone have any recommendations for specific dinner dishes here? It was such a lovely place visually and I will definitely try it again, if only for that salmon. It would be nice to have some outside of a mediocre sushi roll! [/QUOTE]

Oh, sorry to hear you had a bad experience. My first time there, the hostess was kind of a bitch (not wanting me to sit at a table for an early-evening glass of wine, until the owner told her to leave me alone), but now that we're regulars, it's always a hug and a kiss from him and from said formerly-bitchy hostess. But the waiters have always been fine -- knowledgeable and available when needed.

I only ever get the salmon, but my girlfriend is a big fan of the pork bondiola. On one occasion she opted for the beef bourgignon, which she said was good -- but not as good as the pork. And she raves about the Alsatian-style chucrut (which they make with cerdo, salchichas, all varieties of pig product).

 

[irina]

I have given up on mexican food in BA so I will cook it myself. It safes me from complaining about how expensive and lame mexican restaurants are.

While this place is a lot more expensive than it would be back home, it is DELICIOUS! I am from Texas and went because I was really missing Tex-Mex (although it is authentic Mexican, not Tex-Mex at all) and loved it. The spices definitely gave me the sniffles. I sent my Mexican roommate to try it out and it definitely met with his approval! I had the enchiladas and a flauta and they were amazing, my fiance had the Mole.

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Frida-Khalo-130

It is in Nunez but worth the trip for good Mexican food.

 

[PhilipDT]

While this place is a lot more expensive than it would be back home, it is DELICIOUS! I am from Texas and went because I was really missing Tex-Mex (although it is authentic Mexican, not Tex-Mex at all) and loved it. The spices definitely gave me the sniffles. I sent my Mexican roommate to try it out and it definitely met with his approval! I had the enchiladas and a flauta and they were amazing, my fiance had the Mole.

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/restaurantes/Frida-Khalo-130

It is in Nunez but worth the trip for good Mexican food.

Try DF in puerto madero for decent tex mex.

 

[garygrunson]

Tandoor is owned by an Indian and still the food sucks, not sure why they are still in business. BA is a sad place for Indian food.

 

[perry]

There are some great restaurants in Buenos Aires that have incredible atmosphere and food but they are all minimum 200 pesos a head now .

My favourites are

Crizia Palermo Soho

Mott Palermo Soho

Sipan Centro

Oviedo Barrio Norte

 

[ghost]

What I'm confused about is where you've been reading that people like the food here! I've lived here for several years, and food complaining is THE number one favorite pasttime of expats. In general, the food really sucks. The sad truth. I wish the food were more like the food in Mexico, but that's a pipe dream. As Philip posted there are exceptions but those exceptions are usually quite expensive.

If one truly studies the Mexican kitchen IE cuisine in a serious fashion you will find that it is among the most complex cuisines in the world. I mean the full range of high Mexican to the simple.