Restaurants To Avoid

[RichardP]

Most people like to eat well and enjoy a pleasant dining experience. I know there are many good places in the city to do this, but there are also establishments that don't seem understand this. How about a thread of restaurants to avoid like the plague?
I'll start.
Last night I thought I'd try a non- descript typical parrilla in the neighborhood called "Los Pinos" on the corner of Azcuénaga and French in La Recoleta as I'm a fan of old-style Argentine cuisine. I checked out the reviews online and they were mixed. I should have heeded the warning.

http://www.guiaoleo....s/Los-Pinos-711

It was bad from the start. The waiter seemed to be high on crack and could not answer the simplest of questions. The entrada was a cold morcilla and a thin and overcooked piece of provoleta. The salad was a sad, wilted affair. The worst was the bife de chorizo and bife lomo, both flavorless, dry and almost impossible to chew.
I can't say the service was bad, but they did not seem to appreciate that we were not at all pleased with the quality of the food. It was not cheap either. The basic response was "we'll try to get it right the next time you come."
I was surprised to see a line of people waiting to enter as we were eating. Have people stopped caring about the quality of food and restaurants?

 

[bobg]

Most people like to eat well and enjoy a pleasant dining experience. I know there are many good places in the city to do this, but there are also establishments that don't seem understand this. How about a thread of restaurants to avoid like the plague?
I'll start.
Last night I thought I'd try a non- descript typical parrilla in the neighborhood called "Los Pinos" on the corner of Azcuénaga and French in La Recoleta as I'm a fan of old-style Argentine cuisine. I checked out the reviews online and they were mixed. I should have heeded the warning.

http://www.guiaoleo....s/Los-Pinos-711

It was bad from the start. The waiter seemed to be high on crack and could not answer the simplest of questions. The entrada was a cold morcilla and a thin and overcooked piece of provoleta. The salad was a sad, wilted affair. The worst was the bife de chorizo and bife lomo, both flavorless, dry and almost impossible to chew.
I can't say the service was bad, but they did not seem to appreciate that we were not at all pleased with the quality of the food. It was not cheap either. The basic response was "we'll try to get it right the next time you come."
I was surprised to see a line of people waiting to enter as we were eating. Have people stopped caring about the quality of food and restaurants?

Thanks! Because I have passed this place often and thought it looked interesting and had been meaning to try it.

Bob

 

[Redbeanz]

La Marisqueria, Av. Las Heras 2745, Barrio Norte. Ordered lenguado, and we're charged for it, but were served merluza. On the way out, expressed our displeasure to the manager, who shrugged and said they didn't have any lenguado that day. Huh?
More serious problem: friends on this forum told us they had been there, saw a glass broken above serving dish - glass pieces picked out - food served from it as if nothing had happened.

Surprised and sorry to hear that Los Pinos disappointed. We haven't been there in a couple of years, but had very good food there, served by a knowledgeable and attentive waiter. Nice old farmacia setting.

 

[TomAtAlki]

That was us. We watched the women try to pick out the glass from the food platters. They did finally remove them from the serving area. We never actually saw them serve from the platters, but we didn't see them through out the food either. We have never been back.
Nancy

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

To avoid.

Le Pharmacie - Palermo
Pura Tierra - Belgrano
Fleur de Sel - Belgrano
Feira - Caballito
MADD Burgers - Belgrano
Siga la Vaca - various locations
The Italian restaurant en la recova.
Lotus Thai - Belgrano
Prosciutto - various locations.

And many more this list could go on forever.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

To avoid.

Le Pharmacie - Palermo
Pura Tierra - Belgrano
Fleur de Sel - Belgrano
Feira - Caballito
MADD Burgers - Belgrano
Siga la Vaca - various locations
The Italian restaurant en la recova.
Lotus Thai - Belgrano
Prosciutto - various locations.

And many more this list could go on forever.

Pura Tierra is great, one of my favorites. I haven't been to Lotus for quite a while, but it was very good.

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

Pura Tierra is great, one of my favorites. I haven't been to Lotus for quite a while, but it was very good.

I had a very poor experience a couple weeks ago, thought about writing a review then but never got around to it. Basically there was a lot wrong; from the 9 course tasting menu I only thought two plates were good and neither of them were great. Most plates lacked even the most basic harmony and the seasoning was inaccurate. The fresh baked bread was warm and aromatic but dense and caky. They are trying way too hard and writing menus that they don't have the skill to pull off. The highlight of the evening was the 80 peso corkage and the exceptionally large decanter they brought out for our 96 Quilcida creek which vastly outshone the mediocre meal.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

I had a very poor experience a couple weeks ago, thought about writing a review then but never got around to it. Basically there was a lot wrong; from the 9 course tasting menu I only thought two plates were good and neither of them were great. Most plates lacked even the most basic harmony and the seasoning was inaccurate. The fresh baked bread was warm and aromatic but dense and caky. They are trying way too hard and writing menus that they don't have the skill to pull off. The highlight of the evening was the 80 peso corkage and the exceptionally large decanter they brought out for our 96 Quilcida creek which vastly outshone the mediocre meal.

I can't speak for your specific experience, but any restaurant can have an off-night. I've been to Pura Tierra at least half a dozen times and it's always been superb, and my relatives have had similar results to mine. I would not hesitate to go back.

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

I can't speak for your specific experience, but any restaurant can have an off-night. I've been to Pura Tierra at least half a dozen times and it's always been superb, and my relatives have had similar results to mine. I would not hesitate to go back.

I could be a lot more forgiving if they didn't price themselves out of forgiveness. They've put themselves at the top end of BA restaurants and at the top consistency in quality should be superb.

The portions were far too large. Unsalted tartare is unforgivable even for an off night. Dried out and/or over set gelled bell pepper juice was molded into little cylinders like used tampons and served in two different dishes on the same menu. The ceviche seriously lacked acidity and again, salt. The more I remember the sourer my opinion gets.

Beautiful setting though and great service.

 

[aholm]

La dulcinea. I kid you not I threw my food in the trash, and I'm against that.