Típico Argentino

[Davidglen77]

So here's a situation that I dealt with today, just one of those times where I guess in the great scheme of things it's not such a big deal but very annoying nonetheless:

There is a mall in Congreso close to where I live called "Spinetto", it's not fancy at all, but they have a huge Coto supermarket there, believe it or not a small bowling alley some other assorted stores and a food court that is very complete, all the food prepared daily and fairly economical. Today they advertised "Asado 9,90" this was the price for a portion of course. So I ask for it and low and behold "no hay más" so they have a 1/4 chicken for the same price, I ask for that and I get a nice size drumstick and thigh combo off the corner of the parilla. I touch it to see if it's hot and it wasn't, so I ask him to grill it some more, he puts it on for less than 2 mins and gave it to me on a plate. I move down the line where the side dishes are and its the usual boring side dishes, lettuce tomato onion salad, mashed potatoes, potatoes layered with cream, etc. I grab a serving of mashed potatoes and put it on my tray. I then take a bottle of agua con gas from the fridge and go to the register. Total 33,90 pesos, I am like the chicken is 9,90, she said the water was 10 pesos and I am like "cuanto está la porción de puré de papa" she says "catorce" I am thinking 14 f'ing pesos for a small foam cup of mashed potatoes, jeez, there are people behind me so I just pay it don't say a word and go find a table.

I sit down and cut the chicken with some VERY flimsy plastic utensils, 2 of the spokes broke off the fork in the process and low and behold, it's totally pink and raw inside. I open the mashed potatoes and they are ice cold. There are 3 microwaves around the food court to heat up food, I go look at them and all 3 are broken. I go back to the parilla guy and ask him to cook my chicken, he gets all surprised and says "me parecía bien asado" and I am like well "te equivocaste" so just cook it so I can eat it. Mean while i go back to the cashier and tell her I am not eating the potatoes cold and there is no way to warm them up and I need a new fork 'cause mine broke. Of course she didn't wan't to do anything but I got pissy and I brought a salad over and left the cold potatoes next to her. She wanted to charge me 1,50 for another set of plastic utensils I told her she had to give me back the difference in price between the salad and the potatoes, she calls some supervisor over who just gives me a dirty look doesn't say a word, she signs 3 forms opens an envelope and gives me 4 pesos back I then ask her again for a new fork she practically throws it at my tray. So I grab my tray go back to the parilla and the guy is not there, my chicken is sitting on the parilla totally black and burnt, so I wait he comes back and says "ay perdon se me quemó el pollo" grabs it off the parrilla, puts it on a plate and hands it to me. I am like "me estás cargando boludo", dame otra cosa, ni un perro va a comer ese pollo quemado". So what does he do? Gives me a nice big portion of asado and a chorizo, and says "buen provecho". Moral of the story? Don't give up, stand your ground in Argentina and you will get rewarded here with a big fat steak and chorizo!

 

[CarverFan]

Yes, I've found that when I finally flip and go crazy (and feel ashamed in doing so), that's when I start to get some respect!

 

[Lucas]

Hahaha typical indeed, well you are learning and becoming already one of them even if you don't realize it yet, complaining for anything and everything with or without foundations is one of the early symptoms of the disease so take care and be happy.

 

[PhilipDT]

Haha I love that "mall" I used to go just to the coto (pretty good selection of seafood) but one day decided to try going upstairs. I was certainly not expecting what I saw

 

[marksoc]

Next time go to a neighborhood restaurant.

 

[Davidglen77]

Haha I love that "mall" I used to go just to the coto (pretty good selection of seafood) but one day decided to try going upstairs. I was certainly not expecting what I saw

Pretty good selection of seafood, oh yes.......fresh merluza filets, whole merluza, frozen merluza filets, milanesas de merluza, whole calamar, calamaer tentacles, frozen calamar.......that was the grand selection of seafood they had today at COTO not counting of course all the cans of tuna fish.

There is a nice new asian supermarket (not chinese supermarket) kind of like the ones in Barrio Chino that just opened up on Rivadavia (near Matheu) that has a nice selection of fresh fish.

 

[va2ba]

The longer you stand and wait for what you want, the more nervous and uncomfortable they become and when you wait long enough, you get what you want.

 

[Lucas]

^ The only problem is the waiting.....

 

[Lucas]

Pretty good selection of seafood, oh yes.......fresh merluza filets, whole merluza, frozen merluza filets, milanesas de merluza, whole calamar, calamaer tentacles, frozen calamar.......that was the grand selection of seafood they had today at COTO not counting of course all the cans of tuna fish.

There is a nice new asian supermarket (not chinese supermarket) kind of like the ones in Barrio Chino that just opened up on Rivadavia (near Matheu) that has a nice selection of fresh fish.

If they bring something different for sure is going to the rubbish so they offer what is selling and the people ask, not one but many...which is? merluza (hake) and tuna (atún), common, generic run out the mill Argentines won't touch anything else, fish is not the main course of the diet, any fish at all for that matter so don't expect variety in a supermarket for that you should go to the fish market and even there it may not have what you are looking for, but sure they will have....merluza.

 

[DontMindMe]

There are many times when I want chicken on a sandwich, in a wrap, etc. but choose the beef instead because at least then I know it won't be raw. They nuke their beef but for some reason chicken is often left pink!

Glad you are able to view the outcome of this story as a positive one, OP. Shit like this happens, oh, once a week or so to me (surely to all of us) and I keep thinking I'll learn to stop caring or getting pissed off by it. But I still do. I just can't get any satisfaction out of yelling or cursing at people to get what I want, even though that's what it always takes in the end. Guess it's a good thing I'm leaving soon.