Buenos Aires - Restaurants and Bars

[Dickhead]

Recently I recommended this wine, having tried the Malbec on a number of occasions. I just tried the '04 Cabernet Sauvignon and it was terrible. So avoid that one.

[Norman Stormin]

If you´re into the grandure of the turn on the century, try this place. It was abandoned for years and three years ago a Spanish Company bot and restored it. A true work of art. They claim it was built in 1884. It may be true that Las Violetas has been there, but the architecture of the upper floors is definitely of the 1930 era. Notwithstanding, the interior design is a masterpiece of stained glass, bevoled mirrors, and inlaid woods.

The menu and prices are comparative to most confiterias of the city. However, the quality and presentation are on a par with what one would find at the Sofitel or Alvear hotels. Lunchoen for two (a la cart) with wine 40 pesos.

[Guillermo]

Jackson,

Thanks for clarifying your policy on Mansion dinners (see edited post in blue below). It might be helpful to make that an "official post" in The WSG Mansion section where everyone else will see it.

You might also want to give us a "heads up" on future dinner announcements as to whether the specific event is to be safe for "civilians", or strictly for battle hardened vets.

You have to admit, some of the reports that come out of the dinner parties are pretty salacious. Which is fine, that's what we all look forward to hearing about. The thought that the Sanctum Sanctorum of the WSG would be anything else would probably never occur to us.

Guillermo

[OttoGraham]

In any event, please let me assure you that there in NOTHING about the appearance of the Mansion, the people attending the functions at the Mansion, or the conversations between visitors at the Mansion that would offend the sensibilities of a "regular" visitor. In other words, it's just a civilized dinner party, it's not an orgy.

Yes, I know that Capt Dave makes it sound like there are naked chicas around every corner and people having sex in the hallways.....

Thanks,

Jackson

What? No sex in the hallways? Sorry, I shall not be able to make it, Jefe.

Uncle Otto

[Dickhead]

Here are some local brands and my personal opinion on them:

Quilmes: I think this is the most popular brand. I don't like it. I think it is too light. Think Coors. A lot of the chicas like it.
Brahma: My favorite. Think Budweiser. A bit cheaper than Quilmes in the stores.
Isenbeck: A bit more of a distinctive taste. Great on tap but sometimes tastes funny to me in bottles. Better in cans than Brahma, IMO (Quilmes in cans is virtually unbearable to me). Isenbeck tastes a little hoppier. Costs a bit more in the stores than either Brahma or Quilmes.
Palermo: A lighter beer but not so light as Quilmes. Not bad.
Biekert: I don't like this one too well. It comes in a couple of versions including D'Oro which is OK.
Schneider: The Pabst Blue Ribbon of Argentina, normally the cheapest thing you can get.

If you get Budweiser or Heineken here, it will be made in Argentina. Another one that is popular is Warsteiner, also made here. I don't like it. These beers aren't significantly more expensive than the local beers, although Heinken is a bit more just like it is in the US.

I have noticed that a lot of times mixed drinks aren't that much more than beers, at least in the regular bars, and the bartenders often make them really, really strong, like half and half or even stronger. One thing that is popular here is Fernet, which is a 90 proof herbal liquor. Think Jaegermeister but I like Fernet better. Try it with Coca Cola.

Local whiskey: Old Smuggler and Criadores are the two most popular. Neither is too good but I like Criadores better. It is supposedly Scotch but tastes sort of like halfway between Scotch and Canadian Club to me.

Local gin is to be avoided IMHO. Local vodka I have not tried.

Imported liquor will be quite pricey in most bars. Some of the Irish bars have okay prices on Jameson's: 7 pesos in Shamrock, 9 in Kilkenny and The Clover, and 10 in The Temple.

Try Buller's in Recoleta (Restaurant Row) for micro brews. They got some powerful shit there!

I am not a wine expert but there's tons of great wine here, very cheap. I like Nieto Sintinider (sp?), Concha y Toro, and Norton, (reds) all around 8 pesos or so in the store and maybe 18-20 in a restaurant. Anything Malbec, it's hard to go wrong.

Hope that helps.

DH

[Alliwantislove]

The latest National Geographic Traveler has an article on BsAs and says "one of the best places to try excellent Argentine wines and catch a jazz or instrumental tango concert ($5 admission) is Club del Vino in Palermo Viejo(Cabrera 4737, 4011-2582)."

I am looking for places to enjoy quiet, romantic jazz and would sure appreciate any reports on any such places.

Thanks, Bob

[Member #1164]

Would love to attend the Thanksgiving dinner but I can not. Does anyone know any restaurants here in bs that have a turkey dinner type thing?

Hi #1164,

I'm courious, can you elaborate on why you wouldn't be able to attend the dinner party at the Mansion? The reason I ask is because the primary reason guys give me for not being able to attend functions at the Mansion is because they are traveling with their wife and/or girlfriend, and they think that bring them to the Mansion would be like bringing them to a brothel, thus potentially exposing them (the guys) to a lot of problems.

In any event, please let me assure you that there in NOTHING about the appearance of the Mansion, the people attending the functions at the Mansion, or the conversations between visitors at the Mansion that would offend the sensibilities of a "regular" visitor. In other words, it's just a civilized dinner party, it's not an orgy.

Yes, I know that Capt Dave makes it sound like there are naked chicas around every corner and people having sex in the hallways, but I can assure you that the dinner parties that I host are perfectable suitable for guys to bring wives and/or dates, and that they will feel welcomed and that they will enjoy themselves as they would at any regular dinner party between friends.

Thanks,

Jackson

[J Beckset]

Hi,

Will soon be on my first trip ever to B.A. and I think I've got the monger part of the trip pretty much down pat :-)

Question:

Buying beer or drinks, should I stick with the local brand, thinking that U.S./European beers might be very expensive, say at restaurants, etc?

And what *is* the local brand there?

What about drinks and mixed drinks, say at the clubs like Madahos / Shampoo / Blacks - are the vodka drinks expensive? Should I stick to the house brands?

And finally, I'd like to get a bottle of local wine. Any recommendations for good ones that are easy on the wallet (that the locals enjoy as well)?

Thanks guys,

Beckset

[Exon123]

address is Pasaje del Correo Local 11 Vincente Lopez 1661.

A little pricy for Dickhead, but what the hell I was buying and came highly recomended my Dickhead's nameless attorney whom is always in his shaddow.

Now comes Highly Recomended by Exon whom Love's good food.

A must try, and that means you too Otto next time your in town.

Exon.

[Stormy]

The salad bar comes with any order of more than 8.50 pesos. The hotties are both employed there and as customers. This is big restaurant and an excellent value IMO. One might want to skip the Malbec at 14 pesos and go with the Trumpeter Malbec at 28. But I quibble.

[Dickhead]

This large restaurant is on Carlos Pellegrini in the 1500 block on the east side. That is down the hill towards Retiro. I thought it was quite good and reasonably priced. A large menu, mostly meat of course, and a free salad bar with any entree or other food purchase over ? pesos. Wine list is not extensive but is reasonably priced. The service was quite good and attentive and there are lots of hotties working there.

[Saint]

This isn't technically a bar or a restaurant but I'll put it in this section anyway. There is a really quaint little cafe that I go to study most weeks. It does serve food and drinks/coffee/desserts though and pretty tasty too. I like it for the environment though. It's never too busy and you can't access it from the street. It is sort of underground so the entrance is on the side and you walk down some stairs.

It's fashioned as a little library and it's usually quiet and nice for a little break or to just read a book. The name of it is called La Biblioteca and it's located at Marcelo T. de Alvear 1155 near Libertad. It's one block from the Dazzler Hotel.

Enjoy!

Saint

[L Duke]

Buenos Aires Dance Clubs

From time to time, several of you have inquired about dance clubs in BA. More often than not those questions go unanswered.

I recently ran into this website that seems to have a very comprensive list of dance clubs, the scene, the best nights, the type of music and the type of clientele that these clubs attract.

http://www.almesberger.net/fun/night.html

This information maybe useful for those of you who want to check out the regular clubs and bars in BA.

[Daddy Rulz]

Before I started working for an airline, I worked in restaurants for a lot of years here in the States. One of the things I love most about BsAs is the food. I thought I would share some of my favorites.

Most of my favorite restaurants are in Palermo, I love this area. Palermo is the biggest of the 42 barrios in BsAs split into three parts. Gran Palermo, mostly residential, Palermo Viejo, the old part and across the tracks Palermo Hollywood. Palermo Viejo and Hollywood are sort of the center of the art environment of the city. A lot of the service people you will meet live and hang out there. It's a wonderful area for walking, don't worry about the heaps of dog shit on the ground it's supposed to be good luck when you step in it.

Restaurants,

Central:

My favorite restaurant in the city is called "Central" it's at Costa Rica 5644 phone 4776-7370. It is a small place and kind of loud due to it's modern design and cement walls. There is a long bar on the right and a long couch on the left with tables. The couches look like a great idea until you try to eat, then it sucks because you can't eat more than a sandwich laying back on a couch. Unless you have brought a date I suggest the tables. I prefer the taller tables as it gives me a great view of the room. I would suggest without reservation any item on the menu and have never received anything less than outstanding food. Some items I suggest, the pate is great and when in season they do a warm salad with scallops that's out of this world. The torta for desert can not be avoided. Roxanna and I had a great dinner there. I eat there at least once or twice when in town for lunch and dinner. Ask for Fransisco, his English is not great but He's a great guy and his service while not professional is warm and friendly. You can tell him the guy from Texas that works for an airline sent you. He may or may not remember me. If you do ask for him and reference me please leave a little more than the standard 10%.

Lomo:

Lomo is also on Costa Rica but on the other side of the tracks in the old part of Palermo. Costa Rica 4659 again it's a must visit when I go. The only bad meal I ever had was in April when the chef takes vacation. This last trip I took a friend and between us we had 3 appetizers, 3 entrees coffee and desert. The damage was 130 pesos, high for Argentina but considering the exchange dirt cheap. They have a rooftop garden there and in the spring or fall call ahead for a reservation. I would recommend any entrada or plato principal but the seafood ravioli is fucking killer. Skip desert because they suck. Instead walk to the cafe on Plaza Serrano I recommend later.

Interesting side note, on my first visit it was late fall and getting a little chilly at night. My friend and I asked to sit outside. the hostess took us upstairs and there was a young couple having sex at one of the tables. She was wearing a short skirt and bouncing on his lap. The were just about ready to hit the high note I would guess and oblivious to anything around them. Without skipping a beat our hostess said, "perhaps you would prefer a table downstairs tonight" and turned us around and walked back down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs she put a chain across the stair case and apologized to us. I told her not to worry and because I had once been young and in love myself. She smiled at me and kissed my cheek, telling me at heart I was a Porteno. A little while later they young couple came downstairs, both looking as if dinner had agreed with them.

Te Matare Ramirez:

Two locations, Paraguay 4062 in Palermo and one in San Isidro, I have only been to the one in Palermo. This is an unusual restaurant. The theme is sex, sex, and more sex. The dishes are not named literally on the menu but rather they are called figuratively. IE "My two little virgins in their first embrace" is two medallions of tenderloin. On Wednesday night they do a spoken word show by a male and a female actress. The VERY pricey menu IMHO is justified to listen to her re-enact her first experience with anal sex or his poem to his pene. the show is good natured in blindingly fast Castillano and very funny. The food is exceptional and extraordinarily well presented. Plus you can buy salt shakers that look like sperm for 15 pesos. My only ***** is the chairs are not very comfortable. I like the Chinese sesame stir fry with lomo, very good.

Comega Azzurra:

Corrientes 222 P19 4315-8381, The food is acceptable and the service outstanding. The major claim to fame is the view. The restaurant is on the 19th floor and it overlooks Puerto Madero and the city. On the 20th floor there is a sushi restaurant. The sushi is acceptable, fresh and good presentation but they put this mayonnaise sauce in their rolls and you should ask they not use it. It will impress the chicas but again the food while good is not inspired.

La Estancia:

It is on Lavalle on the walking side just off Carlos Pelligrini. There are several of them in the city but I like this one. The building used to be the Presidents house (according to the doorman) a long time ago. The "Lomo La Estancia" is a piece of tenderloin the size of your head for about 22 pesos. The service is hit or miss because the waiters seem to hate yanqui's but the meat is great and for my money the best Chimichurri in the city. On weekend nights they do a show upstairs, with singing and different styles of dance, Tango, Provintial, and a VERY bad Caribbean number. The singers are good and the dancing entertaining. For 50 pesos a person you get the house menu which is an appetizer, a mixed grill, a few sides, dessert, coffee and a glass of champagne and wine with dinner. I'm sure better steaks can be had but I like the place.

Cafes,

Lots has been written about La Madelaine on Sante Fe and it is an excellent place to go for in-expensive food. If you want a great place for an Argentinian sandwich walk up the street about a block (against the flow of traffic) and on the same side is a little cafe called "King something" the service is GREAT and the food good and cheap.

On Plaza Seranno at the red light there is a little cafe, very small, that is one of my favorite people watching places at this time of year. It is right at the light but I can't remember it's name. It has very old wooden tables and a lot of art on the walls inside. There are a ton of cafes on Plaza Serrano but this one is kind of by itself at the only red light at the intersection. The have great coffee, and they have a cake that translates as "Million or thousand leaves" it's dulce de leche and cake with a white topping that is really good. I have taken a whole series of photos while sitting at that cafe watching the Sunday afternoon go by. No trip of mine is complete without spending three or four hours just sitting there.

I don't remember most of the cafes I stop in because when I'm hungry and I go past a place that smells good I eat.

Bon Apatite (sorry my French is as bad as my Castillano)

Dr

[WWLL]

Amantelondres, Sexplorer, Sterling V et al

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. See you in about 10 days.