El Alamo

Dropped by this afternoon to catch some NFL games and have a bite to eat. And I've got to say, that was a great fucking burger.

I get the feeling that before long this place will be pumping. Nice job so far, Jefe.

I went here one of these days and found the place quite nice. It resembles a typical US bar, but not in a bad way. The added AC is dearly needed though, as we were sweating and it was not even a warm day.

The service on the bar was good, the fries very good and the burger itself okay.

The crowd is quite young (college age) and there were quite a few attractive girls, too. It got very full until around 11, when we left.

[QUOTE=Chezz; 430777]Dropped by this afternoon to catch some NFL games and have a bite to eat. And I've got to say, that was a great fucking burger.

I get the feeling that before long this place will be pumping. Nice job so far, Jefe.[/QUOTE]What time do Saturday's N. F. L games start?

Is it 6:30 pm and 10. 00pm Argentina time?

Thanks,

TL

[QUOTE=TejanoLibre; 430904]What time do Saturday's N. F. L games start?

Is it 6:30 pm and 10. 00pm Argentina time?

Thanks,

TL[/QUOTE]Yes.

Sat argentine time 1830 and 2200. Cin. Hou Min. Grnbay.

Sunday 1500 and 1830. Ind. Balt. Sea. Wash

[QUOTE=Newhere; 430783]I went here one of these days and found the place quite nice. It resembles a typical US bar, but not in a bad way. The added AC is dearly needed though, as we were sweating and it was not even a warm day.

The service on the bar was good, the fries very good and the burger itself okay.

The crowd is quite young (college age) and there were quite a few attractive girls, too. It got very full until around 11, when we left.[/QUOTE]Greetings Everyone,

I am please to report that the building's hugh 10 ton rooftop A / C unit was fully serviced on Wednesday and is now pumping tons of cool air.

In fact, it's so powerful that when we left the unit on to test it we inadverently turned the bar into a meat locker.

Thanks,

Jackson

[QUOTE=Jackson; 430906]Greetings Everyone,

I am please to report that the building's hugh 10 ton rooftop A / C unit was fully serviced on Wednesday and is now pumping tons of cool air.

In fact, it's so powerful that when we left the unit on to test it we inadverently turned the bar into a meat locker.

Thanks,

Jackson[/QUOTE]Is the unit secured from possible theft?

[QUOTE=Silver Star;430915]Is the unit secured from possible theft?[/QUOTE]What type of theft?

Down here we have :

Employee Theft, a national sport. Watch them like a hawk!

Customer Theft, a close second.

Inspector Theft, ALL of them.

Attorney, Escribano, repairmen and last but not the least by any means are the corruptable Police officers.

I think it's great knowing that I can bribe my way out of ALMOST anything in this country!

Think of the possibillities :

I can drive drunk with a bunch of stash a young girl in the front seat and a party in my pocket!

Not ALL officers are corrupt or bribeable but I sure like the odds down here compared to the USA!

TL.

P. S. You guys may think I am exaggerating but all of the above is very true and worth keeping an eye on if you own a business down here.

[QUOTE=Silver Star;430915]Is the unit secured from possible theft?[/QUOTE]"10 tons" referrers to it's cooling capacity, not it's actual weight, thank you.

Nevertheless, we chained it down with a padlock.

I think that should do it.

Thanks,

Jackson

The following news item appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News (food section).

Congratulations to David and Rock Hard on their new enterprise.

I have not been to BA in the past 4 years but in the 6 years before that I traveled there at least 10 times. The last time I was there I stayed At Jackson's Junin St. Apt.

Some of you will remember me as the guy who brought Philly TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets.

I am still living and when I get to BA again, I as a life long Philadelpian will give my opinion as to Alamo's cheese steaks.

There is a beautiful picture of Rocky and the El Alamo storefront but i have unable to transfer to this Blog. If someone knows how to do it, Pm me with your E-Mail and I will send it to you.

Still LIving aka Philly TastyKakes.

[quote]Really South Philly: Rocky's cheesesteaks are the best ... in Argentina

Matthew (LN) opened Rocky's as a nod to a great urban food item, a great movie . . . and a great nosh to go along with the drinks he serves at El Alamo, his bar.

Story Highlights
• opened Rocky's Philly Steaks last June in Buenos Aires.
• (LN) thought the cuisine would be popular because Argentines like beef.
• Rocky’s was conceived as a side project, second to (LN’)s bar next door, El Alamo.

JOLIE DARROW, For the Daily News

Posted: Thursday, March 7, 2013, 10:00 AM

ONE CAN only imagine what the late Joey Vento of Geno's fame would have thought of a cheesesteak joint where it's expected that customers will order in Spanish. But we assume that even Vento, who notoriously asked that his customers order in English, would have no beef with Rocky's Philly Steaks. After all, it's in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

So, how on earth did the cheesesteak migrate 5,266 miles south?

"I thought the Argentines would like the cheesesteak," explained Matthew J. (LN). With his business partner, David (LN)of Denver, Colo., (LN), a 29-year-old Spring Lake, N.J., native, opened Rocky's last June in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood (think Rittenhouse Square) of Buenos Aires.

"I thought Philly cheesesteaks would be popular here because Argentines like beef, and it's not spicy or something like that, that wouldn't go with their taste," (LN) said. "Just greasy beef stuff. That's what they like."

(LN) moved to Buenos Aires in 2005 after graduating with an international-relations degree from the University of Delaware. Although not from Philadelphia, he has spent a lot of time in the area - enough to have a cheesesteak fave: Larry's Steaks, in West Philly.

Rocky's was conceived as a sort of side project; (LN)'s main business is El Alamo, a student-oriented bar next door to the shop, which he took over in 2008.

Drawing from the late-night-munchies culture of American universities (LN) decided to buy the storefront next to El Alamo when it became available, figuring that the pairing of bars and cheesesteaks knows no international boundaries. "We figured we would open some kind of food place where drunk people would go, and we'd capture that market," he said.

A 'yo' atmosphere

Despite its location, Rocky's wouldn't look out of place in the Quaker City. It's housed in a building with a 19th-century facade, and the walls boast a number of Philly totems, from a painting of South 9th Street to a poster for the most recent "Rocky" movie, "Rocky Balboa." There is also a picture of Geno's, and an interior shot of Jim's on South Street.

Interestingly, Rocky's is not the first tribute to Philly culture in Buenos Aires. A store on Avenida Santa Fe, the main drag in the Palermo district, is called Love Park, and uses for its logo the same lettering found on the iconic Center City sculpture by Robert Indiana. And the city is filled with fans of the "Rocky" films, so much so that hardly a day goes by when one of the films isn't screened on local TV.

As for the sandwich, things, by necessity, aren't exactly authentic. For instance, cheesesteak aficionados would likely note the absence of Amoroso rolls and Cheez Whiz or provolone.

(LN) says the key to his product is adaptability.

"You can't get the exact same thing they have in [Philadelphia]," he said. "Like the airy Italian roll, that's hard to get. We've been using baguettes mostly - we have a place that makes them especially for us. They make them daily, so they stay fresh. And they make them a little bit bigger than your standard baguette."

The cheese Rocky's uses is what (LN) described as a machine-processed Argentine equivalent of American cheese.

The one ingredient that Rocky's definitely gets right is the meat. He said that he uses rib eye because Argentines are accustomed to their nation's top-grade beef and would not accept a lesser grade.

As they are here, the standard toppings at Rocky's are fried onions and peppers. Mayonnaise is slathered on the roll unless the customer opts out. Other condiments, like jalapeños and homemade hot sauce, are available upon request (presumably for foreigners, as Argentines have a general aversion to spicy foods).

Rocky's menu has other stuff, including hotdogs - known in Argentina as panchos - and tacos. The cheesesteak, which goes for 35 Argentine pesos (about $7), reigns as the most popular item.

Drawing a crowd

Adapting the Philly cheesesteak to Argentine culture isn't just about the food. It also drives the environment inside the shop, which has several tables and a window-side counter.

"Argentines don't spend a lot of money when they're out," said Sabrina Espinosa, Rocky's general manager. She was referring to an aspect of Argentine culture that is far-removed from the grab-and-go American way of dining: Argentines tend to spend hours in cafés and restaurants catching up with friends or working on their laptops - often without buying more than a soda. Espinosa said the tables and Wi-Fi have been set up to make the locals "feel at home."

But Argentines are not the only clientele that the owners had in mind for Rocky's. U.S. sporting events are shown on the restaurant's TV, creating an added draw. "We have, I'd say, several dozen American expats who come here all the time," said (LN), "and there are some who come here a couple times a day. They just love it."

As do the locals. "As soon as they try it, they love it," he said of the Philly classic.

(LN)'s assertion was confirmed in conversation with customers.

"Muy rico! Muy bueno! [Verytasty!Verygood!]," said 25-year-old Mealisa Alonso after trying her first bite of a Rocky's steak. Alonso, who lives outside the city, was in the neighborhood for a doctor's appointment. A true fan of the "Rocky" movies (her favorite is "Rocky IV"), she wandered into the shop, intrigued by the name. She said she'd be back.

Alejandro Acaval, 49, was similarly taken by the store's name - he, too, watches the movies all the time. He said he'd visited Philadelphia many years ago but had never tried a cheesesteak. He certainly seemed happy after taking the plunge at Rocky's.

"This is really great, really great!" Acaval raved in Spanish. "A nice place, too."

One might say that Alonso, Acaval and the rest of their fellow countrymen who enjoy Rocky's are now cheesesteak fans.

But we'd rather think of them as "Phanáticos."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jolie Darrow is a junior at the University of Maryland. She recently spent six months studying in Buenos Aires and traveling around South America.

JOLIE DARROWFor the Daily News[/quote]

Went by yesterday and El Alamo restaurant on Uruguay has a different name.

Put the TEXAS flag at half mast TL.

OldManPlus1.

Jackson--What's up?

[QUOTE=OldManPlus1;439117]Went by yesterday and El Alamo restaurant on Uruguay has a different name.

Put the TEXAS flag at half mast TL.

OldManPlus1.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=MiamiBob;439122]Jackson--What's up?[/QUOTE]He's got to be talking about the Shoeless Joe thing, that's another story, it's still el Alamo.

For strategic reasons, the name outside now says "The Mo". Take a walk inside and it's the exact same place with all the same employees, management, policies and procedures.

Happy trails.