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I went with a regular non pro GF to dine at Puerto Cristal in Puerto Madero. A Sea Food place. The service is first class. From the bread (oh the bread!) to the butter, to the entree and finishing with the dessert. An overall excelent experience. Dinner for 2, bottle of wine included AR$150. Ask for a table next to the windows facing the water, very romantic!
Puerto Cristal
Alicia Moreau de Justo 1082
Tel: 4331-3669
Reservation Suggested
[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]I got a dozen empanadas there the other day and thought they sucked. Le Continental next door was much better.[/QUOTE]
In my full 4 days in BA it never occured to me to try the famous Argentinean Empanadas. I guess I didn't miss anything at least at Puerto Montt.
ELMATADOR
"Try Puerto Montt on Vicente Lopez right in front of the cementery. The Pizza is absolutely great. Not an expensive place. Whole Pizza plus couple of beers for under 50 pesos"
I go to a little parilla in Colegialis and get a whole cow, salad, papa's a litre of beer for my buddy and a coke and agua for me and the bill is 26 pesos and I think I'm splurging.
No offence Matadore just me ruminating on the difference between pesos and dollars.
[QUOTE=Daddy Rulz]...
No offence Matadore just me ruminating on the difference between pesos and dollars.[/QUOTE]
I was thinking the same thing. $50 sounds like tourist prices or a high-end pizza joint indeed but they pull that sort of thing in the Recoleta. I mean, "right in front of the cemetery" is a dead giveaway. About half that would be more reasonable, including the two beers.
AR$50 is like, what US$15 right? A large pizza for three 2 beers each (six total), coffee and tip included... Not bad, I think. Anyway I'm coming back next month and I'll go check out the other places. I'll take Jaimito's recomendation and check out Le Continental.
In the other Hand Puerto Cristal would be a place similar to those in Coconut Groove or SO BE here in Miami, a dinner in a place like that here will cost around US$140
I love BA!
[QUOTE=Elmatad0r]AR$50 is like, what US$15 right? A large pizza for three 2 beers each (six total), coffee and tip included... Not bad, I think. Anyway I'm coming back next month and I'll go check out the other places. I'll take Jaimito's recomendation and check out Le Continental.
In the other Hand Puerto Cristal would be a place similar to those in Coconut Groove or SO BE here in Miami, a dinner in a place like that here will cost around US$140
I love BA![/QUOTE]
You first said a pizza (size unspecified) and two beers and now you're saying a large pizza, six beers, coffee, and tip. That's a very different story.
I had dinner on a Sunday Night at this place. Service was excellent. I had the baby churrasco well done, which was a big mistake. I think you should always ask for the "jugoso" option.
Anyway this place's especialty is the potato cooked in any possible way. I had the suffle version and it was acceptable. I accompanied the dinner wth a nice bottle of Argentine Red Cabernet Savignon "Caballero de la Cepa". Total cost for two AR$70
A good experience good price-quality ratio. Worth another visit.
[QUOTE=Incaboy]You first said a pizza and two beers and now you're saying a large pizza, six beers, coffee, and tip. That's a very different story.[/QUOTE]
Yeah that's why I clarified. But still by reading other postings I realize that I might have overpaid a little bit.
If I could offer you a bit of advice. In your post you make the conversion from pesos to dollars and say it's a good price. When I'm in BsAs I never, ever do that unless I'm buying something I ca use i the EEUU economy. I might think that for a pair of shoes or a suit because I will use them here, so it is a good deal if it's a good deal in dollars.
However in BsAs for anything consumed and produced in the local economy a good rule of thumb is this. "If you have to convert to dollars and consider what you would have to pay for it in the EEUU to feel like your getting a good deal your probably overpaying." In Argetina a peso spends roughly like a dollar does in the EEUU, maybe now with inflation I would say that a a good comparison is maybe 1.2 thus if I pay U$S 3.00 for the equivilant of a cortado in the EEUU and I can get one for AR 3.50 then that's a good price. However if you pay AR 9.00 and think "well that's only U$S 3.00 it was a good price" your getting robbed. Doesn't matter what it is, if it's produced and consumed on the local economy as Dickhead says "Dollars? What are Dollars? I have Pesos only"
This is why I say over and over that AR 300 for pussy is insane. Minimum wage is AR 550 or so per month.
My buddy found a restaurant on Vincente Lopez a block or two off Callao called Tagerine or Necterine and took his wife there and told me He paid U$S 400.00 for dinner! He did say it was one of the best restraunts he's ever eaten in and He does know food. But I still asked him if he got a chupon sin globwhatever with desert.
Don't mean to preach just given you the lessons learned from my own personal fuck ups.
Cucus in Cancun, with ex- girl friend.
She is in [url]www.escorts-argentina.com[/url] under Aldanna
areavip.com under Julietta
I met a gorgeous girl las year at Black. We are getting married next month. She is only 20. My birthday is coming up. I will turn 50. WOW, what a birthday present.
Cucus will be in BsAs. between May 18-22. Anyone wants to hook up to meet, etc.
[QUOTE=Elmatad0r]AR$50 is like, what US$15 right? A large pizza for three 2 beers each (six total), coffee and tip included. Not bad, I think. Anyway I'm coming back next month and I'll go check out the other places. I'll take Jaimito's recomendation and check out Le Continental.
In the other Hand Puerto Cristal would be a place similar to those in Coconut Groove or SO BE here in Miami, a dinner in a place like that here will cost around US$140
I love BA![/QUOTE]Whenever I go back to the USA and pay US$2.00/gallon for gas I always think - sure the price has gone up, but it costs $5/gallon in Europe, so actually this is a great deal. Then I offer the cashier $4/gallon just so I dont feel like I'm ripping him off.
What relevance does the cost of a meal in Miami have? You have to think in terms of the economy of the country you´re in. Here, an average salary for a teacher or a cop is USD200 a month. For most people here 50 pesos is a hell of a lot of money to blow on a meal (especially for pizza and beer).
I've eaten at Nectarine twice in the last 12 months and it is great food at a fair price. The bill for food was about $AR100/person both times. The only way to spend $US400 for two people would be through hitting the wine list. A bottle of Dom costs $US200+ at any resturant in the world.
Is $AR100/person reasonable for food? A similar meal costs $100US/person in the US or $EU100 in Europe so it passes the Daddy Rulz test.
Nectarine is "foodie" dining, i.e. intense tastes in small portions. The average person would think it is a rip-off so I don't recommend it unless you are into gourmet dining. If that's something you like, Nectarine is an excellent choice.
I don't know any cops or teachers in BA, but I know waitresses that make about $AR600/month plus tips and a secretary that makes around $AR1000/month so I'd hope that cops and teachers do a bit better than $US200. But cop/teacher isn't a great paying jobs anywhere so I wouldn't be completely surprised. Not surprisingly, the waitresses and secretary all told me that they come up short every month (that's which is where I came in).
Easy Go
[QUOTE=Daddy Rulz]If I could offer you a bit of advice. In your post you make the conversion from pesos to dollars and say it's a good price. When I'm in BsAs I never, ever do that unless I'm buying something I ca use i the EEUU economy. I might think that for a pair of shoes or a suit because I will use them here, so it is a good deal if it's a good deal in dollars.
...
Don't mean to preach just given you the lessons learned from my own personal fuck ups.[/QUOTE]
That's why it's a good idea to post this info here; so we can have a measuring stick for what we should be paying. In my case I couldn't help it but compare to what one pays anywhere else; but thanks for your guy's advising one can learn.
ELMATADOR
[QUOTE=JustGotBack]Just to chime in with many of you. I ate at the Rio Alba the other night. An excellent restaurant. About the same cost as eating at Lola on restaurant row in Recoleta but so much better.[/QUOTE]I ate here as well. Highly recommended.
Guys.
How is the hooters down there? I am interested to see it because I think the girls must be really hot in there. I asked a cabbie to take me to it but he did not know where it was located.
[blue]Hi Marak 5,
The Hooters in Recoleta closed last year. No surprise: Bad food and Americanized waitresses.
In short, it wasn't an Argentine version of an American Hooters, it was an American version of an Argentine bar.
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]
Man, I was really disappointed. Went for lunch and the place was empty. First sign to bail. Next the waitress was ok, but my poor espanol and her total lack of english made it extremely hard to order. Finally, the food truly sucked. Could be one of the worst hamburgers ever. I would recommend an outdoor cafe near there and sit out and watch the chicas stroll by. Much better scenery.
Went to Piegari Vitello tonight based on the reviews in Oleo. The food (parrilla) was good as was the service and ambiance. As you would expect for a place next to the Four Seasons, it's a bit on the expensive side (200p for 2 people on the full meal deal including 40p for a decent bottle of red wine) Recommended if you like a nice resturant and don't mind paying the extra freight. Plenty of other good, cheap parrillas if all you are looking for is a good piece of meat.
Dickhead, the name is ¨FILO¨.
Should have had some of the pizza, that part was OK. No one will probably find the place anyway, unless they stumble in out of the rain when walking by some day.
That said, if you want noquis faster than a big mac order, this is the place!
MAG
Pizza Piola.
Libertad 1078 (close to intersection of Sante Fe)
Number listed elsewhere as 4812-0690 but it's actually a cell phone so if you call with controlled landline, won't get an answer. Need to dial the 15 4812 0690 for a cell.
Saw the 2005 report and went there tonight. Very nice, upbeat, hip music playing and the crowd seemed fairly mixed with foreigners and young locals. Place was fairly packed but enjoyable - pizza was pretty darn good and great atmosphere.
They have in addition to pizzas the usual selection types of italian pasta dishes but not sure how that ranks. If it's like the pizza, a good solid score.
I left BsAs a week before the tragic fire at the Cromagon club in Dec. 2004.
I was surprised at how many restaurants have been forced to close along the strip by the Etoile Hotel, due to them enforcing fire regulations.
El Parrillion, World Sports Cafe and Henry J Beans Bar to name just 3 of about 6 or 7 along that area.
The area is not as vibrant as it use to be.
FH
[QUOTE=Flexible Horn]I left BsAs a week before the tragic fire at the Cromagon club in Dec. 2004.
I was surprised at how many restaurants have been forced to close along the strip by the Etoile Hotel, due to them enforcing fire regulations.
El Parrillion, World Sports Cafe and Henry J Beans Bar to name just 3 of about 6 or 7 along that area.
The area is not as vibrant as it use to be.
FH[/QUOTE]What new laws forced them to close? Having decent emergency exits? I'm not sad to see World Sports Cafe go, as they were pricks. I don't think I ever went into Henry J's.
Yes I noticed this a few days ago when I was drinking about next door to Henry Beans (don't remember the name of the place). I didnt look for any signs on the closed places. But maybe they are just closed for the Jan holiday as numerous places are? The lack of crowds on the Recoleta strip is simply due to half of BA being on holiday. At least one of my favorite restaurants in Recoleta is closed Jan. 2-17 for vacation.
PS MiddleAgeGuy,
I havent been to Filo for a while but the location is good, only about 1 block from Kilkenny and next door to one of the Downtown Mathias. The pizza there is almost authentic Italian, although since I was raised on American pizza Ill admit I prefer our deep dish greasy supreme to the real thing. Filo is kind of a faggy place, run by 'em. But its still good to go once in a while.
[QUOTE=Moore]Yes I noticed this a few days ago when I was drinking about next door to Henry Beans (don't remember the name of the place) I didnt look for any signs on the closed places. But maybe they are just closed for the Jan. Holiday as numerous places are? [/QUOTE]I think the "For Lease" signs was a rather permanent thing.
Sorry, all I saw was that they were closed, I rarely went in them anyway. I will be happy for each of those places to be replaced, hopefully by establishments with good service/food. World Sports Cafe especially sucked.
Maybe I'll rent one of the vacant buildings, connect CNBC/ESPN, and claim that it's an "American" restaurant & bar :p
Thatta be a winner.
There are four of them. The other three are at Chenaut 1912 (Las Cañitas) Aguilar 2391 (Belgrano) and Paraguay 434 (Microcentro)
Featuring "Cocina Regional", the menu was a bit different than the typical BA resturant. They had some interesting empanadas for starters (I had "Del Tambo" which was 6 regular cheeses plus a touch of blue for 1.70p) but the main dishes are mostly stew type dishes. I had Bife a la Criolla for 10p which was more like a pot roast than a stew in texture. Quite tasty. The waitress said "muy picante" but that was by BA standards. Nobody from the US would say that it was at all spicy.
30p out the door with a 1/2L of Quilmes, spring water, and a monster piece of "Torta Querencia", and propina. I will return.
4824-4483, 4821-1888, 4823-1414
Empire Thai, at 427 Tres Sargentes, nearest cross street Paraguay.
Actually not that great Thai food compared to what I know as Thai food in the San Francisco Bay Area, which I think is a pretty good place to get Thai next to Thailand itself.
However, if you miss actual spicy foods while in Argentina since it seems Argentines think even a tiny little bit of spice is "peycante", try this place. Seriously, it's some weird tasting food, not bad in the sense of non-edible, just not really what I'd even classify as Thai food. But it can get pretty damn spicy and that's what I wanted.
Green curry is nothing. Zero spice so I thought on first visit this place was another Argentine spice level place saying they had spicy stuff but really wasn't. But tonight I tried their Red Curry with chicken / beef / etc that you choose, and wow. Even being a spice lover, and even being told it was "very spicy" in a real warning kind of way so that I actually said ok, please make it less spicy than normal, it was flaming hot.
Average food, but the only place I've found so far with actual spicy, even flaming hot, plates.
Can anyone recommend a place to get quality lamb chops? Also, where can I find the best quality Italian, in Recoletta (price is not an issue)
During my last trip, I almost overdosed on beef and am looking to add some variety to the menu this time around.
Usually, food inquiries stimulate as much debate as chica inquiries, so all opinions are welcome!
Thanks,.
WT
I had some excellent lamb chops on my last visit to Cabana Las Lilas. The rest of the menu was disappointing to me (I think the place is headed downhill) but the chops were among the best I have ever had.
[QUOTE=WrldTraveller]Also, where can I find the best quality Italian, in Recoletta (price is not an issue)[/QUOTE]It's not quite in Recoleta proper, but I would say the best Italian place (as well as one of the more expensive) is Piegari, on Posadas, underneath the overpass of 9 de Julio.
[url]http://www.frommers.com/destinations/buenosaires/D52704.html[/url]
Hunt,
I agree 100%. Last time I went my table wasn't quite ready so free bubbly and canapes at the bar while waiting. Portions are more than adequate and a nice clientele. Another favourite is Oviedo, classic Spanish, on corner of Ecuador and Beruti. For French food I still like Le Sud at the Sofitel. For DATY, my all time fav. Is Alanis on the corner of Platynum and Heaven!
I second Hunts pick of Cabana Las Lilas. Also try the souflle fried potatos.
Starfe
I generally stay in Recoleta, and like Member #3313, I came across Au Bec Fin on my first night in town, too. It didn't look like what I wanted, however, and I kept going. Since I am partial to sweetbreads, though, I think I might check it out based on Hunt's review.
The first place I ate, which I still like a lot, was Camarico, at Junin 1621 (just down from Vicente Lopez) It's owned by Robby Montenegro, a Peruvian or Bolivian who went to high school in Wisconsin and speaks great English. His real love is wines, and the small restaurant really exists to showcase his wine collection. He has added a small cigar bar upstairs.
My current favorite is Rodi Bar, at the corner of Vicente Lopez and Ayacucho. It's pretty much my ideal place for a good meal and good atmosphere at good prices. When I'm in town I go there for breakfast every morning (phenomenally good "cafe con leche mas cafe") and I'll stop in 2 or 3 times a week for lunch or dinner, pretty much always getting bife de lomo jugoso with some papas fritas and a salad.
For good Italian, I go to Sottovoce, at the corner of Ayacucho and del Libertador. Kind of upscale. I wouldn't go in wearing jeans.
Another decent Italian place is under the bridge at the north end of 9 de Julio. There are two, actually. I can't remember the names, but I go to the one on the south side of the street. It's best to go with a few people as the portions are fairly big, and things often get split.
Bistro Despensa, on the corner of Quintana and Montevideo, is another place I like to drop in on for dinner from time to time. The first time I walked in they were playing John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" in the background, and I knew I would like it. They have a very small menu, but the food is good. I had a memorable Patagonian trout dinner one night. If you're taking a non-pro out to dinner, it's the place to go in my opinion. Nice romantic atmosphere and good food.
There's a parrilla in Palermo that I think has the best entraña I've had. It called Parrilla Don Julio, and it's on the corner of Guatemala and Gurruchaga. At night they tend to get pretty crowded and noisy, but I've spent a number of quiet, leisurely afternoons just hanging out enjoying the food and wine.
Finally, for something really different, there's an Italian restaurant way down on Chile that has a cool thing going. They have a smorgasbord, and the deal is, you get your food and then they weigh it. If you can guess the weight after two guesses, you get it for free. If not, you pay by the gram or whatever.
The first time I went, they took pity on me and let me take three or four guesses. I started high and kept going down, and they kept laughing and telling me to try again. Finally they threw in the towel on me and told me the weight.
Well, I didn't have pity on them. After I finished, I went back and got the exact same thing. And I do mean exact. Took it up to get weighed, and guessed it on the first shot. Ha ha. But I didn't want to ruin a good thing, so I ceased and desisted for the rest of the night. But it's doable if you're so inclined.
I don't have the name and address of that place off the top of my head, but I can dig it up if anyone's interested.
Enjoy,
SL
[QUOTE=StrayLight]Another decent Italian place is under the bridge at the north end of 9 de Julio. There are two, actually. I can't remember the names, but I go to the one on the south side of the street. It's best to go with a few people as the portions are fairly big, and things often get split.[/QUOTE]That's Piegari, also discussed a few posts down. Sorrento is the Italian place across the street. Piegari also has a parrilla as a separate restaurant on the north side, one place down from Sorrento.
Another good italian place is Primafila, in the "Buenos Aires Design" mall southeast of the Recolete cementary. One of the few places where the pasta comes al dente, and not soft like at amy others. According to one of my Argentinean friends, who also holds an Italian passport, the chef is Italian.
A good parilla, for U Futbol afficionados (I mean the European variety aka soccer) is La Brigada in San Telmo, Estados Unidos I think 1700 or 188 something. Good meat, and the whole place is decorated with Futbol memories - I think the owner has been A professional player before going into the hospitality business. The right place to wash down your frustration about your country's bad performance in the coming world cup.
I also have been to the Mirasol on Posadas again, under the 9 de Julio bridge. Still good quality, but gets pricy. If U just want A good steak, go to Yugo or Gran Taberna. If along the way U want to impress your date, Mirasol is the place. If she happens to be Boca / River / whatever fan, La Brigada.
Buen Apetito.
Al Alemán
Italian - Campo de Fiori on San Jose and Venezuela. Went there for lunch today. I rate La Bistecca as possibly the best all around place in town. Excellent/extensive Italian, Argentine, Spanish, parrilla/grill, salads, and reasonably priced. If I had to choose one restaurant that I had to eat at every day it would probably be there - come to think of it, I used to lunch there nearly every weekday when my office was closer. :D
StrayLight I cannot believe that you condone RodiBar, very close to my house. Besides the place and food, it seems that the average customer in there is about 95yo. But hey our tastes are diverse. I've seen it on tourist maps, unexplainably.
[QUOTE=Moore]StrayLight I cannot believe that you condone RodiBar, very close to my house. Besides the place and food, it seems that the average customer in there is about 95yo. But hey our tastes are diverse. Ive seen it on tourist maps, unexplainably.[/QUOTE]Well, you know, at this point I just like it. I like neighborhoody kind of places (like Billy Goat's in Chicago, or the Racoon Lodge in Manhattan, or Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store in San Francisco) I like that kind of place. I like all those old farts in there doing their neighborhoody thing. It's not the very best food, and it's not the very best atmosphere. But the combination of food, atmosphere, and price make it a great place for me to do my routine eating.
To put things in perspective, I ate at that place in Pan Americano once -- I forget the name, but everyone raves about it -- and hated it. And you will have noticed I've avoided Au Bec Fin.
But - to each their own, eh? When it comes to women, I prefer 45-year olds to 25-year olds. And I prefer a woman who's 2 or 3 inches taller than I to one who's shorter. And contrary to **ALL** conventions today, I prefer an unshaved muff. So there you go. It's why God created both vanilla and chocolate ice cream.:)
Cheers,
SL
I also prefer the natural muffs, natural everything. But I'm not seeing anything else we have in common.
Is it difficult to score the 45yo chicks in USA/other? Hillary Clinton at the inauguration ball, yeah baby.
Moore,
I take back the *****'s and apologize.
And I disagree about the muffs. While I love the taste of a nice pussy, I hate hair in my mouth.
And 45? Experience certainly has it's merits, but the tender skin of Alady below 30 is something of it's own.
El Alemán
[QUOTE=Moore]I'm not seeing anything else we have in common.[/QUOTE]LOL! Well, that means you **DO** have something in common with my ex-wife. That was her perennial complaint.
Here's the deal with Rodi's. It's like comfort food. I would never take a date there for dinner if I were trying to impress her. Nor would I go there if I wanted a really fine dining experience. And I probably wouldn't go there much if I were living there and had my own kitchen up and running.
But when I'm in town and staying in the neighborhood, and I want a decent meal at a decent price, and I want a place where I can just wander in regardless of what I'm wearing and I don't have to think too much about what to eat and the waiters will recognize me and accomodate my pidgeon Spanish - then Rodi's fits the bill perfectly. That's all.
SL.
P. S. My ex-wife wouldn't have liked Rodi's either. If you want, I can try hooking you two up. LOL!
[QUOTE=StrayLight]P. S. My ex-wife wouldn't have liked Rodi's either. If you want, I can try hooking you two up. LOL![/QUOTE]If she has a hairy muff, a pretty 45yo Italian mother, smokes pole, and takes it up the ass then we can schedule an interview. There are always open positions for qualified talent.