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Plaza Asturias
Made my third visit to this old style spanish restaurant tonight. Corner of Ave de Mayo and Salta. Directly across the street from Cafe Iberia. I have always enjoyed this place and wish I had gone more often. Ate outside tonight with great weather and also enjoyed the late, relaxed Sunday evening street scene. A large menu with a good deal of seafood. Wait staff are pretty attentive. Pretty much soup to nuts. Moderately priced. This part of Congreso was very much spanish influenced in the day. A number of more traditional spanish restaurants about.
Had the pleasure of seeing a young, 25 or so chica, with her date, in mini skirt, that might have had the best pair of legs I have ever seen. She coulda been a Rockette.
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I ate here the other night before heading across the street. 5 peso cubierto, which includes a plate with some sardine like fish, and some olives for an appetizer, along with pre and post dinner shots.
I ordered the 24p Bife de Chorizo. It was cooked well, in spite of being a thick cut. Quality wasn't as good as I expected, but since meat was in short supply, I'll give them some slack.
I also had a bowl of vegetable soup for 6p. Total with drink was 41p. Fairly good service, a pretty crowded place.
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It was closed last night (Saturday) for no apparent reason.
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Friday Night
I went by there on Friday at 7pm and it was closed also.
[QUOTE=Dickhead]It was closed last night (Saturday) for no apparent reason.[/QUOTE]
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[QUOTE=WorldTravel69]I went by there on Friday at 7pm and it was closed also.[/QUOTE]Is it normally open at 7pm? I find many restaurants don't open until 8pm.
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Yes
My Spanish class is near there. I have never seen it closed.
I have eaten there a few times myself, and was planning to go tonight.
[QUOTE=Jaimito Cartero]Is it normally open at 7pm? I find many restaurants don't open until 8pm.[/QUOTE]
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[QUOTE=WorldTravel69]My Spanish class is near there. I have never seen it closed.
I have eaten there a few times myself, and was planning to go tonight.[/QUOTE]It was closed last night, did not check today to see if it's closed. They where closed for 3 days during Easter, because of some repairs they had to make. Guess the repairs did not pass muster, so they had to close again. Was told by the guy at the small stand that outside of the restaurant, that the city has them closed, until they can fix some sort of violation.
Plaza Espaņa, one block away, has the same food. Same owner. 20% cheaper. Not as nice inside as Plaza Asturias. Problem is, when Plaza Asturias is closed, Plaza Espaņa, is too full.
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Normally if they are closed for violations they have the red "clausurado" tape on the door. Plaza Espaņa is not as good in my experience.
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[QUOTE=Dickhead]Normally if they are closed for violations they have the red "clausurado" tape on the door. Plaza Espaņa is not as good in my experience.[/QUOTE]I was told that its something they have to fix, for the municipality, there is not red tape, or any explanation on the door.
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Just took a look, it's 1 block from my apt. It's still closed.
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I was having dinner at l'Alliance last Monday, and WorldTravel69 ask me if Plaza Asturias was open. If anyone else was thinking of going there, but was not sure. It's been open since last week Thursday.
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'Robbed' at Asturias
I am 43 year old Australian and have been in Buenos Aires for 12 weeks.
Went to Asturias for lunch (salta why ave de mayo - last time I was here the bill was 152 peso for 4 guys)
Went alone.
No spanish.
Ordered fish meal with potatoes - 27 pesos. No salad.
Ordered water.
Water asks if I want a wine - I say copa vino tinto'
Waiter says no copa and indicates small bottle.
I say ok.
Fish meal is average for Buenos Aires.
Get the bill.
88 Pesos.
? The wine cost 50 pesos! Small bottle. The waiter did not say she was going to order the most expensive wine on the menu.
Waiter's name is Maria.
This is a problem as I do not have 88 pesos.
Manager asks if I have passport or visa card - I say no.
Eventually I pay 57 pesos and they confiscate my Lonely Planet Guide to Brazil in english - which I was about to throw out anyway.
I was foolish I trusted the waiter (she seemed sweet) to order a reasonably priced wine.
ALWAYS CHECK THE PRICE OF WHAT YOU ORDER WHEREVER
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This was 100% your own fault. First of all, if you have been here for 12 weeks, why do you have [b]no[/b] Spanish? That is absolutely lame. Second of all, the place has a wine list, with prices, and you don't have to know any Spanish to read numbers. Third of all, you agreed to purchase something you did not have the money to pay for, so I would say [b]you[/b] ripped [b]them[/b] off. Fourth of all Lonely Planet sucks. Fifth of all, why would you not be prepared for some eventuality by at least carrying an ATM card, a credit card, 100 pesos in your sock, or something?
Your math seems to indicate that you thought water, wine, and gratuity would be 30 pesos since your meal was 27 and you only had 57. Well, maybe so but that is pretty borderline. Also it is normal for there to be a cubierto of a few pesos and you should have checked on that as well. Wine by the glass is most certainly available at this place so I believe you misunderstood the waitress and that is [b]your fault also[/b].
I have eaten at this place at least twenty times, and I have never had any problem. The place is completely honest. They give you free sherry before your meal, plus an appetizer of (typically) olives and sardines (or some other kind of little fishy) They also give you a choice of limoncello or two other aperitifs after your meal, also free. Sure, it is cheap sherry but that is beside the point.
You screwed this up from top to bottom.
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I hope you returned and paid your bill.
What would have done in your home country?
What would the restaurant have done?
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No wonder the chicas want to be paid in advance.