El Establo - Microcenter - Paraguay 489

[Gilly]

I ate here with my lady friend last Sunday and was not all that impressed. Steaks were pretty good, service was good but the place was empty, and when the bill came it was pretty damn expensive. I had bife de chorizo ($35) lady had 1/2 lomo ($45) sauteed mushrooms, mixed salad, and half a bottle of cheap wine. Total bill was $165. $5 table fee was obnoxious.

Not worth it!

[Thomaso276]

Not packed like the past. Many nights it is about 40-50%

[Exon123]

I believe their using cheaper cuts of meat, plus raising their prices.

Its to bad, the place used to be one of my favorites.

Exon

[Thomaso276]

Besides a rather mundane meal the other night I had a coffee there yesterday with a pilot friend. He pointed out that the place is living on a past reputation. I agree. The food is average and the prices are above average.

I'll take a coffee there on Sundays at the bar to avoid the silly 5 peso table charge but I won't eat any more meals there. There are better deals in the neighborhood (Kilkenny has 30% off dinners everynight) Bulners has better beer and sandwiches / finger foods and Alliance has the best steaks.

Hell, I don't go out for dinner much anyhow!

[Monger514]

The bife de ojo was tough! And prices have gone up tremendously since my last visit.

I think I will stick with the Alliance when I have an urge to have steak. Ramiro's bife de lomo is still great.

[Sinistra]

Cost was high without any liquor, desert or coffee and we ate a SIMPLE meal. I believe that tourists from surrounding hotels are continuing to drive prices. Didn't see too many "locals."

I'm actually a fan of this place (corner of Paraguay & San Martin) though I can't really put my finger on why. I think it might be that it feels sort of like a homey like diner to me and I come here at least once a week and always feel oddly welcomed. It's lively and not overly full of itself and I almost feel like I'm in a trattoria off of some back alley in Milan (again, don't ask me why) I've caught myself a couple of times speaking to the waiter in Italian, too. Usually the times I go it's mostly locals in the place and I don't really go for anything fancy. I almost always get the Lomo Completo Sandwich (p$15) and a half a bottle of decent red wine and always really enjoy it. It does have a long menu, but I haven't really delved into it much. Since it's a block from Cafe Orleans (just follow San Martin towards the direction of Santa Fe) some of the gang might find it interesting.

P.S. No chica posts lately because I've been totally been tied up (literally) with a smokin' local porteña. Mind you, a report should follow tomorrow.

[Thomaso276]

Just got back Saturday from a long stay (one month) in sex prison and after some sleep told my GF we should just go out for dinner. Walked down to Establo and immediately noticed some price increases, but we were too hungry to go home and cook.

Prices seemed to have increased about 15 - 20%. I asked the waiter and he sheepishly said there had been increases. 2 average size pork chops were 23 pesos, soda or water 5 pesos, mixed salad 12 pesos. As I recall steaks started at 19 pesos (for the half portion) and I think full cuts were up to 29 or more. Chicken dinner (1/4 chicken) was 18 pesos. Table charge 3 pesos each. Think about this, when I was in the States Sonny's BBQ had a special all you can eat ribs for 14 dollars. If you wanted the salad bar with any dinner it was about $3.50 extra and there are alot more ingredients with the same or better quality than the simple mixed salad my GF got. Establo is not a first class place, it is a local restaurant with decent service and decent but not exceptional food. The meal was certainly not worth 100 pesos with tip that I paid.

So much for me going there for a reasonable meal. Cost was high without any liquor, desert or coffee and we ate a SIMPLE meal. I believe that tourists from surrounding hotels are continuing to drive prices. Didn't see too many "locals."

While in the States I loaded up on casual shirts, sneakers, jeans and shorts because the prices here for a pair of Nike or Reebok are about 50% more. Try to buy a Gap quality pair of jeans for 75 pesos or cotton casual shirts for 18 pesos (equivalent USA prices) anywhere other than Once. I was shocked at the price differences. Remember workers here are not making 10 dollars an hour. So what is driving inflation - Argie greed.

It is still cheaper here than the States but not the great bargain it was.

[Stoker Star]

This place is very good and very reasonable. Worth going to. Several American pilots in restraunt said they go very trip.

[Coach 245]

I had a good lunch today with a couple Forum members and enjoyed the "chimchurri" sauce on my 1/2 Ojo de Bife. The Salad was very good and fresh also. Another good experience in dining in BA, this time for lunch!

Coach

[Rockin Bob]

That sounds a lot like chimichurri to me, coach.

There's that and the diced up onions and tomatoes or whatever called salsa creole here and vinagaret in Brazil.

I prefer A1 frankly, but I've learned to live without peanut butter and iced tea so I'll continue to adapt.

And by the way, I'm a great fan of El Establo, I highly recommend it.

[Coach 245]

My wingman and I had a wonderful supper at El Establo at the invitation of one of our Senior Member Mongers and his favorita. After a pleasant tour of his newly decorated apartment, we walked to the corner to dine at El Establo. Since I have been fortunate to eat there numerous times in the past with other mongers, I had a good idea on what I wanted from the menu. We were seated promptly and ordered in about 5 minutes. The food was good and we all had the chance to try out their own version of "steak sauce." It is a slightly spicey, vinegary tomatoe sauce they have on the table for the tourista to enjoy. Most steaks do not need this topping here but I decided to try it again. I had enjoyed it on one of my previous trip here and thought why not? It looks like a watery version on an american BBQ sauce. It was a pleasant addition to my steak. The food and the visit with our fellow monger and his favorita was very enjoyable. I recommend that if you get a chance to try El Establo, then do and maybe even the "steak sauce!"

Coach

[Hemin]

I should have said that the 55 pesos was the total bill including the table charge, the tip, and water. However, unless you go to the bar, this is what it will cost you.

[Hound]

I eat here 2,3 times a week as I live in the 'hood. In fact I just left 45 minutes ago. The media lomo is 22p, and the full lomo is at 26p. There is a medallion of the lomo at 35p that is huge--too large for most to finish. These are the correct prices. Avoid the cubierto and eat at the bar in the downstairs and original dining room unless you want to get into the 'dining experience'. For me this is akin to my my local diner.

[Capt Dave]

55 pesos is outrageous for a bife de chorizo, even if was exceptionally good. 15-20 is average, and 25-35 should get you a GREAT steak in a fancy place like Hereford or Aquillos Anos.

David

[Hemin]

I have been going to El Establo (Paraguay and San Martin) since 2001 and I can recomend the place. I have noticed a significant increase in prices, but then again this has happened in most places. In the winter months (from mid May) they have at lunch a special daily menu of Spanish dishes which will cost you about Arg$30 pesos including a non-alcholic drink. In my opinion the best days are Thrusday and Friday. On Thursday they serve fabada, a dish made with big beans and cooked with chorizo, blood sausage and cured ham. It is very good. On Friday they serve cocido madrilleno, essentially a caserol of peas, which comes with all kind of boiled meats. This dish you must eat with at least another two persons as it is very large (ask for the 1/4 puchero)

Otherwise, today I had a bife de lomo and water and it cost Arg$55, not bad for developed country prices, but much more than it used to be.

Finally, I recomend that you ask to be seated in the lower section of the restaurant, as the guys there are much faster and friendly than in the other section.

Enjoy.