Argentina - Rules to Eat By

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I am nearing the end of my 6 week journey through Argentina. In a couple of days time it will be time to leave Salta and head overland into Chile and then on into Bolivia. I thought it only fair to mark this solemn occasion by setting down some of the life lessons I have learnt during my time in Argentina. This pretty much comes down to one topic - food! This will also give me a chance to somewhat redress the photographic balance, which has not gone without mention. What follows may not be pretty but it has been a big part of what has made Argentina so enjoyable.

I had two major preconceptions/expectations before coming to Argentina: plate-size, 2 inch steaks and fantastic Malbec. Neither of these have been disappointed but there has been much, much more than this to my culinary journey. I think it fair to say that it has been a learning experience and in the spirit of sharing my new-found knowledge here are my rules to eat by:

1. Don´t expect much from breakfast

Argentinians don´t really do breakfast. A couple of bits of bread and jam, madeleine style cakes or small, reheated croissants washed down with weakish coffee is as good as it gets. Maybe they are all still full from the night before?

2. Lunch - there is no singular for empanadas

In fact there is - empanada. But this is useless information. You won´t need it. Empanadas really need to be eaten in multiples. For those who are not familiar with them - they are small pies (think party-size pasty) with any number of different fillings: ham and cheese, lamb, or beef (its rumoured they also do a vegeterian!). In addition to meat they can contain any number of other ingredients (olives, eggs, onions, often cheese), which means there is plenty of regional and even local variety. Very tasty, very moorish and small enough to satisfy even the strictest conscience. Get them from street stalls or bakers. They will always heat them up for you.

3. Menu Del Dia

If you tire of empanadas (?!) or feel like something more substantial then go for the menu del dia. Almost all but the very high end restaurants do an excellent set menu (either 2 or 3 course), which will only cost around £5. The money you save on food will allow you to splash out on the more expensive wine with which to wash it down.

4. Get local advice

Lonely Planet, Tripadvisor etc. are all great sources of information but nothing beats asking a local for a recommendations. Not only will they tell you the best and cheapest places to eat they´ll also tell you what´s best to order.

5. When in Rome...

The locals eat late. If you enter a restaurant at 8.30 it will be empty, which is fine if you just want to read your book and have a quiet meal. However, if you want a bit of atmosphere Argentinians (even families with small children) don´t eat until 9.30 - 10 pm. Eating in a full restaurant is much more fun and gives you a further steer as to what the locals like to eat and the size of the portions. Eating late will also give you the best chance of developing an appetite sufficient for the challenge ahead.

6. Starters

Don´t order them. It may be all very tempting to kick off with a couple of house style empanadas or to tuck into the bread and dip, but there´s a good reason why many menus contain small print advising against ordering starters if you are also planning on ordering one of the house specials for your main.

7. Portion Size

Master the Spanish for half-size (mitad) or better yet check the menu - smaller sizes are often listed. Whatever you order the portion will be huge. Discretion is always the better part of valour. Only deviate from this if you are (1) very, very hungry and (2) prepared to walk away from the table leaving food uneaten. This creates something of a dilemma when eating at the tenedor libres - effectively all you can eat barbecues, because as long as you clear your plate the food will keep coming. In such cases think very carefully before ordering that tempting side of chips.

8. Wine not beer

This is primarily on the basis of taste. The house red is almost always very good and the glass size usually generous. However, it also makes sense on the grounds of volume. If tempted to have a beer for a change make sure you have properly considered how the litre size bottle is going to impact on your capacity.

The dining experience needs to be carefully thought through if you want to walk away from the table with some semblance of pride intact. Within the first 3 sentences the waiting staff will have established you are from England and you will have agreed with them that we have no hope in The World Cup. At least by clearing your plate you may be able to earn some grudging respect.

9. Sweets

Argentina is justly proud of its ice creams (the Italian influence), has excellent chocolate and Argentinians have a reputation for a sweet tooth so I imagine the sweets are excellent. They certainly look a feast for the eyes but to be honest by that time sweets have come round I´ve not been brave enough to risk them - not even so much as a single wafeur, thin mint.

Having negotiated the hazards of the dining table here are my top ten eating experiences:

10. Lamb and mushroom risotto - La Casona, San Martin

Really nutty, woody wild mushrooms, and yet another interesting way to eat lamb.

9. Wild boar ravioli - San Martin

Pasta is always a good alternative. It is usually home-made and the accompanying sauce is ordered separately, allowing any number of different variations.

8. Steak Milanese y Napolitano at Finda del Tio.

This would have scored higher - it was quite delicious - if the portions had not been so utterly unreasonable.

7. Menu Del Dia - Bistro Ana - Mendoza

Not so much for the food, which was excellent but the setting, a tranquil courtyard garden, strewn with pink flowers (bougainvillea?) and the excellent white wine that accompanied the meal - Alta Vista Premium de Torrentes.

6. Octopus and King Crab Stew - La Casa De La Marisco, Ushuaia

A steaming bowl of seafood in thick, tomato broth. Just the thing for colder Southern nights.

5. Patagonian Chicken Pie - Pura Vida, El Calafate

A really charming restaurant that played Nick Drake and Neil Young, served the house red in huge glasses and accompanied the delicious chicken pie with warm, freshly baked, crusty bread and a spicy dip.

4. Lamb asado - Ushuaia and San Martin

Sides of lamb cooked over, open wooden fires and any number of different cuts then served until you can eat no more.

3. Steak (Chorizo) - Cabana Las Lilas, Buenos Aires

Alas no photo, but it has to be steak chorizo (sirloin), thick and juicy, washed down with a suitably robust Malbec. Cabana Las Lilas gets the nod because of the spectacular setting overlooking BA's gentrified docklands area.

2. Traditional asado - hostels in El Calafate and Mendoza

Factors that explain why asados (Argentinean-style bbqs) taste so good include: the excellence and volume of the meat, the way in which large cuts are slow cooked and then carved to serve, the bbc is always wood-fuelled, which is said to infuse the meat with flavour. Of course generous servings of Malbec are a not insignificant bonus.

1. Patagonian Lamb Stew - Isabels, El Calafate,

Simply the biggest and the best. Tender steaks cooked in shallow iron pans in mix of tomato, pepper, onion, carrots and finished with cream and fried potatos. Just remember to order to share or be prepared for slow and painful walk home.

At the moment feels like it will take a very long time to find food to match or even surpass Argentina, but I have heard very good things about Peru...

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Photos

Menu Del Dia at Bistro Ana
Tagliatelli Nicoise but the wine, Alta Vista Premium de Torrentes, was the real star.

Comments

[Chris]

Delicious
Well done Mark, a post worth waiting for! Happy travels to Chile (12th in the Premier league, did you hear that...,12th!!!)

[fromthebottomup]

Thanks Chris. Now in Chile. Another country, another cuisine...You'll be looking at Europe next season then. As for QPR...

[RENanDREW]

Sensational!
What a fantastic account of your food in Argentina! I've only just stumbled upon your blogs, and I hope that you do/have done a similar food post on other countries. Safe travels :)