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Buenos Aires and its new gastronomic dimension

From Palermo to Retiro, these are the hotspots for a culinary immersion in CABA.

by forbes

We’re on the hunt for trends that set the new pace for Argentina’s gastronomic scene . Here in Buenos Aires, we’re tracing a route from Palermo to Retiro, from Thames Street to Arroyo Street to try out restaurants that pay tribute to grills and traditional taverns, reinterpreting them with the audacity and rebellion that characterizes the porteño and infects the guest. We’re talking about a journey of flavors that cross the Atlantic and the Pacific to draw the mixed essence of CABA (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires) . We’ll toast in the trendy cocktail bars and bars where everyone wants to be seen, and we’ll take refuge in this new hotel that aims to go up a notch in the luxury section of the Argentine capital. This elegant and ramshackle, hectic and frenetic city that dances tango and cumbia villera in constant transformation. Now it explores the infinite possibilities of a gastronomic dimension while celebrating (despite everything) the good life . 

These are the must-visit gastronomic places on a trip to Buenos Aires. 

The Barquins: the secret garden of Retiro

Our first stop is hidden among the elegant mansions and small palaces of the Retiro district. The Las Barquin Gardens appear as a gastronomic space located within the Palacio Noel, a colonial-style architectural complex that houses the “Isaac Fernández Blanco” Museum of Hispanic-American Art . As soon as you pass through its walls, the visitor leaves the bustle of the streets of Avenida del Libertador to enter a green and quiet area where tropical nature surrounds the benches and Andalusian-style fountains. “The name Las Barquin is a tribute to the nieces of Countess María Ignacia de Velasco, who owned the palace at the end of the 18th century.” This is explained by the team at the restaurant, located in a greenhouse elegantly integrated into this landscaped environment that also has a large sun terrace, open kitchen and a culinary proposal that begins like this.

The heirloom tomato, the rye empanada with mushrooms, watercress and smoked ricotta, the chickpea fainá or the cured meat tartar with capers are all popular starters. The main dishes include the pork Milanese, the linguine with mushrooms, basil oil and Patagonian cheese or the green risotto with spinach. There is also the occasional carnivorous treat brought from the pampas and expertly prepared on the grill. For dessert? Chocolate with strawberry and mascarpone. And long live the Barquins.

Mengano: reinvention of the traditional still life

“Mengano is a restaurant with a modern take on Argentinean taverns ,” explains Facundo Kelemen , a lawyer by training who decided to change direction in search of new culinary horizons. After working in prestigious kitchens from Buenos Aires to New York, he created this project located in the Palermo neighborhood and inspired by the classics of Buenos Aires cuisine but with a very personal approach . “Taverns are the restaurants that emerged with the arrival of Italian and Spanish immigrants,” says Kelemen. “It was traditionally a worker’s meal, abundant. Here we serve smaller plates, tapas-style,” he concludes.

Mengano presents itself to diners as a small bistro with a warm and familiar atmosphere, decorated with black and white photographs and different areas such as the wine cellar with an extensive repertoire of local wines, the dining room and its lively bar in front of its open kitchen. Traditional dishes are created here, using fresh produce and porteño tradition with modern touches. Any examples? Lamb tartar with quince and capers, grilled bell pepper confit in olive oil or crispy rice with seafood. The spicy meat empanadas or the Milanese sandwich are a reference point at Mengano, as is its Rogel dessert, which reinterprets one of the most popular “tortas” (cakes) in Argentina.

Fat Boy: The Eastern Gaucho

We now discover what is probably the most groundbreaking proposal in Palermo . We are talking about the largest of the 48 neighborhoods that make up the city of Buenos Aires, whose gastronomic heart beats here, in this hotbed of trends and emerging talent with a taste for the sophisticated and underground in equal parts. “On a trip to Spain we saw how local flavors were mixed with Asian ones and we thought: we have to bring this to Palermo.” These are the words of Germán Sitz who, together with Pedro Peña , opened the Niño Gordo restaurant in 2017. We are talking about the fusion of Argentine cuts with oriental techniques to create a new dogma in the city that goes far beyond the plate. Because the diner begins to discover the “Niño Gordo universe” before entering this establishment located on Thames Street. On its façade, the passerby’s attention is drawn to the large mural and terrace with a red awning, and inside, the lanterns, posters and manga and video game dolls that make up this wonderful horror vacui that culminates in its bar as the best amphitheater for the spectacle of its cuisine that is about to begin. 

“We wanted to mix Argentinean grill with the flavours of Korea, Japan and China in a proposal that everyone could enjoy,” says Germán Sitz, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of this place with the soul of an izakaya and a cult of grills. “That’s how Niño Gordo was born.” 

Fat Boy’s Spicy Fried Rice

Accompanied by Mario Bros, Godzilla and Master Mutenroshi figurines that decorate the bar, we tried the sweetbreads with miso and corn, the spicy fried rice, the steak tataki, the oyster mushrooms, the baos with bacon or the powerful katsusando, which replaces the pork with grilled beef. Between the flames, there is also the rib or rib eye as a tribute by chef Germán Sitz to his long family tradition of cattle ranchers in the southern pampas. From there to Buenos Aires they bring the beef product that supplies not only Niño Gordo, but also the rest of Sitz’s restaurants such as Chori, Paquito, Juan Pedro Caballero and La Carnicería . The latter is another temple of Buenos Aires barbecue capable of rivaling the historic Don Julio, but with a lighter and more informal touch. 

3 Monos: the essence of Palermo in a glass

As night falls, the Palermo neighborhood begins to shed any trace of formality and rectitude to reveal its true face. Let’s toast to that. Without leaving Palermo Soho or the popular Thames street, which has earned the throne of the coolest avenue in CABA, we walk to one of the places that have crowned it. Its name: 3 Monos .

“ We are a meeting place, a place to drink, meet people, build stories .” This is how the team at this bar opened in 2019 by Sebastián Atienza , Charly Aguinsky and Gustavo Vocke expresses themselves . The kings of cocktails in Buenos Aires have managed to place this establishment at number 11 of the Best Bars in the World 2023 according to The World’s 50 Best Bars . The neon lights guide us towards its interior, with a dark atmosphere that lets the visitor’s senses flow while the team of 3 monkeys takes care of the rest behind the bar with their mastery in mixology. 

Summer Julep, Sake del Medio, Nat(i) Bun bun, La Triple Tini, Pisco y Pala or Dolce & Banana are some of the must-have creations of this cocktail bar with a strong Argentine and Buenos Aires identity, with national spirits and liqueurs and local beers and suppliers. In addition to original cocktails, it also has snack options with equally inventive names and flavours. 

Florería Atlántico: a trip around the world in mixology

We now try the “ drinks inspired by migrations from 1983 onwards ”. To do so, we change gears and neighbourhoods to return to Retiro and explore its charming cafés and art galleries. On Arroyo Street we find Florería Atlántico, a place that offers a journey through liquors and cocktails brought from the most remote corners of the planet . Its sanctuary is, precisely, a sophisticated flower shop located on the main floor where the door opens to an underground space where the famous Mau Mau nightclub used to be located. Now this cocktail bar is a regular on The World’s 50 Best Bars list . Last year it was ranked number 30 and it is no surprise. We go down the stairs following the rhythm of the music towards an exotic atmosphere, structured around a long bar with tables spread out where good food and even better drinks are served. The vermouths, negronis and classic mixed drinks such as the Manhattan and Rusty Nai are a hit, alongside original proposals that travel around the world from Uganda, Senegal, China, Korea, Europe and all of South America. Also noteworthy is its excellent wine and spirits list and dishes with a seafood flavour such as Milanese sole, anchovies or grilled octopus.

Where to sleep: Hotel Casa Lucia

The same Arroyo street has seen the long-awaited opening of the Casa Lucía hotel this year. We took refuge in this exclusive five-star hotel located in the historic Mihanovich building and situated in the heart of Retiro. It was once the tallest building in Latin America in the 1930s and today it has been converted into a luxury hotel with a monumental character, the result of the restoration by the Torrado Arquitectos studio and the seal of Fernanda Schuch Studios for the interiors. The result is an elegant complex of 142 rooms and suites, with a wellness area and an interesting Buenos Aires-style culinary proposal in the La Cantina restaurant . For a drink? Le Club Bacan , another of the “places to be” in Buenos Aires to try classic and contemporary drinks made by the award-winning bartender Martín Suaya.

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