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One Day Café

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Tag Archives: Buenos Aires

REAL Sushi in San Telmo

17 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by Anonymous in argentina, buenos aires, restaurants, travel

≈ Comments Off on REAL Sushi in San Telmo

Tags

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires restaurant, cream cheese, fish, Japanese food, restaurants, salmon, San Telmo, San Telmo restaurants, sushi, sushi restaurants

Shokudo

“Cream cheese.” “Queso crema.” “Philadelphia.” Whatever you call it, I’m baffled as to why it seems to be the key ingredient in Argentine sushi. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some cream cheese, and I can enjoy the occasional salmon and cream cheese stuffed sushi roll. But in most sushi restaurants here, globs of it appear everywhere, and it’s just…no.

Thank goodness for Shokudo and Comedor Nikkai, two restaurants owned by Argentina’s Japanese Association that just so happen to be within blocks of our apartment. This sushi’s the real deal. The thick slices of rich, butter-smooth salmon sashimi practically melt in your mouth. And while a dab of cream cheese can be spotted from time to time, they actually complement the salmon rather than overpower it. I can honestly say the sashimi and nigiri are the best I’ve ever had, and considering this town’s reputation for awful sushi, that was an unexpected revelation.

Shokudo Sushi

Both restaurants have basically the same menu. Our go-to order is the Osaka de Salmón, a mix of 30 pieces of salmon sashimi, nigiri, and rolls that are left up to the sushi chefs imagination. It comes with a small entrada, a bowl of miso soup, and a cup of green tea at the end of the meal. The restaurants are both dim and not photo-friendly, so unfortunately the pics don’t do the food justice.

Both locations are a bit tucked away. Shokudo is on a second floor, overlooking Defensa, while Comedor Nikkai is inside the Japanese Association building on Independencia and doesn’t even have a sign. But if you hear the loud (and kinda scary) sounds of people practicing martial arts, you’re in the right place.

SAN TELMO SHOKUDO – Defensa 910 in San Telmo

COMEDOR NIKKAI – Independencia 732 in San Telmo

Dining Out in Buenos Aires: Useful Words & Phrases

07 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Anonymous in argentina, buenos aires, etiquette, restaurants, tips & how to's, travel

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Argentina, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires restaurant, castellano, dining out, español, food, how to order at a restaurant, restaurants, Rioplatense Spanish, tourists, translation, travel, useful words and phrases

Menus at Hierbabuena

For longer than I care to admit, I had a debilitating fear of ordering for myself at restaurants in Buenos Aires. My self-consciousness about my Spanish was overwhelming, prompting me to overthink every potential interaction and required response to the point that by the time the server arrived at the table I was completely tongue-tied.

Thankfully, those days are behind me, but the memory of my self-consciousness prompted me to put together this list of helpful words and phrases for beginners, so you can dine out in Buenos Aires with confidence.

First, some background to prepare you for the experience.

  • Many restaurants close down in the late afternoon. They may be open for lunch from noon until 4pm, then re-open at 8pm for dinner. Yes, that’s right my North American friends, be prepared to eat later than you’re used to.
  • Tipping 10% is customary. Many restaurants will charge a “cubierto” service charge – this is not the tip! It’s basically the cost of getting a table at their restaurant, or maybe the basket of bread? I’ve never really been clear on that.
  • Service is generally slow, if not otherwise atrocious. Don’t take it personally, it’s not you. Just sit back, relax, and try to enjoy the wait for your menu, your drinks, your food, and the bill. Make sure you’ve got plenty of time.
  • Many restaurants and cafés do not accept credit cards.

If all you can remember is “Vino, por favor!” you’re good to go. But just in case, here are some other words and phrases that may come in handy. This is by no means exhaustive, but covers the basics to get food in your belly. And keep in mind that some of the terms may be specific to Argentina or Rioplatense Spanish.

USEFUL PHRASES FOR DINING OUT IN BUENOS AIRES

“Excuse me…” = “Perdón…”

“A table for two, please.” = “Una mesa para dos personas, por favor.”

“What do you recommend?” = “Qué aconsejás?”

“I’d like to order ____.” = “Te pido ___ por favor.” Literal translation is “I ask you for ____ please”, which I know sounds super awkward to us Yanks, but it is what it is.

“Can I order food to go?” = “Puedo pedir para llevar?”

“Can I take the leftovers?” = “Puedo llevar las sobras?” But don’t be surprised if they look at you like you’re crazy or don’t have anything to package it in. This is not a common practice.

“The bill, please.” = “La cuenta, por favor.”

“Are credit cards accepted?” = “Se aceptan tarjetas de crédito?”

Have no fear! Order with confidence.

USEFUL VOCABULARY WORDS FOR DINING OUT IN BUENOS AIRES

appetizers: entradas

beer: una cerveza, un chopp (draft beer), un porrón (bottled beer), un litro (large liter bottle of beer to share…or not, no judgement)

the bill: la cuenta

chicken: pollo, suprema (chicken breast)

coffee: café, café con leche (coffee with milk)

dessert: postre

entrée: plato principal

fish: pescado; the most common are merluza (hake), lenguado (sole), and salmón rosado or blanco (pink or white salmon)

fork: tenedor

ham: jamón, jamón cocido (cooked, sliced ham), jamón crudo (dry-cured ham)

ice: hielo

juice: jugo

knife: cuchillo

menu: la carta

ground pepper: pimienta negra molida

napkin: servilleta

pork: cerdo, bondiola (pork shoulder), chorizo (pork sausage)

potatoes: papas, papas fritas (fries) puré de papas (mashed potatoes)

rice: arroz

salad: ensalada

salt: sal

seafood: mariscos

server: mozo/a

silverware/cutlery: cubiertos

soda: gaseosa

soup: sopa

spoon: cuchara

steak / meat: carne (check out this post from Wander Argentina for a list of all the various cuts); to request meat cooked rare: vuelta y vuelta, medium rare: jugoso, medium: al punto, well done: bien cocido. Rest assured, it will arrive at the table more well done than you’d wanted.

sugar: azúcar

tea: té

vegetarian: vegetariano

water: agua con gas (sparkling water), agua sin gas (still bottled water)

wine: vino, vino tinto (red wine), vino blanco (white wine), una copa de vino (a glass of wine), una botella de vino (a bottle of wine)

 

Parillada Para Dos, Por Favor

28 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Anonymous in argentina, buenos aires, restaurants, travel

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Tags

Argentina, blood sausage, Buenos Aires, Chapadmalal, chorizo, cold beers, dining al fresco, Mar del Plata, meat, morcilla, parrilla, Parrillada, Recoleta, restaurants, sweetbreads

Buenos Aires would be a tough town for a vegetarian.

I’ve encountered meat treats that I never knew existed, and many that I try not to think about too hard as I’m savoring (hello, morcilla). There’s no shortage of protein options, and for better or worse no…part, shall we say?…goes to waste.

One of my favorite meals, and a must for anyone traveling here, is ordering some version of parillada para dos: literally, grill for two (or four, or six, etc). A small charcoal grill is brought to your table sizzling with mouth-watering smells and piled with succulent cuts of beef, pork, chicken, chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), riñon (kidneys) and sweetbreads.

My favorite spot in the Capital to spend an afternoon digging into a mountain of carne is in Recoleta, at any of the parrillas on Junín along the walls of El Cementerio de la Recoleta. An odd preference, perhaps, but I had my first parrillada experience at Clark’s so I’ve got a soft spot for it. I also always look forward to hitting Tata Juancho along Ruta 11 between Mar del Plata and Chapadmalal. During weekend trips to the beach we religiously stop here to enjoy some cold beers, sizzling grilled meat, and perfectly crisped fries outside at one of their picnic tables, with Judah successfully scouring the premises for discarded scraps and being treated to her own chunks of meat fresh off the grill from the dog-loving grillmasters.

While the cuts of meat can vary in quality and appeal, for me, the beauty of the parrillada is the experience. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

TATA JUANCHO – Ruta 11 km 7,5 south of Mar del Plata

CLARK’S – Junín 1777 in Recoleta

Choripan: My Favorite Street Meat

17 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires, restaurants, travel

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Buenos Aires, buenos aires street food, choripan, chorizo, dirty old men, El Rey del Chori, Feria de San Telmo, San Telmo, San Telmo restaurants, street meat

Chorizos on the Parrilla

In the street meat hierarchy, hot dogs ain’t got nothin’ on choris.

Choripan & Quilmes

One of the first places Gaspar took me when I joined him in Buenos Aires was a tiny hole in the wall on Carlos Calvo between Defensa and Bolivar. The walls were plastered with aging photos and notes from satisfied celebrity and average-joe customers, and the place was full of old men with mullets, missing teeth, wandering eyes and dirty piropos. Perhaps not every woman would appreciate such a charming treat. But the smell of garlicky delicious chorizo sausages sizzling on the parrilla is enough to make anyone go a little loco. The chorizo was butterflied, served up on hunks of crusty bread and slathered with chimichurri. Throw in a litro of cerveza, and it was the date of my dreams.

At the risk of stating the obvious, chorizo + pan = choripan, a popular pork sausage sandwich. This chorizo shouldn’t be confused with its spicy Spanish counterpart. Argentine chorizo, like most local food, is far from spicy. Instead it is flavored with garlic and pimentón (Spanish paprika).

Butterflied Chorizo with Chimichurri

We indulge in this local drunk food regularly, rarely bothering with the drunkenness excuse because we are not ashamed to love it sober. During the Feria de San Telmo, the popular street fair on Defensa featuring block after block of antiques and wares from local artisans, several parking lots are converted into choripan-pushing parrillas. El Rey del Chori is one of my favorites. In addition to choripan, most any chori vendor also offers bondiola (a hunk of pork served on a roll) or vacíopan (a hunk of steak served on a roll), both of which are also quite good.

El Rey del ChoriIf you’re looking to try out choripan in San Telmo, these are my favorite spots. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you about the potential creepiness of my favorite hole-in-the-wall on Carlos Calvo, mmkay? You may or may not find yourself being smothered in kisses by an intoxicated elderly gentleman sporting a rat tail.

NAMELESS HOLE-IN-THE-WALL – Carlos Calvo between Defensa and Bolivar

EL REY DEL CHORI – Sundays on the corner of Defensa and México

Anuva: Wine Tasting in Buenos Aires

10 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires, tips & how to's, travel

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Anuva Wines, Argentina, Bonardo, Buenos Aires, champagne, Malbec, Mendoza, quality wines, things to do in Buenos Aires, Torrontés, tourist attraction, wine pairing, wine tasting, wine tastings

Vino

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. When moving to Argentina, I anticipated a bounty of two of my favorite things: steak and wine. I haven’t been disappointed. While the wine in Buenos Aires is plentiful and affordable, the area with the most well-known reputation for serious wine-lovers is Mendoza. Naturally, we went there as soon as possible, and loved it. The scenery is breathtaking, and the wine tours are (literally) intoxicating. I do recommend it.

But Mendoza is far. Getting there can be time-consuming and pricey. And while touring the vineyards and bodegas was fascinating, the process of actually tasting and appreciating the wine didn’t seem to be a big focus on our tour. I’m not sure we did much more than swirl and ingest. And much more of the latter than the former.

Enter, Buenos Aires’s own Anuva Wines. Anuva is essentially a wine club, dedicated to hand sourcing limited production wines from South America. They host intimate wine tasting events in Palermo, introducing visitors to high-quality wines from small wineries, many of which barely export and are extremely limited in production.

Their wine tastings are offered at a variety of days and times, and we opted for a 2pm Saturday tasting because we day-drink like that. We were lucky enough to book a time with Cara as our host, who we’d first met over a delightful dinner at NOLA Buenos Aires. She knows her stuff. And she provides detailed background on wine regions, characteristics, and processes in a simple and approachable way, without making you feel at all ashamed for previously viewing Two Buck Chuck as a special occasion wine.

Each wine was truly unique, and came with a food pairing to complement and enhance the flavors.

Champagne and a toast point with blue cheese, sour cream, arugula and walnut

Hom Espumante, an extra brut sparkling wine, was accompanied by a toast point with blue cheese, sour cream, arugula and walnut.

Torrontés and strawberry and peach sorbet from Persicco

Carinae Torrontés paired with strawberry and peach sorbet from Persicco

Salame & Cheeses

Mairena Bonarda served with spicy salame and cheese picadas

Malbec and an empanada

San Gimignano Malbec paired with a Salteña-style empanada

Blend and chocolate amargo from Fénix

Caluna Blend (malbec, cabernet sauvignon and merlot) served with chocolate amargo from Fénix

As you can see, while the emphasis isn’t necessarily getting bien pedo, there is plenty of vino to be had and you’ll not be left wanting for heavier pours. By the end of the afternoon we were feeling pleasantly chatty, yet 100% functional without the threat of a hangover by late evening. The perfect balance. And I learned a LOT. The highlight for me was getting more background on Torrontés and Bonarda, two wines I’d been completely unfamiliar with before arriving in Argentina and which I now plug shamelessly to whomever will listen.

Overall, a great experience, and one I’d highly recommend for residents and tourists alike.

ANUVA WINES – visit their website for the details on the wine store, wine club and booking wine tastings.

Brown Sugar in Argentina

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Argentina, azúcar negra, azúcar rubia, brown sugar, Buenos Aires, expat life

Before moving, both Gaspar and I spent a lot of time on sites and forums like BAExpats.org trying to get a feel for what we were getting ourselves into. Sifting through the always cheery tales of inflation or crime, I came across a claim I found hard to accept. There’s no brown sugar. The horror!

But scratch that. I think what forum complainer #598 meant was that there’s no brown sugar like what we’re used to in the USA. Light brown sugar that’s moist (sorry, I hate using that word) with a fine grain is indeed elusive. Instead, your options are azúcar negra (black sugar) or azúcar rubia (blond sugar). Negra seems to be the most commonly available, carried in most of the neighborhood chinos, and rubia is available at most dietéticas. I’ve alternated using each when recipes call for brown sugar, and while neither is an exact replacement, after my various experiments I fully endorse the black stuff.

Azúcar negra has a larger grain than brown sugar estadounidense, and while it’s moist enough to hold together it does tend to be a bit more crumbly. It doesn’t bring about the exact same results, but in most cases I’ve actually found the finished product is improved with a more noticeable molasses flavor and chewier texture. Excellent news for my chocolate chip cookies!

As for the rubia…meh. It seems almost interchangeable with typical white processed sugar to me, just with the brown color of a natural cane sugar. The grains are larger, and there is no moisture whatsoever. Not really impressed.

In any case, I’m happy to report that this particular dark and gloomy warning about life in Buenos Aires has not come to pass. The rest, well….yeah, that stuff’s true. But one can still make chocolate chip cookies, pecan pies and cinnamon streusel toppings. Shwoo! Priorities, people.

Philly Cheesesteaks in Buenos Aires

09 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires, restaurants

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires restaurant, cheesesteak, Comida Para Llevar, Football Food, San Telmo, San Telmo restaurants, sandwiches

Oh, what a beautiful discovery.

We’d been meaning to try El Banco Rojo for a while, the hole-in-the-wall spot offering comidas para llevar from the owners of dive bar favorite La Puerta Roja in San Telmo. I’d heard they had kebabs and falafel, and despite remarking on the regular that we should check it out, we just hadn’t gotten around to it. But when we strolled by one day and spotted the sign touting not only kebabs and falafel, but Philly Cheesesteaks and BBQ wings, it was a done deal.

The menu is rather…eclectic?

We went into it with low expectations. I mean, c’mon. We couldn’t even find decent cheesesteaks when we lived in Miami or Chicago, so how good could it be in Buenos Aires? Hmm, good enough that we’ve been back on a weekly basis for a cheesesteak fix to accompany Gaspar’s viewing of the Eagles doing whatever it is that they do on NFL Game Pass every Sunday. Football in the summer is just a cruel punishment.

Magic in the making

Okay, okay, so the purists may argue that the peppers are a no-no, but I love them. And unlike a lot of Buenos Aires eateries where fussy eaters are out of luck, El Banco Rojo is willing to make exceptions for someone who may just prefer Whiz Wit’ or Without. The key ingredients are all solid. Good bread, good meat and for the love of God they even have a delicious mysterious Whiz-like cheese! It’s no Jim’s Steaks (which, for the record, kicks both Pat’s and Geno’s asses) but what more could two ex-pats ask for?

EL BANCO ROJO – Bolivar 914 in San Telmo

Indulgence Francés at Brasserie Petanque

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires, restaurants

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Brasserie Petanque, Buenos Aires, conejo, French restaurant, rabbit, restaurants, steak tartare

There’s something I love about nestling into this delightful French restaurant in the midst of San Telmo’s cobblestone-paved antiquity. It just feels…special.

Probably due at least in part to the complimentary Kir Royale whisked over upon arrival.

It’s always hard to decide what to order. There are so many delicious options! To start, agonize over choices like oysters, tuna carpaccio with pistachios and mango, or buttery garlicky escargots. Then move on to agonizing over cassoulet, beef burgundy, or duck breast in orange sauce.

On this sunny afternoon, Gaspar went for the groan-inducing deliciousness of the rabbit with dijon sauce. It’s pretty much a given: one of us has to order it.

Conejo a la mostaza de Dijon at Brasserie Petanque

And I can never say no to raw meat. The steak tartare was calling me. Topped with Dijon mustard and an egg yolk, it was majestic.

Steak Tartare at Brasserie Petanque

Raw is the name of the game.

Going during the mediodía will save you a decent chunk of change in comparison to the steeper dinner prices. So go on a sunny day, sit by the windows and enjoy a bit of decadence.

BRASSERIE PETANQUE – Defensa 596 (esquina México)

Read reviews on Guía Oleo and Trip Advisor.

¿Cómo se dice…? Fruits and Veggies

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires, tips & how to's

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Buenos Aires, castellano, english & spanish fruit & vegetable translations, fruits, vegetables

When you love to cook, moving to a country where you don’t speak the language can turn what used to be a simple trip to the grocery store into utter agony. Even after a year, many hundreds of hours of Spanish lessons and daily trips to the mercado, I still do a lot of pointing and asking, “¿Qué es esto?“.

The fact that different Spanish-speaking countries have different names for the same items also complicates things in my brain. You think you’re shopping for aguacates and fresas? Oh noooo, my friend, those are paltas and frutillas in castellano rioplatense. So for any new arrivals or those who are just starting to venture out to the verdulerias, here’s a list of some of the most common fruits, vegetables and herbs you may be attempting to purchase and their corresponding names in the region. For a complete list of kitchen and cooking terminology, check out NOLA Chef’s Kitchen Dictionary.

FRUITS, VEGETABLES & HERBS IN  ENGLISH & SPANISH / FRUTAS, VEGETALES & HIERBAS EN INGLÉS Y CASTELLANO

apple: la manzana

artichoke: el alcaucil

arugula: la rúcula

asparagus: los espárragos

avocado: la palta

banana: la banana

basil: la albahaca

bay leaves: las hojas de laurel

beans: las chauchas

beets: las remolachas

blueberry: el arándano

bok choy: el bok choy

broccoli: el brócoli

brussels sprouts: los repollitos de bruselas

cabbage: el repollo

cabbage (Napa): el repollo japonés

capers: las alcaparras

carrots: la zanahoria

cauliflower: la coliflor

celery: el apio

cherry: la cereza

chickpeas: los garbanzos

cilantro: el cilantro

coconut: el coco

corn: el choclo

cucumber: el pepino

dates: los dátiles

eggplant: la berenjena

endive: la endivia

fig: el higo

garlic: el ajo

ginger: el jengibre

grapefruit: el pomelo

grapes: las uvas

kiwi: el kiwi

leek: el puerro

lemon: el limón

lentils: las lentejas

lettuce: la lechuga

lime: la lima

mango: el mango

mint: la menta

mushrooms: los champiñones, los hongos

onion: la cebolla

onion (red): la cebolla morada

orange: la naranja

orange (mandarine): la mandarina

oregano: el orégano

parsley: el perejil

passion fruit: la maracuyá

peach: el durazno

pear: la pera

peas: las arvejas

pepper (bell varieties: green, red, yellow): el morrón (verde, rojo, amarillo)

pineapple: el ananá

plantain: el plátano

plum: la ciruela

pomegranate: la granada

potato: la papa

pumpkin: la calabaza (also means squash)

prune: la ciruela pasa

radish: el rábano

raspberry: la frambuesa

rosemary: el romero

rhubarb: el ruibarbo

sage: la salvia

shallots: los chalotes

spinach: la espinaca

squash: la calabaza (also means pumpkin)

strawberry: la frutilla

sweet potato: la batata

thyme: el tomillo

tomato (normal): el tomate redondo

tomato (Roma or plum): el tomate perita

tomato (cherry or grape): el tomate cherry

turnip: el nabo

watermelon: la sandía

zucchini (round): zapallito redondo

Okay, what am I missing? What am I saying wrong while the friendly verduleros just humor me? Where did I get the artículos incorrect? Your additions, suggestions and corrections are invited and welcome. Happy healthy shopping!

Barrio Chino, A Culinary Treasure Trove in Buenos Aires

25 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by Anonymous in buenos aires

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

barrio chino, Buenos Aires, chinatown, seafood in Buenos Aires

As a non-native Spanish-speaker, one of the first things I did upon moving to Buenos Aires was enroll in group Spanish lessons. Best decision ever. Not only for the obvious reason: being able to communicate is preferable to being clueless and crying at the supermarket. (Shut up, it happens).

But the relationships, perspectives and experiences that I gained in those classes were invaluable. And of course, there was the opportunity to feed groups of people who’d never had chocolate chip cookies before.

It was Anouke, an incredibly thoughtful free spirit from Holland trekking her way through South America, who insisted I check out Barrio Chino. With tales of an extensive fish market and barrels of spices and grains, I was quickly convinced that even though Buenos Aires’ Chinatown was far from my neighborhood and I’m lazy like that (#realtalk) it was vale la pena.

In the cities I’ve called home stateside, I took for granted the easy, close access to…well, pretty much everything. So after a journey that takes an hour on public transit, when I find myself face to face with an array of products that used to be available at my local supermarket or with the click of a button online, it’s uhhhhh-mazing! I pretty much danced through the aisles, stocking up on all the random items that I’d never realized I could miss so much, while Gaspar silently (smart man) questioned how and why we would possibly need that much hoison sauce.

Barrio Chino is small, a mere handful of blocks. But what it lacks in space it makes up for with an intense barrage of flavors, colors and smells…for better (Peking duck!) or worse (ewww, fish market). I just love browsing through all the shops, you can always find something new.

Just a sample of the grains and dry goods available at Casa China.

So before we get to the smelly stuff, my favorite stop in Barrio Chino is Casa China, a dry goods store that I love to wander through. They stock everything from sauces, spices and curries to grains and noodles to the most extensive selection of dried beans and mushrooms I’ve ever seen. You can also find cocoa powder, rice and wheat flours, and other goodies lining the shelves that you won’t find at the local supermercado.

Bins full of grains and dried beans at Casa China

Dried tomatoes and a variety of dried mushrooms at Casa China

Another one of my favorite things in Barrio Chino: sushi burritos. They’re not actually burritos, but it’s the best description I have for these massive, un-cut rolls of sushi that we always just end up eating as if they were burritos from a street vendor. More civilized people may take them home and cut them up properly, but where’s the fun in that? When your other hand is clutching a warm import beer you’ve never heard of, it’s no time to worry about appearances.

As anyone who loves raw fish and lives in Buenos Aires can attest, sushi here is generally carísimo ($$$) and often smothered in cream cheese. While there are some cream cheesy options available in Barrio Chino, these hefty rolls include the straightforward options you may be craving, and are a steal at $15 – 30 pesos a pop.

Okay, now for the sort of gross stuff. If you’re vegetarian or quick to get nauseous, chau chau, thanks for reading, now run along. As previously noted, the markets in Barrio Chino are awash with…shall we say, “interesting” smells, partly due to items for sale that the delicate norteamericano psyche may not be accustomed to. Most of the markets have what I like to call the “animal parts” section. This may range from whole chickens with their faces, feets and all wrapped in plastic, to bins full of the various parts and organs that most North Americans don’t like to think about. I’m not generally squeamish about this stuff, and plan to test out some recipes in the near future with some of these options. So if anyone’s completely grossed out or for some reason offended, I just say hey, we are eating animals. There’s no way around that, so it’s better not to be wasteful. And if you’re craving some crispy chicken feet, there’s a pile full of them just waiting to be fried up.

I think I just lost a few subscribers.

On to the seafood! Perhaps Barrio Chino’s true claim to fame, the selection of seafood is pretty outstanding. It smells like….well, let’s not dwell on that, it’s outstanding nonetheless. Despite it’s location directly on the coast, Buenos Aires is not even remotely known as a seafood-lover’s destination. In fact, finding quality seafood options can be hit-or-miss and expensive as import regulations fluctuate. It’s a mystery to me why popular options like salmon must be imported. But I’ve learned to stop asking questions. Es lo que hay.

Piles of pulpito and langostinos

Fish have tongues? Who knew?

Seafood in Barrio Chino

Crabs and oysters and clams. Oh my! 

This is just a slice of what Barrio Chino has to offer, but you guys don’t need pictures of Sriracha sauce, soba and rice noodles, and coconut milk to get the picture. Suffice it to say, if you live in Buenos Aires and love flavorful food, Barrio Chino is non-negotiable. You must go. Just breathe through your mouth.

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  • RT @rgay: We’re hanging with my niece while she does homework and ummm homework has changed since I was a kid fr. It’s so intense! Like wha… 4 weeks ago
  • RT @DrewBledsoe: As you gear up for your Fantasy Football playoffs, reliability is imperative. Check out this week’s Most Reliable Players… 1 month ago
  • RT @Verizon: 🎉🎊🏆 Verizon Small Business Digital Ready just won GOLD for “Best New Service” at this year’s North American Best in Biz Awards… 1 month ago
  • RT @ScottHanson: Reliability is a top priority for your fantasy lineup, so be sure to check out the Most Reliable Players list this week, p… 1 month ago
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