Buenos Aires - Argentina - page 107

Inexpensive
Medio y Medio URUGUAYAN This place ser ves Uruguayan chivitos, which are
lomo sandwiches. Lomo takes on a differ ent meaning in U ruguay than in Argentina. I n
Argentina, it is only a cut of beef; in U ruguay, it can be steer , pork, or chicken, cut flat
as a filet, served as a hot sandwich with a slice of ham, cheese, and an egg, with a garnish
of tomatoes and lettuce. This is a crowded, busy place, especially at night when patr ons
sit outside under a canopy, at tables painted with fileteado, an Italian art of painted fili-
gree borders that has become quintessentially Argentine. Live entertainment in the form
of S panish and folkloric music and tango is av ailable lunchtime M onday thr ough
Wednesday, and nighttime Thursday through Sunday.
Chile 316 (at Defensa). & 11/4300-7007. Main courses $4-$10 (£2.70-£6.80). No credit cards. Mon-Tues
noon-2am; Wed noon-3am; Thurs noon-4am; Fri noon-8am; Sat 24 hr. Metro: Independencia.

109

LA BOCA
There is no convenient subway service to this neighborhood. Wandering at night is not
recommended.

Moderate
Barbería ARGENTINE/ITALIAN This is a La Boca institution, with a very colorful
interior, old-style banisters, and a waitstaff that prides itself on its I talian La Boca heri-
tage. It's very touristy, though, just steps away fr om El Caminito's flood of out-of-to wn
visitors and tacky souv enir stands. The owners, Nancy and G ustavo, are often ar ound
visiting the diners and will tell you that members of the La Boca Juniors often pop in for
a meal. Tango, folkloric, and even drag shows run from noon until 5pm on the sidewalk
dining area in front of the cafe, which overlooks the harbor. While in our last edition this
was considered overpriced, inflationary pressures in B uenos Aires mean that the prices
are now reasonable, especially for such a tourist driven area, and the show is included in
the price. Pastries such as the Neapolitan sfogliatella, a local tradition, are always available,
and every dish comes with a gener ous helping of history. The staff is very friendly.
Pedro de M endoza 1959 (at C aminito). & 11/4303-8256. M ain courses $3-$9 (£2-£6.10). No cr edit
cards. Daily 11am-6pm (later in summer if busy). No metro access.
La Perla CAFE/ARGENTINE This ancient cafe and bar is one of Buenos Aires's cafés
notables. It dates from 1899 and has a beautiful interior, loaded with photos of the own-
ers mingling with impor tant visitors from around the world who hav e come to visit La
Boca and this important stop on the tourist circuit. Bill Clinton is among the luminaries,
and his image is among those most highlighted. P izzas, picadas, and a range of coffees
and drinks are on offer. If you're in La Boca, it 's a good place to hav e a drink and soak
up some atmospher e. Ironically, inflationar y pressures thr oughout Buenos Aires mean
that this is now a reasonably priced venue, and large numbers of locals often come no w
in a way they didn't before, adding authenticity to the bar.
Pedro de M endoza 1899 (at C aminito). & 11/4301-2985. M ain courses $3-$8 (£2-£5.40). No cr edit
cards. Daily 7am-9pm. No metro access.

5

Inexpensive
El Obrero Kids PARRILLA/ITALIAN/ARGENTINE Two old brothers from
Barcelona, M arcelino and F rancisco Castr o, star ted this wonder ful institution sev eral
decades ago in a r emote, hard-to-find part of La Boca. S adly, Francisco died a few years
ago, and Marcelino no longer is able to work in the place. His children, Juan Carlos and