Buenos Aires - Argentina - page 109

Uriarte 1658 (at Honduras). & 11/4833-1112. www.casa-cruz.com. Reservations highly recommended.
Main c ourses $25-$45 (£17-£30). AE, MC,

111

V. M on-Sat 8:30pm-3am, lat er on w eekends. No metr o

access.
Expensive
Cluny INTERNATIONAL/ARGENTINE Cluny is casual but elegant, look-
ing more like a modernist living r oom than a dining r oom, with neutral color patterns
and bursts of burnt orange and mauv e. A loft space sits abo ve it all and is ex cellent for
hiding away for private conversations or romance. Others choose to dine outside in the
patio garden in the restaurant's front space. Sinatra and bossa nova music from the 1960s
add to the soft, casual atmosphere. The food, overseen by the new chefs Luis Cambre and
Juan Manuel Juarez, who took over from Matias Zuccarino, is the highlight here. There
is a new emphasis on fish and fowl, from prawn risotto to spider crabs and duck magret.
There ar e also many salmon and codfish dishes, and the inter estingly named “Lamb
cooked in two different ways.” Beef, unlike in other Argentine restaurants, seems to be a
second thought here, though it is w ell prepared. The extensive wine list r uns over eight
pages, offering the finest Argentine vintages fr om Catena Zapata to French imports hit-
ting more than $250 (£169) a bottle. In the afternoon they have a fine British tea service,
a distinctive feature more associated with the old dowager hotels in the center of the city
rather than young and chic Palermo Viejo.
El Salvador 4618 (at M alabia). & 11/4831-7176. Reser vations highly r ecommended. M ain c ourses
$15-$20 (£10-£14). AE, MC, V. M on-Sat 12:30-4pm, 4-7:30pm (t eatime), and 8pm-1am (sometimes
later). Metro: Plaza Italia.

Olsen SCANDINA VIAN/SEAFOOD A bit of Scandinavia has landed in
Argentina. O lsen is built into what was once a war ehouse, and it soars to chur chlike
proportions and has a mezzanine with a few tables overlooking the main dining area. The
interior, complete with a central r ound metal fireplace, has a 1960s mod feel to it, with
blond woods, straight lines, and funky dish settings with orange, brown, and black circles
on them. The place is set apart from the street by a large wooden fence, which leads into
a patio gar den overgrown with vines, complete with a metal sculptur e fountain on an
adjacent wall. It's an extremely tranquil space, with only a fe w chairs and tables set out
here. They sink into the grass, giving the feeling of a living r oom that has succumbed to
nature. O lsen, o verseen b y G ermán M artitegui, who also o verseas Casa C ruz, is v ery
popular with tourists and locals alike; and most of the extremely attractive staff members
speak English. Starters are fun and meant to be shar ed, such as an ex cellent selection of
bagels, tiny pancakes, smoked salmon, smoked herring, caviar , and flavored cheeses and
butters. Fish is the main point of this place, and a few of the meat dishes, though flavor-
ful, tend to be on the dr y side. Many people come just for the bar, and there is an enor-
mous vodka selection kept in special super-cold fr eezers. Absolut rules this par t of the
restaurant and is available by the shot or the bottle. On Sunday, try their brunch, which
begins at 10am.
Gorriti 5870 (at C arranza). & 11/4776-7677. r [e-mail]. Reser vations r ecom-
mended. Main courses $12-$25 (£8.20-£17). AE, MC, V. Tues-Thurs noon-1am; Fri-Sat 12:30pm-2:30am
(sometimes later); Sun 10am-1am. No metro access.

5

Sullivan's Drink House IRISH/ARGENTINE Sullivan's still retains its green in its
Emerald Isle decor, but has overhauled its menu in recent years, bringing it more in line
with traditional Argentine fare. That means more beef and other parrilla items, and just
a smattering of traditional I rish food. S andwiches and childr en's meals ar e also on the