Buenos Aires - Argentina - page 116

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Tucumán 2633 (at P ueyrredón). & 11/4963-6888. Main courses $3-$12 (£2-£8.20). No cr edit cards.
Sun-Fri noon-3pm; Sun-Thurs 8pm-1am; Sat 9pm-midnight, but times will var y seasonally depending
on sunset and Jewish holidays. Metro: Pueyrredón.

Mamá Jacin ta Finds INTERNA TIONAL/ITALIAN/KOSHER/MIDDLE
EASTERN/PARRILLA Owner J osé M izrahi opened this r estaurant in 1999 and
named it in honor of his S yrian Sephardic grandmother. His idea was to bring to the
public the kind of food he r emembers eating while gr owing up, updating it with the
international influences that are all the rage in Argentina. H e does much of the cooking
himself, and chicken dishes are his favorite thing to make. After that, he recommends his
fish and rice salad dishes, ser ved in large enough por tions for a table full of patr ons to
share and enjoy together. French, Japanese, and Italian sausages are grilled on the parrilla
and can be sampled as starters. Pasta lovers can choose from a wide selection, all custom-
made in the restaurant. Try also the kibbe, a kind of meat-filled dumpling.
Tucumán 2580 (at P aso). & 11/4962-9149 or 11/4962-7535. mamajacintakosher@hotmail .com. Main
courses $3-$12 (£2-£8.20). No credit cards. Mon-Thurs noon-3:30pm and 8-11:30pm; Fri noon-3:30pm;
Sat 1 hr . after sunset until midnight; Sun noon-3:30pm, but times will var y seasonally depending on

sunset and Jewish holidays. Metro: Pueyrredón.

Inexpensive
Gardel de Buenos Aires ARGENTINE/ITALIAN You won't see tango here, but
this cafe celebrates the famous tango singer Carlos G ardel in other ways. A clock, with
his face at the 12 o'clock position, overlooks the dining area, with its brilliant red table-
cloths and rich wood trim. Gardel photos adorn red walls like icons in a Russian church.
A papier-mâché mannequin of his likeness juts out from one of the walls. On top of that,
his songs play nonstop fr om loudspeakers. It's a cute diversion, and in spite of the o ver-
whelming kitsch, the food is good.The menu offers Argentine standards such as beef and
empanadas, salads, pastas, desserts, sandwiches, pizzas, and other I talian specialties. The
house specialty is fugazzata —a kind of stuffed pizza. S ervice is fast and friendly , so this
is a great place for grabbing a quick coffee or a sandwich. I t's open 24 hours Friday and
Saturday, so come by and toast Gardel after a night on the to wn tangoing, with a drink
from their extensive liquor selection. They also have a takeout menu.
Entre Ríos 796 (at Independencia). & 11/4381-4170. Main courses $3-$10 (£2-£6.80). AE, MC, V. Sun-
Thurs 6am-2am; Fri-Sat 24 hr. Metro: Entre Ríos.

5

Kosher McDonald's Finds AMERICAN/KOSHER Certainly you didn't come
all this way to eat at McDonald's. I wouldn't ordinarily tell a traveler to eat here on vaca-
tion, but this franchise is clearly unique: This is the only kosher M cDonald's outside of
Israel in the world, underscoring Buenos Aires's reputation as one of the world's greatest
Jewish centers. Rabbi supervision makes sure that kosher rules are strictly followed here.
It's typical McDonald's fare—burgers, fries, salads, fish sandwiches—except that no dairy
at all is served here. They also sell souvenir mugs and other items to bring home. Locals
of all kinds, Jewish or not, patronize the place. If you only came to gawk and think y ou
couldn't stand a B ig Mac without cheese, fr et not: It's in the A basto Shopping Center's
Food Court, so all you have to do is turn around and walk to the regular McDonald's on
the other side.
Abasto Shopping C enter Food Court, Av. Corrientes 3247 (at A güero). & 11/4959-3709 or 0800/777-
6236 for McDonald's Argentina information hot line. Main courses $1-$3 (70p-£2). No credit cards. Sun-
Thurs 10am-midnight; Fri 10am-2pm; Sat 9pm-midnight, but times will var y seasonally depending on
sunset and Jewish holidays. Metro: Carlos Gardel.