Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
5
THE BEST DINING EXPERIENCES
•
Cabaña las Lilas,
Buenos Aires (
&
11/
4313-1336
): Widely consider ed the
best
parrilla
in B uenos Air es, Cabaña
las Lilas is always packed. The beef
comes exclusively from the r estaurant's
private
estancia,
and the steaks ar e out-
standing. The cuts of beef ar e so soft,
they almost melt in y our mouth.
Despite the high price of a meal her e,
it's casual; some guests ev en come in
sneakers and shorts. See p. 103.
•
Café T ortoni,
B uenos Air es (
&
11/
4342-4328
): This legendary cafe might
not have the best service in town, but its
historical impor tance and old-world
beauty more than make up for that. Café
Tortoni was and r emains Argentina 's
meeting place of choice among intellec-
tuals; even the thr ongs of tourists don 't
overwhelm the space. See p. 100.
•
La B ourgogne,
B uenos Air es (
&
11/
4805-3857
): Jean Paul Bondoux is the
top F rench chef in S outh America,
brandishing his talents in the kitchen of
the restaurant tucked inside the Alv ear
Palace Hotel (a second La Bourgogne is
in M endoza). A member of R elais &
Châteaux, La Bourgogne ser ves ex qui-
site cuisine inspired by Bondoux's Bur-
gundy heritage. See p. 104 and 284.
•
José B alcarce,
S alta (
&
387/421-
1628
): The best r estaurant in S alta
serves incr edibly imaginativ e Andean
cuisine in an elegant setting. Guests can
sample llama carpaccio or roasted llama
medallions with prickly pear sauce,
clientele dining on
milanesas
and cold
meat platters. See p. 245.
•
1884,
M endoza (
&
261/424-2698
):
Celebrity chef F rancis M allmann's r es-
taurant in M endoza has been number
one in town for a few years now, and it
remains the ultimate Argentine dining
experience in the countr y's food and
wine capital. Located inside a centur y-
old
bodega,
or wine cellar, the restaurant
serves rugged and tasty local specialties
such as
chivito
(kid) and
lechón
(piglet).
See p. 271.
•
Lunch at a
Bodega:
Mendoza is home
to doz ens of places wher e visitors can
learn more about wine—fr om how the
grapes are grown to how the barrels are
chosen. And the lessons usually come
with a relaxed outdoor lunch ser ved on
a
bodega
patio, with the towering Andes
in the distance. The experience is indul-
gent, informative, and so v ery relaxing.
Try the lunch at
Ruca M alen
or at
Andeluna
or
O. Fournier
in the Valle
de Uco. See chapter 10.
•
Patagonian
Asado:
The gaucho gets
things going early. The coals take time
to warm up , and then they place the
lamb on a cross in front of the heat, and
leave it there to r oast for hours. S erved
with a simple salad and a fe w bottles of
Malbec, it 's home cooking like y ou've
never eaten.
Estancias
fr om the Lake
District to Los G laciares National Park
humbly offer this tradition daily to visi-
tors. Don't miss it at
Estancia Cristina.
See chapter 12.
•
Lakeside Gourmet Dining in Bariloche:
The capital of N orthern P atagonia has
some truly excellent restaurants. The best,
such as
Yuco, Butterfly,
and
Cassis,
are
right atop of the giant mountain lakes,
1
accompanied b y Andean potatoes
grown in the v erdant hills on the out-
skirts of the city . They're all delicious.
See p. 220.
•
Casa Tomada,
Córdoba (
&
351/153-
844-609
): Relive your student days in
Argentina's univ ersity city. A rambling
building of stalls and boutiques leads to
a rickety cour tyard full of y
offering views that match the outstand-
ing dining. Be sure to arrive well before
sunset! See chapter 11.
outhful
