Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
228
Where to Dine
El Rancho
ARGENTINE This restaurant is the best one on the main plaza, and it 's
less touristy than La Carr eta (below); when locals go out to eat, they come her e. The
expansive dining room has an authentic bamboo roof, and the fans overhead keep things
cool in the summer months. Start with freshly made empanadas,
humitas,
or tamales and
a salad, and then mo ve on to o ven-baked
cabrito
(y oung goat) with r oasted potatoes.
Pastas are made on the pr emises, served with a variety of meat dishes, including tender-
loin, for diners after something simple. They stock decent house wines, ser ved in small
jugs, and the short wine list features local vintages.
Vicario Toscano 4.
&
3868/421256.
Main courses $6-$9 (£4.05-£6.10). MC, V. Daily noon-3:30pm and
9pm-1am.
La Carreta de Don Olegario
REGIONAL Popular with for eign visitors, this r es-
taurant has a pleasant dining room that lacks elegance, but the kitchen serves an authen-
tic selection of regional dishes, including
cabritos.
Service is unhurried, so plan to enjo y
a leisurely lunch or dinner if y ou come here. Folkloric shows take place in the ev enings.
Av. General Güemes 20.
&
3868/421004.
Main courses $5-$8 (£3.40-£5.40). MC, V. Daily noon-3pm
and 8-11pm.
Machacha
ARGENTINE Cafayate's only gourmet r estaurant offers more than
steak. The menu of this wine-themed establishment includes ex otic dishes such as llama
meat and duck. Platters of smoked cheese and cold meats compete with rabbit for y our
attention. The wine list is all local, with the very rustic Bodega Nanni for example, or the
very alcoholic S an Pedro de Yacochuya. All this, along with a pebbled cour
tyard and
regional music, make it a v ery pleasant eating experience.
Güemes 28.
&
3868/422319.
M ain courses $20-$30 (£14-£20). MC, V. Daily 10am-3pm and 7pm-
2am.
8
3
HUMAHUACA, JUJUY
1,620km (1,004 miles) NW of Buenos Aires; 90km (56 miles) N of Salta
Quechuan women w earing colorful ponchos walk with babies strapped to their backs,
while horses, cows, and goats graze on the surrounding vegetation. Look closely and you
might spot a gaucho charging after his herd. Lush fields become increasingly dry and give
way to striking r ock formations and rainbo w-colored mountain ranges so unusual they
have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Quebrada de Humahuaca
is a
150km (93-mile) strip of land that brings you dangerously close to Bolivia, both in body
and spirit. The fier y r ed ridges and copper-gr een plateaus hide timeless villages with
genuine indigenous charm and pictur esque ar chitecture. The ar ea is a must-see, with
1-day excursions possible from Salta or the provincial capital San Salvador de Jujuy. Bet-
ter still, stay in one of the many charming boutique lodges that ar
e popping up in the
area, particularly in Tilcara.
TILCARA
Its narrow cobbled streets and low colonial buildings hav e a dusty y ellow hue. If you're
lucky enough to find y ourself alone, you may feel like y ou're on the set of an eerie spa-
ghetti western just before the shootout. But chances are you will not be alone. Tilcara is
gaining a reputation, becoming a thriving tourist to wn and the center of operations for
