Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
332
WHERE TO DINE
Many
parrillas
and cafes line the town's sole main street. The best, however, are either on
side streets or are a fe w minutes' drive outside town. For a cheap meal wher e the locals
eat, try the typical grill-house
parrilla
El Esquiador,
Las Retamas 146 (
&
02944/494331
).
It's almost always packed.
La Delfina
CONTEMPORARY ARGENTINE Tucked inside a cozy old cottage
next to the La Escondida Inn at the Bahia Manzano community, La Delfina is a gourmet
revelation and full of surprises. The menu changes vir tually daily to r eflect the chef 's
whimsical tastes, but staples include a spectacular steak with teriyaki sauce and shiitake
mushrooms, and a trio of trout. The smoked-trout soup with lime cream is also fabulous.
During the summer, you can dine outdoors.
Av. Arra yanes 714, P uerto M anzano.
&
02944/475313.
Reser vations highly r ecommended. M ain
courses $16-$25 (£11-£17). AE, MC. Tues-Sun noon-3:30pm and 8:30-11:30pm. Closed f or lunch in
winter.
La Encantada
Finds
PIZZA This may be the best pizza joint in the Lake D istrict.
The trademark here is the thin cr usts cooked in the wood-burning o ven. Toppings are
fresh and cr eative, including my fav orite: ar ugula, mozzar ella, tomato, and oliv e oil.
Another option combines locally smoked salmon with parsley and mozzarella. The menu
also includes some unusual empanadas such as one stuffed with rainbo w trout, white
wine, and hard-boiled eggs. Soups, salads, and pastas are also available. It's a cozy and fun
place with great service.
C. Belvedere 69.
&
02944/495436.
Main courses $7.50-$13 (£5.05-£8.80). No cr edit cards. Tues-Sun
12:30-3:30pm and 8-11:30pm.
Tinto Bistro
FUSION Everything sparkles inside the Tinto Bistro. The lighting
is intimate, and the decor is delux e. Chef Leonar do Andres's food manages to shine as
well. An eclectic offering of tapas includes rabbit
escabeche
with endiv es. The main
courses r eflect a global palate, with Asian, M iddle Eastern, and M editerranean influ-
ences—from garlic-and-lemon grass chicken to S aigon beef and udon noodles with
sautéed seafood in vodka-saffron sauce and coconut milk. It's a very exciting and refresh-
ing change, perhaps a bit too spicy for most Argentine palates but inter esting to many
travelers. A wide selection of
vino tinto,
with mor e than 150 labels, honors the r estau-
rant's name. For dessert, try Princesa Mia, a honey parfait with flambéed fruits—named,
perhaps, after the o wner's celebrity sister , Princess Maxima of H olland. There's now a
second location inside B ariloche's Panamericano Hotel, which unfor tunately lacks the
same cozy vibe.
Bd. Nahuel Huapi 34, at end of Arrayanes.
&
02944/494924.
Reservations highly recommended in high
season. MC, V. Main courses $12-$19 (£8.20-£13). Mon-Sat 8pm-midnight.
Waldhaus
SWISS/REGIONAL This little r estaurant's gingerbr ead eav es, notched
furniture, and woodsy location will make y ou feel such as though y ou're dining in the
Black Forest. The location, 6km (3
3
/
4
miles) from downtown, makes the Waldhaus less
convenient than its main competitor , Rincón Suiza, but the food is slightly better her e.
In addition to nightly specials, typical menu offerings include wild-mushroom soup, beef
fondue, v enison marinated in burgundy wine, and typical
11
Tyrolean dishes such as
spaetzle with ham.
Ruta Nacional 231, K m 61.
&
02944/495123.
Main courses $11-$19 (£7.45-£13). MC, V. Summer and
winter daily noon-3:30pm and 8pm-midnight; spring and fall daily 8pm-midnight.
