Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eat Like a Local
Argentines eat little for breakfast - usually just coffee with
medialunas
, either
de manteca
(sweet) or
de grasa
(plain).
Tostadas
(toast) with
manteca
(butter) or
mermelada
(jam) is
an alternative, as are
facturas
(pastries). Most hotels offer this basic breakfast, but some
higher-end hotels have breakfast buffets.
Argentines make up for breakfast at lunch and dinner, and they love to dine out. Every
neighborhood has basic restaurants serving the staples of pasta, pizza and steak (though
for the best meats, head to a
parrilla
).
Cafes (which serve snacks, light meals and sometimes more) and
confiterías
(restaurant-cafes) are open all day and into the night. Bars or pubs usually have a more
limited range of snacks and meals, though some offer full meals. A
tenedor libre
(literally,
'free fork') is an all-you-can-eat restaurant; quality is usually decent, but drinks are often
mandatory and cost extra.
Large, modern, chain supermarkets are common, and they'll have whatever you need
for self-catering, including (usually) a takeout counter with a decent range of offerings.
Smaller, local grocery stores - usually family-run - are also ubiquitous, though they won't
have takeout.
The most thorough online guide to BA restaurants is
www.guiaoleo.com
(in Spanish);
for listings in English, try
www.pickupthefork.com
COOKING COURSES
Taking a small-group cooking class or private class is probably the best option for short-term visitors
who don't speak Spanish.
»
Norma Soued
(
www.argentinecookingclasses.com
) Cook Argentine cuisine like
empanadas
,
traditional stews and
alfajores
.
»
Cooking with Teresita
(
www.try2cook.com
)
Partake of
asados
(barbecues) and
empanadas
;
she'll also take you to local markets.
If you have time, speak Spanish and are considering making cooking a profession, try the highly re-
garded
Instituto Argentino de Gastronomía
(IAG;
www.iag.com.ar
)
or
Mausi Sebess
(
www.mausisebess.com
)
, located in BA's suburb of Vicente López.
