Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chorizos
MAGAIZA/GETTY IMAGES ©
Local Specialties
Although
comida típica
can refer to any of Argentina's regional dishes, it often refers to
food from the Andean Northwest. Food from this region, which has roots in pre-
Columbian times, has more in common with the cuisines of Bolivia and Peru than with
the Europeanized food of the rest of Argentina. It's frequently spicy and hard to find
elsewhere (most Argentines can't tolerate anything spicy). Typical dishes can include
everything from
locro
(a hearty corn or mixed-grain stew with meat), to tamales,
humitas
(sweet tamales) and fried empanadas.
In Patagonia, lamb is as common as beef. Along the coast, seafood is a popular choice
and includes fish, oysters and king crab. In the Lake District, game meats such as ven-
ison, wild boar and trout are popular. In the west, the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan
and La Rioja pride themselves on
chivito
(young goat). River fish, such as the dorado,
pacú (a relative of the piranha) and surubí (a type of catfish), are staples in the northeast.
