Villa Crespo is the new Palermo, except much cooler, and has been for some time.  Venture off to the VC for some restaurants that are two thumbs up fine holiday fun. Here is my rundown of the best that Palermo Queens (what a ridiculously invented name) has to offer.  Take a culinary food tour through Villa Crespo and your panza will greatly thank you.

La Crespo
Thames 612 

One of my favorite places in the city, and only place I’d go for good deli food, La Crespo serves up *real* bagels, pastrami sandwiches, brownies and other Jewish delights.  The actual spot might be small, with only a few tables, but remains the perfect place to grab a tasty lunch to eat in house or take to go.  Great food and friendly familiar service makes it a must to visit when in the neighborhood.

Melão
Castillo 54

Get your fix of culinary delights from around the world at Melão, where talented chef Yilán Guzman takes you on a gastronomical journey, offering cuisines from over 20 different countries.  Sure, the menu is a bit overwhelming with such a wide range of dishes, stick with ordering the Jamaican Curry & Callaloo or the Cuban Ropa Vieja.

Cafe Crespin
Vera 699

Breakfast, lunch and brunch: that’s what this corner café is all about.   They offer huge brunch specials, solid salads and sandwiches, and an American-esque mini bakery featuring muffins, cinnamon rolls, TOLLHOUSE chocolate chip cookies.  The good food and prime location is why Crespin is busy busy busy and increasing in popularity.

Malvón
Serrano 789

Massive brunches, bomb ass platos principales, affordable fresh baked breads para llevar, awesome decor, incredible space – Malvón has it all.  Think eggs benedict, smoked salmon bagel, JUICY burger, popovers, salads, maracuyá cheesecakes. Hot damn.

Paladar Buenos Aires
Address given when reserva is made
Not only is Paladar one of my favorite puertas cerradas, it’s probably one of my favorite restaurants in Buenos Aires.  Husband and wife power duo brings inventive dishes perfectly paired with interesting wines. Get on their mailing list to find out the ever changing menu that varies weekly.

Sarkis
Thames 1101

There’s something wrong with you if you live in Buenos Aires and haven’t visited Sarkis. It’s a must.  Great flavorful food. Affordable. Old school service. Bodegón style. Popular with the old, young, families, foreigners – Sarkis appeals to everyone.  What to order? Ensalada belén, hummus, babaganoush, grape leaves, feta salad, lamb kebab, meat shlong drenched in greasy yogurt sauce.

El Buen Sabor
Camargo 296

One of the ONLY African restaurants in Buenos Aires (I think there may be one more), El Buen Sabor remains popular with both foreigners and locals.  The owners are from Cameroon and serve up traditional African fare like chicken in peanut sauce, fried beans, and my favorite, fried plantains. (Photo Planeta Joy).

La Mamma Rosa
Jufre 202

Simple, cheap, great food = La Mamma Rosa.  Parrilla and pasta, this is the type of place you probably wouldn’t really notice as out of the ordinary just by passing by.  But this ain’t no regular bodegón, Mamma Rosa is special.

Salgado Alimentos
Velasco 401

The go-to place for pastas, Salgado Alimentos has been around for 5 years bringing fluffy, pillowy homemade carb deliciousness to many happy customers. Their menu is huge, offering salads, sandwiches, parrilla, minutas, platos principales and, of course, PASTA.  I would stick to what this place does best – either dry, STUFFED or freshly made pastas.

Update July 23, 2012: Check out this longer list of the best restaurants in Villa Crespo on this restaurant map here.

Update October 26, 2012: Y una guía de los mejores restaurantes de Villa Crespo en español acá.

Eating outdoors is one of those strange pleasantries in life, whether it’s an outdoor patio, rooftop terrace, quiet backyard garden or even colectivo polluted sidewalk, food somehow tastes better while sitting outside basking in the aire libre. The Buenos Aires dining and café scene is all about outdoor spaces, where restaurants immediately increase in stock value with just one table afuera.  With the summer in full effect, it’s only fitting to take advantage of the perfect South American warm air and stakeout the best Buenos Aires restaurants with outside seating areas.  Since it’s difficult for me to leave the tiny bubble of Palermo, here’s a random rundown of the best spots in the barrio.

Artemisia (Gorriti 5996)

A Pescetarian menu is the perfect solution to a hot summer’s day.  Serving up mostly vegetarian food, Artemesia’s sidewalk tables are quite the hot commodity, ideal for salad eating, juice drinking and organic wine gulping.

Baraka (Gurruchaga 1450)
It’s rare to have a bad meal at Baraka. Grab a table on the lovely sidewalk seating or on the rooftop terrace. Lamb burger, tea, coffee, chocolate cake, salted cookies – it’s an ideal go-to spot when you are out of midday restaurant ideas. Only downside? This is an alcohol free zone.

Benihana (Arenales 3310, Alto Palermo)Rappers love Benihana. Tracy Jordan loves Benihana, so by the power of celebrity endorsements, it’s only logical that you should love Benihana, too. The front patio of this American “Japanese” powerhouse, sandwiched in between TGIFridays and Starbucks, makes for a prime people watching spot. Go for the killer lunch special or daily bargain food and drink happy hour (4pm – 8pm).

Boteco do Brasil (Bonpland 1367)You might not look twice when you walk by the street seating at Boteco do Brasil. Despite the plastic tables with those red standard Brahma fold up chairs, there’s something special about this Brazilian restaurant on Bonpland. Perhaps it’s the strong caipirinhas that make the onda so awesome, or the cheerful Brazilian service, or the delicious (and well cooked) seafood, or spicy flavors that taste like Brazil on a plate, or the live music, orrrrr all those things.

Las Cabras (Fitz Roy 1795)Get here early or prepare to wait for a table, Las Cabras, or as I call it, the red chair busy place, may not serve out-of-this-world food, but it’s a solid place to go with friends when looking for something cheap and casual with a lively atmosphere. Order the parrillada para dos that really serves four, or a choripan with fries, a pitcher of penguino house wine, a sifón of soda and bienvenida-r yourself to Argentina. Photo by Destemperadinhos.

Caracas Bar (Guatemala 4802)Get your arepa eating on at Caracas, a Venezuelan-run bar, which has a fantastic rooftop terrace.  Ideal for warm summer nights, sip a few cocktails, eat some arepas and listen to DJs spinning both hipster-onic music and reggaeton. But beware: rumor has it they charge a cubierto just for ordering a drink, which ain’t cool in my book. Photo: PlanetaJoy

Cluny (El Salvador 4618)Despite my mixed feelings about the food, Cluny does have a beautiful restaurant with a secluded outdoor patio area, and a semi-affordable lunch special.  Order a wine and the duck risotto, because what more do you want to eat when it’s warm outside than a heavy duck risotto? Photo: YouPlanet

Coco Marie (Armenia 1764)

What strikes your hunger more than walking through a bathing suit shop after having your ass eat up a bikini that’s a few sizes too small? Ivy lined walls, adorable turquoise chairs, Moroccan lemonade — it’s a girly design lovers dream world.

Croque Madame (Libertador 1902)Inside the Museo de Arte Decorativo, this Buenos Aires outdoor eating area is a classic and beautiful refuge from the bustle of the barrio. Classy it up sitting pond side with older Argentine biddies. Take visitors to Croque Madame for the extra swoon factor. Photo BAInspiration.

Cusic (El Salvador 6016)Pull on the wooden kitchen spoon to be welcomed into this Palermo Hollywood small café.  Both the food and the ambience of this PH converted space makes diners feel all comfortable and warm inside. Licuados, lemonades, breakfasts, lunches and desserts make Cusic a winning choice. Don’t miss Thursday nights a la gorra, where they cook up a different speciality every week and you pay what you think it’s worth.

Decata (Dorrego 6100, Palermo Hollywood)This might win the gold for one of the best summer terraces – Decata’s food can be somewhat lacking, but they have one helluva terraza, strong wifi and lots of plugs, making it for a winning work space. Another bonus: each coffee comes with a sugar covered orange peels and some sweet lil’ bakery bite.

Don Julio (Guatemala 4691)

DJ, you can do me no wrong. In six faithful years as a Don Julio patron, I have yet to be disappointed by the quality of meat, grand wine selection, superb service and classic good ole BA sidewalk dining.

La Editorial Bistro
I am ambivalent to give this spot up because it’s super special. All terraces should be as lovely as the one at La Editorial Bistro. Combine this prime open aired rooftop with lunch specials and a full cocktail menu, and you’ve got my summer go-to spot. Photo: La Editorial Bistro.

Evita Museum (J. M. Gutierrez 3926)Located in one of my favorite sections of Palermo, behind the zoo and near where all the rich bitches live, the Evita Museum’s restaurant patio is a tranquil oasis from the  of the city.  Strong wi-fi connection makes it the perfect place to sit for hours sipping a coffee or eating a killer crepe. Photo SpareroomsBA

La Fábrica del Taco (Gorriti 5062)It’s a known fact that Buenos Aires just can’t do Mexican, but Fábrica offers a solid option for those who are craving a bit of spicy sauce. The large backyard garden is ideal for sipping on Coronas, chugging down margaritas and chomping on chips and salsa.

Hernán Gipponi Restaurant (Fierro Hotel, Soler 5862)Hands down one of the best brunches in the city, the Fierro Hotel’s lovely space is equipped with a quiet outdoor garden where brunchers can indulge in leisurely a multiple course menu.  They also offer an excellent lunch and dinner menu, with fantastic wine pairings, and Friday cocktail garden affairs. (Photo: Jocelyn Mandryk)

In Bocca Al Lupo (Bonpland 1965)This café is the perfect spot for coffee drinking, fast wifi using and Italian food eating. Grab a table on the checkered tile patio and peek in as the kitchen staff makes homemade pasta and whips up favorite Italian treats. If you are a nutella fanatic, this is a place for you. Photo: in Bocca al Lupo

Jardin Japonés Restaurant (Casares 2966)

If it were all about ambience, Jardin Japonés would be the best sushi spot in town. This restaurant is located in the beautiful Japanese gardens, and while it may not be the top choice to eat sushi in the city (check out THIS list for best sushi in Buenos Aires), it still offers fresh quality fish and items that don’t include loads of cream cheese. Photo: Jardin Japonés

Le Ble (Honduras y Arévalo) The famous French bakery has now opened up a new Palermo Hollywood café serving salads, sandwiches, brunch and all that Frenchie baked goodness. Nothing beats this type of street seating on the corner of Arévalo and Honduras with virtually no colectivos bustling by.

Lo de Coki (Amenábar 93)Eclectic and homey, on the border of Palermo Hollywood and Colegiales, Lo de Coki has two outdoor areas: rooftop terrace and sidewalk seating.  On a quiet corner with virtually no traffic, this somewhat unknown spot is a great option for breakfast, lunch and merienda, in a neighborhood filled with busy brunch cafés.

La Maison (Honduras 5774)Chill out in this lovely French-inspired space loungy patio, order a bottle of torrontés, a plate of fromage and spend the rest of the afternoon stretched out on chic white linen couches.

María Felix (Guatemala 5200)

This massive rooftop terrace of this (Argentine) Mexican restaurant takes up almost the whole block. A truly spectacular gigantic space, this place is for picante-phobes who like their food mild. Grab a spot on the rooftop, order a tequila-packed Margarita, some tortilla chips and a few appetizers, and you’ll be set for the summer.

Miranda (Costa Rica 5602)A prime people watching spot on Fitz Roy and Costa Rica in Palermo Hollywood, go to take advantage of Miranda’s awesome weekday lunch specials or for one of their ginormous salads.

Olsen (Gorriti 5870)

Despite that this restaurant used to be the hotness and now is the notness, you still can’t deny the fact that it is probably one of the nicest designed restaurants this city has to offer. Just above that point of disappointment where it’s still acceptable to go, I’d skip the food and go for a Bloody Mary instead.

Oui Oui (Nicaragua 6068, Nicaragua 6099)Yes yes, Oui Oui is quite the scene on the weekend, getting extremely busy with both tourists and overly trendy Palermonites. Why would someone wait over 30 minutes for a table? Because it’s trendy, has brunch solid food, and a pleasant ambience overlooking the picturesque tree-lined street of Nicaragua. Avid Oui Oui brunchers know what up: two words.. Weekday. Tony.

Páru, Inkas sushi & grill (Vilas Club, Valentin Alsina 1450)

Tucked away in the bosques de Palermo, inside Vilas Club, Páru is what Japanese-Peruvian cuisine is all about: high quality fresh fish and seafood, delicious fusion dishes and sauces, insanely addictive cocktails and all in a sleek, upscale setting. Think tiraditos, ceviche and sushi rolls topped with quinoa puffs and maracuyá sauce. Oh, and their outdoor eating area with park views is almost as big as the whole restaurant.

Piola (Gorriti 5751)Make a trip back to 1992, grab your Bayside High sweatshirt and head on over to the Max aka Pizza Piola.  Front sidewalk seating and also a patio garden space makes it an ideal spot to grab one of their non-Argie pizzas and stuff face. Photo by Planeta Joy.

Quimbombó (Costa Rica 4562)

Quimbombó’s beautiful decor and two sunny deck terraces remain a great Palermo spot to escape the craziness of the Plaza Armenia area.  Order a fresh salad and a licuado and enjoy the day, or go for dinner and order one of their delicious cocktails.  While food maybe mediocre at best, the pleasant and breezy atmosphere makes up for all of that.

La Retirada (El Salvador 4945)
The massive upscale parrilla has all the right factors that makes a winning restaurant: friendly service, a nice atmosphere with outdoor garden patio and high quality meat that’s cooked just right. A bit on the pricey side, La Retirada makes for a good go-to prime location spot in the Plaza Serrano area (that’s still not Plaza Serrano) to take out of town guests.

Sipan (Uriarte 1649)Ceviche, tiraditos and pisco sours – it doesn’t get much better than this. Well, maybe it does, sipping and eating them all fancy while lounging on comfortable couches.

Soria (Gorriti 5151)More bar than restaurant, Soria has all the ingredients that makes a winning night: skilled bartenders mixing up traditional and inventive cocktails, good service, above average bar food (burger + fries) and almost the whole space is in the aire libre.

El Ultimo Beso (Nicaragua 4880)A bit too feminine for my macho liking, El UltimoBeso, or “The Last Kiss,” looks like a girly regurgitation of lace, pink and flowers. Still, it’s pretty damn pretty. Don’t miss checking out the bathroom, with old fashioned tub filled with rose petals, too much? Boys, to really man it up, order some pink wine and lemon pie.

Check out some other food publications for their top outdoor eating choices:

Glamout
Planeta Joy
Guía Óleo

What other great Palermo restaurants have wonderful outdoor seating areas?

Unwrap the romance-enhanced clichés, drown yourself in a pungent nose-stinging cologne and practice your sexy O faces in the mirror because it’s DATE NIGHT! Whether it’s a first date, last date, secret date, or a date where you are looking to impress, here are some suggestions for that perfect date spot, all aimed to *enhance* your chance of sealing the deal by the end of the night.

The First Date

First dates in Buenos Aires should be held at a fun restaurant, with hefty quantities of alcoholic-enhanced concoctions. Nothing too romantic since you don’t want to look like you are trying too hard, but nothing too casual as eating at the pancho stand isn’t quite the right place to make all your sexy-time moves. Modern, casual yet upscale pizza joints could be a good place to start. Filo, Siamo nel forno, Pizza Piola and Amici Miei all prove to be solid options. Il Ballo Mattone makes for a fun, lively spot while restaurants like 878 and Gran Bar Danzon are for more serious romance seeking first daters that want to get their quality drinking on. For a casual atmosphere with both great food and mixologist-mastered tragos, Dadá is your answer.

***Note: The cardboard-tasting pizzas at Almacen de Pizzas are not recommended, I just couldn’t resist sharing the ridiculously designed pizza box.

**Another important note: Most girls probably won’t eat a lot so it’s ideal to choose a restaurant where sharing is encouraged and salads are not available. Girl, if you are an eater, don’t order a salad on a first date. Boy, if you are an eater, a girl who orders a salad on the first date probably isn’t the one for you.

The Secret Date

Looking for a more discreet dining experience? Let’s call ‘intimacy’ for what it is, either you are shallow and your date has a serious case of the uglies or you are trying to keep a low profile, whatever your reasons may be, just stay off the Palermo-San Telmo track.  Venture off to Villa Urquiza and check out Billinghurst Restó.  Sure, the crowd may be on the older side, but you can eat well and most likely won’t run into anyone you know.  If you are willing to spend some pesos, Nihonbashi in Congreso one of the top sushi spots in the city (and they have a private room!) It’s the ideal spot for slurping up fresh sashimi and sucking up face (simultaneously if you’re into that kinda thing).  Tipo Casa (shown left) in Almagro is another puerta cerrada hybrid, serving up great Argentine food in a comfortable, homey environment.  Since reservations are essential, you can be assured unwanted pop-ins won’t happen.  Other off-the-grid restaurants include Bar Urondo in Parque Chacabuco and Brotes del Alma in Belgrano.

The Foodie Date

Serious eaters who are just as into the food as the company, you need to pick a place where the bomb ass food comes first.  Embark on a culinary journey to Paraje Arevalo, a 6 or 8 course extraordinary meal, all in a nice atmosphere with spot-on service.  The dinner will last a few hours, so make sure you have enough to talk about. For something a bit more affordable, Brotes del Alma is located in a beautiful old converted house in Belgrano with an inventive menu of Argentine-inspired dishes. Call ahead for a reservation as the small space only seats about 10 tables.  Other charming restaurants banging out great foodie-food are Caseros in San Telmo, a casual yet romantic ambiance where each table centerpiece highlights a fresh fruit or vegetable.  And of course one of my all-time favorites, Las Pizarras in Palermo Soho, a solid recommendation for a go-to casual date spot.  Get one appetizer and two mains to share, because sharing food is sexy.  For authentic Japanese lovers, Niji  in Belgrano has all the elements for a perfect date: fresh selection of high quality fish, oddly tacky decor and a quiet restaurant that rarely gets full.  OK, maybe it’s not the perfect date spot, but the Japanese food is great. Bar du Marché for the ultimate wine and cheese snob.

The Romantic Date

If you are a more traditionalist when it comes to hitting up the dating scene, looking to wine and dine with some good food in a romantic setting, snuggle up on one of the couches at La Maison and get in ze zexy French mood.  You know you are in good hands at Paladar Buenos Aires, one of my favorite closed door restaurants in the city that offers a luxurious five-course menu with wine pairings, brought to you by the chef-sommelier power couple. Other PDA favorites include the low, pillow seating tables and dimly lit Lotus Neo Thai, candle-lit French bistro A Nos Amours, pasta-rific perfection at Doppio Zero, and earthy-ness love at Puratierra. 

The Cheap Date

Dating on a shoestring in Buenos Aires can be quite the challenge, with restaurant prices soaring making even the shitty places an expensive splurge. Luckily there are still some bargains in the city, where atmosphere and food quality isn’t compromised by lack of pesos. The lovely daytime café, Cusic, opens up every Thursday night with a special menu a la gorra.  Each week there’s something different on the menu, except the 10 peso beers that are always in abundance, and with no set price for the main course diners, pay what you think the meal is worth. I’m a good example of a cheap date: give me a platter of good meats and cheese, with some wine and/or beer and I’m a happy girl.  El NoNo Amigo, a favorite neighborhood spot, and get one of the promos, a tray filled with queso y fiambres and a liter of quilmes – called the picada para dos (and can easily feed three if you’re into a menage) that will run under 100 pesos. For something a bit more casual, grab drinks and some plates to picar from La Esperanza de los Ascurra,  a bohemianster (bohemian + hipster, or hipstemian?) Villa Crespo vermouth bar that has prices reminiscent of Buenos Aires circa 2009.  For a taste of Venezuelan, Arepera should be your go-to spot (and only spot since there is only like two Venezuelan restaurants in the city).  The Oldest for burgers and Cumaná for inappropriate porno crayon table drawings also prove to be cheap and good. For the Peruvian persuasion, Chan Chan can get loud, lighting is oddly bright and the tables are close together, making it essential for close-talking, and ceviche breath sniffing.  Or take a romantic stroll by the Costanera or park and hit up some of the best choripan stands in the city.

The I’m-Gunna-Get-You-Drunk Date

Let’s face it, not everyone is a food-obsessed weirdo. Some people live to eat, other people eat to live, and others live to get shit-faced.  If you are the latter, looking to drown your dating nervousness and insecurities in some sweet drunk-filled nectar, check out these finds that are known more for their alcoholic wonders than food. Fábrica del Taco or La Adorada are good choices if you can snag a table outside, order some guacamole to share, and down lots of maracuyá margaritas.  But beware: the tacos have been known to cause unpleasant gastronomical problems, eat it at your own risk. Other spots worth visiting are the sexy once secret bars that are no longer a secret: 878 and Puerta Uno. Both with low lighting and strong drinks, the ideal recipe for PDA induced suckface-a-thon.  If you find yourself in the centro, sink into the low tables at Le Bar and listen to the eclectic mix of jazz, funk, soul, and electronic. The rooftop terrace wall art of a “cock rocket” is especially romantic. Rey de Copas is also a winner.

The I’m-Looking-To-Impress-You Date

Serious daters who are really looking to impress (or flaunt your fatty wallet),  take that special someone (or flavor of the week) on a luxuriously expensive eating experience.  One of the only restaurants in Buenos Aires to dabble in molecular gastronomical-esque cooking, Aramburu is a romantic yet fun spot to eat a creatively presented multi-course meal.  Tegui is another tasting menu fan favorite, the portions are small so no need to do a two-finger diet afterwards. For wine lovers, Casa Coupage is a good bet, but make sure to bring a cheat sheet of conversation topics because the meal is lengthy.  Other suggestions for treatsy dinners on that oh-so special night would be Chez Nous (order the tasting menu), Chila, Sipan and Paraje Arevalo.  Word on the street is the food at Tarquino also makes for a hot date night.

The Healthy Granola Eating, Tree Hugging Date

Looking to pretend that you are into the health craze? Put on your yoga pants and hit up Artemisia for a (mostly) vegetarian menu filled with lovely organic wines.  For super health freaks, Kensho is the place to get your raw food eating on.  While my experience at Kensho wasn’t the greatest (the food tasted like earth), other reputable sources rave about it.  Hierba Buena in San
Telmo gives that health-inspired kick, while also appealing to the manliest of juice drinkers.  For experienced daters, head out to Casa Felix and get your puerta cerrada action on.  At this closed door restaurant, diners have their own tables.  REMEMBER: Communal table closed door restaurants for early daters could be a massive disaster.

The He/She’s Just Not That Into You Date

It’s happened to the best of us, sometimes you get stuck on a date with one of those people who just shouldn’t be no dinner thang. If this happens to you, and you are the type to accept an invitation even if you don’t want to go, make the message clear by choosing an awful restaurant.  AcaBar is a prime spot, always packed, with terribly unfun games that are missing pieces, and horribly tasting food that are missing deliciousness.  Nothing says I totally-don’t-like-your-face like a big plate of MSG-packed Chinese food.  Da Dong Fan Dian serves quality and cheap Chinese food (great dumps, shrimp fried noodles, and sweet and sour chicken) in an incredibly unromantic setting.

The Next Morning Date

Hurrah! Triumph! You made it to the next morning, congratulations!  If you still like the person enough to keep the date going, eat some sandwiches at A`Manger.
Or, grab some of their treats para llevar, and head out to the Bosques de Palermo, find a grassy knoll that doesn’t have tranny condoms in the near radius, and picnic-it up. The café- brunch-sandwich-tarta-salad type place is always good, La Crespo for pastrami and bagels, Baraka for a lamb burger, Loreto for regular burger or Lord Hector, or Cusic for lots of lovely things. It’s always great to start a relationship pretending to be someone you are not, so how about heading out to the Ecological Reserve to pretend to be “active” and stuff face with choripanbondiolavacionpan.

A comer y coger!

(Otra version en español acá en el blog de Guia Oleo: La cita perfecta)

It’s safe to say that Villa Crespo is no longer an up-and-coming neighborhood; it’s already the hotness and has been for some time.  These grand gastronomical happenings are leading Villa Crespo into the food heavens, sprinkling it with that extra sparkle, and making it a hot destination for traditionalists and trendsetters alike.

It’s the Palermo Viejo of yesteryear, on that cusp of coolness yet without becoming nauseatingly trendy and touristy. While some may say the Palermo-fication began a few years ago when real-estate crusaders (who deserve a massive chorizo up their Lanus) tried to coin the neighbourhood ‘Palermo Queens’, unlike Palermo, this quaint middle class residential barrio has been transformed into something quite culinarily unique.

So what makes VC so damn special? Argentine, African, Chinese, American, Jewish, Italian, fine dining, cheap dining and overall delicious dining. In recent years, Villa Crespo has experienced an explosion of quality restaurants with a diverse offering, mostly all family owned businesses and spread over just a few blocks, turning the area into a haven for the culinary adventurous. Here are some top picks for the best restaurants and cafés in the ‘hood.

Almacén Purista (Velazco 701)

One of the only cafés to offer vegetarian food in the neighborhood, Almacén Purista is a pleasant place to hang for breakfast or merienda, sit for a few hours with a cup of tea (or glass of wine) and a good (or bad) book. Buyers beware: the actual food can be hit or miss.

Almibar Café (Aguirre 991)

A tiny spot on Aguirre, Almibar serves up a modest menu of salads, sandwiches and tartas. A solid bakery selection, it’s the ideal place for a café quickie. (Photo from Almibar FB page)

Angelito (Camargo 490)

When the legendary pizzeria Imperio closed its doors, the owner opened Angelito a few blocks away. A colorful, rustic, tiny, noisy bodegón, the pizza is a neighborhood favorite. (Photo: Guiaoleo)

Arepera Buenos Aires (Estado de Israel 4316)

This Venezuelan restaurant located on the Villa Crespo-Almagro border serves Venezuelan flare with a toque of Argentine flavors. If you couldn’t guess by the name of the restaurant, Arepera bangs out bombing arepas, over 15 different flavor combinations, filled with a wide variety of arepa goodness.  (Photo: Wasabi Blog)

Bai Fu (Scalabrini Ortiz 152)

Very simple atmosphere, this Chinese hidden gem serves up excellent food and is frequented by many in the Chinese community. Go for their infamous duck, steamed corvina or fried shrimp. (Photo: The Lost Asian)

Besón (Castillo 501)

A quiet corner spot, Besón brings something a bit different to the VC. An Argentine menu revamped and modernized, the simple decor, strong WiFi and solid lunch specials make it a barrio winner.

Café Crespin (Vera 699)

One of the first American-style cafés to serve brunch, Café Crespín still makes a solid choice even though they may have lost some of their luster since first opening. A bombing bakery, cinnamon rolls, maracuyá anything and chocolate chip cookies all are a little taste of home.

Cantina Los Amigos (Loyola 701)

Los Amigos pretty much exemplifies the experience of a cantina del barrio: decent food, fútbol decor, cheap red wine, a massive menu combining Argie parrilla-pastas-minutas favorites and frequented by lively old school personajes from the neighborhood.

Dale Perejil al Toro (Estado de Israel 4473)

And the award for the most unique restaurant name goes to Dale Perejil al Toro. Not the best food in the area, but the intimate, rustic atmosphere makes up for that.  (Photo: Dale Perejil al Toro FB)

Don Zoilo (Honorio Pueyrredon 1406)

If you look up a classic neighborhood parrilla in the dictionary, Don Zoilo might just show up. A family bodegón that’s always busy, order the dinner of champions: provoleta, bife de chorizo, French fries and a Malbec. (Photo: Guiaoleo)

El Buen Sabor (Camargo 296)

One of the only African restaurants in Buenos Aires, chef/owner Maxime Tankouo brings the tastes of Cameroon to the streets of Villa Crespo. A tiny hole-in-the-wall, munch on African specialties like chicken in peanut sauce, fried yucca and beans with fried plantains. (Photo: Buen Sabor Facebook page)

Falafel One (Araoz 587)

Arguably one of the best falafel spots in the city, this tiny comida arabe kiosco-sized spot serves a mean falafel, shawarma, tabbouleh, yogurt sauce and all the fresh vegetable fixings at extremely accessible prices. The owner is from Syria, and knows a thing or two about Middle Eastern cooking.

Hikaru Resto & Sushi Store (Rocamora 4584)

Fresh fish, affordable prices, reliable delivery service and not every roll contains cream cheese. There aren’t many sushi options in VC, so Hikaru has definitely turned into a neighborhood favorite. (Photo: Hikaru.com)

I Latina (address given upon reservation)

The new and extremely anticipated puerta cerrada has finally opened their closed doors and are bringing something quite gastronomically unique to the local food scene: upscale Latin American cooking. The owners hail from Colombia, and cook food inspired by their home country, while also combining Caribbean elements. Truly something special, this type of cuisine, at this level, just doesn’t exist in any other Buenos Aires restaurant.

La Cava de Jufré (Jufré 201)

Specialty wine shop and wine bar all in one, a great atmosphere to try new wines and gorge on generous picadas. Get your wine education on as well, La Cava offers wine tastings, wine seminars and a course on cheeeeeeese.

La Cocina Discreta (address given upon reservation)

Only open Thursday – Saturday nights, this closed-door restaurant is located in a beautiful Villa Crespo PH and ideal for a multiple course special and discreet eating experience. (Photo: La Cocina Discreta’s Facebook page)

La Crespo (Thames 612)

This family-run spot in Villa Creplaj makes everything in-house and is where to go for a cure of NY Jewish deli homesickness. Get down and dirty with real bagels loaded creamed cheese & smoked salmon, cheesecake brownies and an absolutely killer pastrami sandwich, stacked with homemade hot pastrami, crunchy pickles, Dijon mustard and sweet caramelized onions on the side. One of my favorite places in the city.

La Esperanza de los Ascurra (Aguirre 526)

Prices that will bring you back to 2009, this cool arty vermouth bar is laid back with a total buena onda vibe. Go for dinner and drinks, ordering a bunch of small plates like meatballs, gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and traditional Argie cocktails. All their bread is freshly baked daily which is always a huge plus.

La Mamma Rosa (Jufré 101)

From the outside it appears to be just any old neighborhood bodegón, but La Mamma Rosa is something quite special. Argentine food done right, an Italian influenced menu specializing in stomach-smiling meats and pastas. With decent prices, familiar atmosphere and friendly service, it’s a traditional must visit.

La Parrillita (Malabia 416)

Grab a seat at the bar and have the asador cook you up something tasty: asado favorites like vacio and provoleta or asado specialties like a mad lil wabbit (conejo). Filled with a lively crowd of locals and long time devotees, La Parrillita is one of those hidden barrio gems you always wish you knew about. The quality can be hit or miss, but once you become a regular they will know how to treat you right.

La Petite Momó (Malabia 695)

A tiny spot to take away freshly baked muffins, budínes, paninis y más. A great new addition to the area.

Malvón (Serrano 789)

Malvón converts the essence of a New York bakery café into its trendy BA version at one of the newer spots to pop up in the neighborhood. From the same owner as infamous Green Bamboo, Malvón excels in world of café aesthetics and baked goods, offering a wonderful assortment of fresh baked breads, muffins, bagels, and an incredible maracuyá cheesecake all in a warmly onda-ed restaurant.

Marucca Coffee (Av. Warnes 376)

Not your typical Argie café, Marucca is more of an American-influenced coffee house with milk shakes, frapuccinos, egg-filled breakfasts, bakery items, sandwiches and salads. Very affordable, this is a VC small gem.

Melão (Castillo 52)

Get your fix of culinary delights from around the world, where the food takes you on a gastrojourney, offering cuisines from over 20 different countries.  Sure, the menu is a bit overwhelming with such a wide range of dishes, stick with ordering the Jamaican Curry & Callaloo and the Irish steak and you’ll do just right.

Mill Café (Scalabrini Ortiz 801)

It’s your standard modern café: cute decor, wraps-salads-sandwiches menu, brunch on the weekends, busy at prime hours, nice option for breakfast, lunch, merienda if you’re in the area. (Photo: Mi Mundo No Privado)

Ocho7Ocho  (Thames 878)

Even though this close-door speakeasy might not be such a secret anymore, 878 makes killer cocktails and a very tasty lamb burger. They also use the Entaste digital wine list on iPad which makes them extra cool.

Original (1170 Bravard)

Another favorite among the Chinese community, it’s the place to go for the house specialties like xiao long bao (Shanghai steamed bun with pork served in a bamboo basket), dumpling soup, crab with onions and ginger and whole steamed fish. (Photo: The Lost Asian)

Paladar Buenos Aires (address given upon reservation)

Chef Pablo and his sommelier wife Ivana open the doors of their home to offer one of the best puertas cerradas in the city. An intimate atmosphere, each party sits at their own table at this closed-door restaurant to indulge in an elegant five-course meal with the optional wine pairings. Get on their mailing list to find out the weekly menu and information about their cooking classes.

Salgado Alimentos (Ramírez de Velasco 401)

The go-to place for pastas, Salgado Alimentos has been around for fivve years bringing fluffy, pillowy homemade carb deliciousness to many happy customers. Their menu is huge, offering salads, sandwiches,parrilla, minutas, platos principales and, of course, PASTA. Stick to what this place knows best, the fresh, dried or stuffed pastas.

Sarkis (Thames 1101)

The most popular restaurant on Guía Oleo, Sarkis is a legend in the world of Buenos Aires restaurants. Specializing in Armenian and Middle Eastern cooking, this lively restaurant is almost always full of families, locals and foreigners. While it’s true that the food quality may not be as good as it used to be, it’s still a solid option if you want big portions, cheap food and a fun atmosphere.

Shan Dong Restaurant (Vera 468, Villa Crespo)

Calling all dumpling lovers, this place is for you. The mother-daughter cooking duo makes a mean shrimp fried noodle, chicken Kung Pao, and of course pork dumplings a la plancha. Dinky atmosphere, extremely affordable prices, and greasy-maybeMSGed-Chinese food, this place is all you could ever want in a neighborhood Chinese joint.

Rolaso (Julián Alvarez 600)

A neighborhood favorite, most local Villa Crespians will vouch for Rolaso. Great service, food and wine – what more can you ask for in a parrilla?

Check out the original article in the Argentina Independent.

Even though it’s one of the biggest cities in South America, Buenos Aires sure lacks quality Latin American restaurants. Desperately longing for more food options coming from our friendly Spanish speaking Caribbean neighbors to the north, I Latina, the new and extremely anticipated puerta cerrada, has finally opened their closed doors to bring something quite gastronomically unique to the BA food scene: upscale Latin American cooking.

A well known restaurant in Bariloche, the Macías brothers, who hail from Colombia, left Patagonia to open up this Buenos Aires restaurant in a secluded house in Villa Crespo. With Santiago in the <open> kitchen and Camilo managing the front of the house, these two are bringing banging Colombian and Latin American fine dining to the closed door restaurant scene. Offering a five course menu, I was lucky to check out the goods at their soft restaurant launch, and boy do they know what’s up.

If I was stranded on a desert island, give me bomb right-out-of-the-oven bread, butter and some sort of shmeary spread, and I could live off of that for months. Fresh and homemade, there were three different types to load up on and spoil my appetite: the white crusty round loaf, buttery crispy BEET bread-like sticks and a more dense (and possibly a bit out of place for a bread basket) banana bread. It also came with two flavor packed spreads in cute lil jars.  Having a killer bread basket made for a great start to the meal, a tiny detail that makes a big difference.

First course: a carimañola generously stuffed with rabbit confit and pistachio, served with a sweet passionfruit sauce. Hot damn, I could have popped these bad boy nuggets of fried happiness like a boss. While the maracuyá sauce might have been a bit too sweet for my ‘buds, I still would have liked to down those delicious mothers by the dozens.

Second Course: Octopus Ceviche Nikkei with an avocado foam, sweet potato, baby bok choy and peanuts. Fresh octopussy, just the right amount of components to keep it interesting, without having too much on the plate. A delight.

It wouldn’t be a complete Colombian meal without some play on arepas. I’ve never been to Colombia, so I can’t call myself an arepa connoisseur, but I’m a big fan of the little stuffed fatties. These arepas were similar to a thin pancake, one filled with corn, chicharrón and mashed black beans, the other the Costeña with shrimps. 

The winner of the night, a braised lamb slowly cooked for a long ass time in a coffee and thyme sauce, over a green plantain cream. Just as dreamy as it sounds, you could cut the tender cordero with a spoon – like buttah!

And for the final sweet note, a tres-leches-like coconut milk cake. Even though the cool wet consistency wasn’t my favorite texture, I still felt like a stupid cat lapping up every last gram of the deliciously flavored cake.

The space is like pure restaurant design porn, and open kitchen with a beautiful stain glassed backdrop to watch Santiago cook away.

The first Colombian-Latin American fine dining option, this private restaurant’s five course menu changes frequently, highlighting the bold flavors of the Caribbean coast.  Truly something special, this type of cuisine, at this level, just doesn’t exist in any other Buenos Aires restaurant.

*I Latina also offers a killer Sunday brunch that might just be my favorite in the city.

I Latina Buenos Aires
Reservations Only: Tel. 4857.9095, or 15.6400.7622
Villa Crespo (exact address given upon reservation)
I Latina on Facebook
I Latina on Twitter

*Last photo stolen from I Latina

Quests for bloody Marys, a gastro-trip to the Ukraine, new closed-door restaurants, sandwiches and brunches galore, here are some food highlights (and low lights) of August eats. Oh, and a big RIP to my camera. It’s broken (probably caused by too much food inside the lens), which means I must take a food porn hiatus. I’ll be accepting donations to the Human Fund.

The month started with a trip to Kiev, Ukraine (Mail-order bride works the other way, too). An incredibly beautiful city, anytime I saw dumpz on the menu, I made them mine.
A delicacy in Ukraine, instead of arriving to the table and getting bread and butter, you are served bread and lard. Lard and toast for breakfast? No thanks, I was being a nice Kosher Jewish girl.

Le Ble opened up a new branch on Arévalo and Honduras – cute corner spot, nice atmosphere, massive coffees but the food is still just average. I don’t understand how they determine prices for coffee sizes – a tiny mini cup vs. a massive taza with only a few peso price difference? 

I took a break from ordering the Hot Pastrami sandwich and now am fulfilling my Yanqui-quota at La Crespo with a bagel sandwich and cheesecake. Better stock up on Lactaid pills.

I’ve been really into wrapping shit in lettuce lately – Asian POKE-inspired lettuce wraps, tabbouleh lettuce cups, ceviche wraps, I think I’ll open a shop that exclusively sells everything wrapped in lettuce.

A friend gave me a great tip for this BOMB sandwich shop in the microcentro: Latino Sandwich. Super cheap, super flavorful all on homemade toastie bread? Thank you cheebus! All the sandwiches I tried were pretty solid, but the ternera braseada sandwich happened to shine with extra awesomeness.

I’m pretty into Hierba Buena these days, I bought some of this eggplant mayo at the Buenos Aires Market and ate it in one go. So good. The avocado-cheese-chicken sandwich was pretty great too (minus the regular mayo they bathed it in).

The Buenos Aires Market in the Bosques de Palermo happened to be quite a delightful event. I bashed it once before, thinking it would just be a place to buy over-priced organic honey, but it happened to have lots of great stands. One of my favorite bakeries, Baking BA was there slinging cinnamon rolls. I also picked up queso de cabra con ají and shroomed around. 

A great brunch at Café Crespín. They have redeemed themselves.

A not-so great brunch at Sirop & Folie. Pretty average and very disappointing.

Holy Smeterling, cakes like the breasts of angels.

Oui Oui nevers fails: affordable, daily breakfast specials, and it’s the closest café to my apartment. Gallo breakfast (yogurt, granola, fruit) or the Tony (eggs Benedict) are the two go-to ordering choices.

I went on somewhat of a quest for Bloody Marys checking out Olsen, Home Hotel, Fierro Hotel, Kansas and Magdalena’s Party. HG at Fierro Hotel had the winning Mary.

Olsen came in a close second.

Tried the Pulled Pork sandwich at Pani. Nicely flavored, sweet BBQ sauce, pork cooked very nicely, topped with crunchy fried onions all served on a soft, fresh bun and with a side of creamy coleslaw. All around good, but not sure it’s worth the 50+ price tag. Hey Latino Sandwich, you should make pulled pork. 



Pick up the pork, tacos del pastor from NOLAchef’s SexiMexi night.

Oh heyhey, NOLAchef also opened a closed-door restaurant. NOLA, the much-anticipated puerta cerrada focuses on Creole and Cajun food from New Orleans – and it’s mighty delicious. Crab clawed gumbo and braised pork on polenta, I am not sorry rabbi because the food was banging. 

Moving along puerta cerrada scene, a glimpse of the Argie experience: a closed door restaurant asado. Adentro Dinner Club is truly a great option for foreigners (or anyone else) to venture into the asador’s home to get a taste of a real Argentine asado. A massive assortment of parrilla goodness with all the fixin’s (best grilled vegetable spread I’ve had in years), it’s a unique experience that was one of the best asados I’ve been to. 

And finally, the newest closed-door kid on the BA block, the Lost Asian’s Hidden Kitchen, brought to us by one of my favorite BA food bloggers. A modern & fresh dining concept, Frances Ren Huang cooks up Taiwanese goodness on a plate, like this pork belly with braised daikon.  (Photo from The Lost Asian)

The award for the most nauseating garbage plate goes to….. the Chivito from El Gran Hollywood Parrilla. *I will not reveal the eater of this nightmare plate.

And the award for the best video of the month goes to….

Another month has passed, the weather got nice, titties came out, then it got cold again, titties went back inside sweaters, and everyone complained. Just like every month, September was filled with good food, bad food and my-diet-starts-tomorrow promises. Here’s the monthly rundown of exactly why you’re still fat.

After much anticipation, I finally experienced my first FUUDIS food tour. 25 food lovers invaded San Telmo, on quite the wine-fueled food crawl, hopping around to three great Buenos Aires restaurants: Aldo’s (appetizers), El Baqueano (main course), and El Historico (dessert). Aldo’s won the gold for their salmon paté and provoleta entradas. 

In a city filled with Italian restaurants, very few truly impress. Luckily L’Adesso is the real deal – it’s just like stepping into little Italy, and not the Argie version. I still have dreams of this al dente giant fusilloni in a peperoni sauce.

Buenos Aires brunch lovers, this one’s for you: the Colombian wonderboys over at I Latina have delivered another hit – a multi-course Caribbean influenced brunch. Patacón with avocado salad, cheesy arepa with Cuban ropa vieja –> Happy Birthday to me.

The Argentina Independent organized the 2nd annual Underground Market, held 3 stories above the ground in an Almagro/Caballito factory. I went too late and wish I popped a paxil, but there was still a great, mildly sweaty, turn out with some awesome, yet slightly expensive, food fest goodies. El Tejano made like 10,000 kilos of brisket, and it was really lick-the-bbq-sauce-off-yo-dirty-fingers gooood. This chick named Nola made a massive batch of Bloody Marys with okra. KelinCake debuted a moist nutty-apple muff.And Kelly Poindexter banged out her dangerously delicious pecan pie.

Speaking of pies and cakes - Baraka makes quite the flourless chocolate version topped with a sea of bountiful berries. But would you pay 42 pesos for a piece of cake? I got some shawarma eating / hummus and beef grease dribble down the chin action at the ever famous Friday & Saturday Medio Oriente mecca…

Oh, but who do we have here? A new contender for the best of BA shawarma… Maybe so. But I’m still not ready to fully give this place up.

On a related note, I’ve rekindled my love for Mercado Belgrano. El Rosarino carnicería, Granja Sergio, cheese shops galore, Jewish home food comfort – and found some great grocery gems.Like insanely expensive turkey breast.

And these insanely delicious sausages. Look at that happy dancing hello-waving oinker!

And in other news… Wilbur ain’t so happy.

I’ve reaffirmed my dislike for The Food Factory, especially with this browned, unfresh 55 peso salad.

Hatas gonna hate, but Benihana has one of the best happy hour deals in the city. Why might you ask? Because it’s happy drink AND happy FOOD hour. Jalapeño poppers, sushi rolls, Benihana martinis, wine and beer – ideal Yanquilandia outdoor spot snuggled right next to TGI Fridays, Starbucks and McDonalds… with KFC close on his way.

USA! USA! Moving along in the happy food hour category, Kansas is another prime HH spot. All you anti-K naysayers can suck it. There’s nothing quite like a little Amurrrica on a warm-ish sunny afternoon. Chicken tenders + honey mustard + loaded cheese bacon potato skins + watered down Bloody Marys + Coronas + Kansas terrace = A Bomb Buenos Aires Happy Hour.

Got my Americanized Chinese food kick at Da Dong Fan Dian with this rendition of sweet and sour chicken. 
 

Sudestada still has a winning lunch special.

On the topic of lunch specials, I’m coming up with a list of the best in the city. Both Contigo Perú and La Primavera Trujillana offer banging Peruvian style lunches. Ají de gallina + drink + postre = 35 pesos from Contigo Peru.

Guiso de quinoa with goat cheese from La Primavera Trujillana + drink = 30 pesos.

María Felix in Palermo has quite the incredible restaurant space – the warm months are ideal for rooftop tanning, corn tortilla chip eating and sugary Tequila-debauchery Margarita drinking. Just smuggle in your own hot sauce if you like it picante.

The cheeseburger from Pani isn’t the best. Another one bites the dry meat and fake cheddar – stick with the pulled pork or lamb burger.

My notoriously bad ordering skills shined brightly when I decided to order a 44 peso tuna sandwich from Pani. The saving grace? Those papas are crazy delicious.

It’s not a real bagel, but Le Ble Palermo sells their bread with holes for 6 pesos each. BLT con huevo frito on a bagel became the cheap homemade breakfast of choice. Looks are deceiving, it didn’t taste that great.

I am really into making shakashuka. And really into saying that word.

Get ready for some stanky pee, because it’s asparagus season! I got this pack for just 5 pesos at my new favorite verdulería.

And made this poached egg with asparagus.A friend smuggled me treats from France and Germany. Stinky cheese, chocolate, baguettes, croissants and pickles. It was glorious.

And finally, if I didn’t need another way to waste my life away on social media / internet / Hulu / Netflix / game boy, this month I also got waaaay into Instagram. Especially taking photos of fruits and vegetables. A good colorful produce display just looks so damn handsome.

Little pillows of Chinese lovin’, dumplings dipped in some sorta sweet, salty and tangy dipping sauce might just be one of the better two bite wonders to pop in your mouth. There’s nothing like a no frills Chinese restaurant with a family style vibe — where a mom and daughter cooking crew whip up affordable, greasy and wonderfully flavor-packed (ahem MSG?) Chinese food. If you don’t eat pork, you’re missing out, because these dumplings are all about the anti-Kosher other white meat. You’d expect an Asian food haven that excels in dumplings to offer a bit more variety, but Shandong only serves two flavors of handmade dumplings: pork-green onion and pork-Chinese cabbage. You can get ‘em boiled or pan fried, and while both ways are good, by rule of unhealthy thumb, pan fried is always way better. You can’t really go wrong no matter which you choose, but my personal faves are the pan fried pork-green onion mix.

Moving along to the North American-ized Chinese variety, sweet and sour chicken, cerdo con salsa agridulce. Fried, sweet, savory, crunchy, saucy — all you ever wanted in a Chinese dish. Unlike other Chinese restaurants in BA, you won’t find any sickly sweet, oddly pinkish-red colored cough syrup-like agridulce sauce here.

The way a restaurant cooks shrimp is generally a good litmus test if the cook can actually cook. A chef that thinks it’s acceptable to serve mushy, tasteless, thawed still with a frozen taste shrimp should really just go home. Luckily, Shadong’s shrimp fried noodles, or chawmien con camarones, didn’t disappoint — perfectly plump lil’ shreemps sautéed with a bright mix of onion, carrot, zucchini and bean sprouts.It’s always a crapshoot when ordering something picante – you really don’t know how it will turn out. It’s as if the restaurant doesn’t really believe you when you order something extra spicy. Sometimes you order the extra kick and what comes out isn’t even seasoned with cracked pepper, other times perhaps there will be a random assortment of whole chili peppers (with seeds), making it virtually impossible to eat.   The few times I’ve ordered Kung Pao chicken (and pork) at Shandong, it’s come out different: it’s what would happened if Goldilocks started doing restaurant reviews – the first time it came out with an extremely mild heat, the second time with an insane amount of mouth burning spice and the third time no kick whatsoever. The answer? Ask for it picante, and also ask for extra spice on the side.The only reason I even started to order Kung Pao chicken in the first place was thanks to one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes where not only does George sweat profusely while eating this spicy Chinese favorite, but he also refers to himself in the third person throughout the entire program. Ever since I was old enough to actually understand what was going on, Kung Pao chicken became part of my regular Chinese order. Allie likes her chicken spicy. Especially with chunks of green and red peppers, onions, pineapple and cashews.Not a huge beef Chinese food fan, the carne en salsa de ostras, or beef in oyster sauce, was made with a too salty thick sauce with too chewy beef. Not my favorite. But luckily along with the ala de pollo frita, chicken wings (ask for it with some red sauce), a whole fried fish and over 8 different soup options make Shandong Restaurant (aka Shan Dong Fan Dian, aka Da Dong Fan Dian) a cheap-n-tasty barrio Chinese spot, worth the trip even if it’s not even in your ‘hood, to satisfy that Chinese food craving.

Shandong Restaurant (Shan Dong Fan Dian)
Vera 468, Villa Crespo
Tel. 4857-6314
Average price: AR$65

One of the biggest restaurant hits of 2012, the Colombian boys at I-Latina opened up shop in Villa Crespo, bringing upscale Caribbean cuisine to Buenos Aires. A reservation only spot, this closed-door private restaurant made quite the impact on the local gastronomical scene, quickly climbing the rankings as one of the best restaurants in the city. While I’m a major team I-Latina dinner fan, there’s something about their brunch that’s extra special, ultimate Sunday perfection.

I should start off with the good news and bad news. Good news: I-Latina offers probably one of my favorite brunches in Buenos Aires. Bad news: They now only offer it once per month. 

There are just some of those Sunday brunches where you leave incredibly happy and satisfied, despite the Monday morning dread, where you just want to press pause, rewind and go in for round two. I-Latina’s brunch features a multiple course mega meal, including coffee, champagne and a killer freshly baked bread basket. Brace yourselves for some extra sultry pornfoodtography. NSFW.Sparkling wine starter.

Oh hello breads: banana, mandioca, crackers, chipá, homemade flavored butters, jams. It’s kinda one of the best bread baskets evaaa.

Look at that cute lil’ jar. Don’t you want to shove it in your purse and take it home?

Bring on more jars! I know the whole jar presentation thing might have been all the rave last year, but in BA it’s just recently catching on. And I’m kinda into it.

This jar was served with homemade yogurt, fruit and topped with crispy quinoa. Hell to the yes.

Lovely fruit cocktail salad that shows off Chef Santiago’s killer knife skills.This might not just be one of my favorite dishes of the day, but favorite dishes of the year. A lot of components on the plate, this patacone (fried crispy plantain chip) was topped with an avocado salad and served with a perfect arepa and pulled beef.If in front of me, I could down probably 15 of these patacone-palta chips.

Look at the sexy lil’ eggplant’s sword wounded knife strokes.

Pretty enough to paint.

Not thinking anything could top the prior dish, out comes a perfectly cook egg, with a firm yolk that still intact, sitting on top a creamy ají shrimp mix with micro greens and potatoes.Shrimp-seafood chef theory tested: if you can’t cook shrimp properly, you should probably get out of the kitchen. Luckily, this shrimp was cooked perfectly.Dessert key lime cheese cake. Happy Birthday to me.

If you are a fan of stalking chefs, making them feel a bit awkward while cooking, I’d suggest grabbing a seat by the open kitchen and watch Santiago and Vanesa work their magic.I know, I know… I’m a huge brunch tease. Even though I-Latina is only offering special brunches sporadically once per month, they still are excelling at their dinner menu Tuesdays thru Saturdays. Last week I got to sample their new tasting menu – six delightful courses – with highlights that included a salmon tartare with heart of palm emulsion and plantain chips, tamarind sauced duck with avocado mousse and a goat cheese arepa, Ecuadorian chocolate topped with thick cracks of sea salt and doused with olive oil for pre-dessert, and pisco sour pie for the postre. All paired with Lagarde wines, as always the service and food made for just about a perfect night.

I-Latina
Villa Crespo (exact address upon reservation)
Tel. 4857.9095
Tues – Sat: 8pm – close, Sunday: check for brunch schedule
reservas@ilatinabuenosaires.com
Facebook
Twitter
Average price dinner: AR$380 with wine pairings. Brunch: AR$180

Sometimes I get attacked by a dark hole of self-induced extranjero depression, where just whipping out an old BA guidebook, glancing at an outdated travel article, or deciphering a price crossed out pizzería menu gives me the uncontrollable urge to play the Inflations-A-Bitch pity party game. With restaurant costs catapulting skyward, inflation at a ridiculous high, it’s difficult not to partake in the beloved porteño pastime of price complaining.

Soaring restaurant prices have become a city-wide phenomenon, where it seems like even the seediest bodegón has the huevos a caballo to charge a $10 peso cubierto charge. So how can we look beyond pizza and empanadas, to find winning restaurants where we can stuff our faces without unstuffing our wallets? If you are fond of eating out but don’t have the pesos to support it, look no further: I have searched far (and somewhat wide) to find the best deals Buenos Aires has to offer for less than $50 per person (or about US$5.70 at the dolladollablue).*

Parrilla

Las Cabras 
Fitz Roy 1795, Palermo Hollywood

It’s always insanely busy, the service is kinda-sorta-really abysmal, the dishes can be hit or miss, but despite all the downfalls, Las Cabras still is a great spot for a cheap meal. Order the parrillada para dos, which can feed at least four people (ten if you are a group of Argentine girls), or get the gran bife Las Cabras, which is a big chunk of bife de chorizo, French fries, fried egg, pumpkin puré, grilled vegetables, white rice and provoleta (grilled hunk of cheese). It’s a big ass mother. Order some cheap house wine in a penguino pitcher, a sifón of soda water (and few empanadas if you are wanting a splurge), and you’ll be set for the night.

Don Niceto
Niceto 5255, Palermo

It’s cheap, it’s tasty, it’s a no-frills barrio joint that hasn’t Palermo-tized or extranjero-nated quite yet. Good quality meat - entraña and bife de chorizo - choripan, anchuras, provoleta, it’s a prime go-to spot. Order some cheap wine and violently squirt a few streams of soda water, plop in some ice cubes, and you’ll fit right in. (Photo: LiveIt LoveIt BlogIt)

Club Eros
Uriarte 1609, Palermo Soho

Man do I hate it when those annoying BA expats can’t stop yammering about the good ole days, “back in those days (2008), I remember when a steak was a nickel!” While they kinda deserve a big, juicy chori-slap to the face, hypocrisy aside, Club Eros seriously used to be the ultimate cheapness, just check out this menu. Prices have adjusted as it has citywide, but while this old school boliche soccer club surely won’t be the best meal in Buenos Aires, it’s still a solid, inexpensive spot with a great Argie atmosphere. (Photo: Brando)

El Lomo Feroz
Fitz Roy 1666 & Serrano 1449, Palermo

Oh, those wonderful nights when it was clearly time to be in bed, but yet I find myself waiting in line, stuck in between a rat-tailed pibe wearing a beaded necklace and a deep-V’ed douche named Facundo. But even for food at 5am, El Lomo Feroz is pretty prime late night grub serving massive steak and chicken sandwiches on homemade foccacia bread. Gourmet shit. 

La Gran Hollywood
Bonpland 2205 (esq Guatemala), Palermo HollywoodThere are a lot of places like La Gran Hollywood, it’s the type of parrilla that is always full, and you aren’t quite sure why, but you continue to go and contribute to its capacity. La Gran Hollywood makes for a solid cheap barrio spot, with chivitos that may not rock your world, but it will give it a good tremble.

La Esquina 
Sucre y Miñones, Belgrano

An infamous corner spot that doesn’t really have a name, it is part butcher/part parrilla/part utter awesomeness. Sillydelicious choripans and crazygood mollejas. It gets very crowded, so beware. (Photo: Facebook)

La Doña
Azucena Villaflor y Achaval, Costanera Sur

A break from the same old chori-bondi-paty-pan offering, La Doña mixes it up with a chicken sandwich, served on flatbread with that perfect char right off the griddle and topped with an assortment of untraditional fixings like eggplant escabeche and chili peppers. It’s greasy, it’s cheesy, it’s oily but ohsogood. One sandwich can easily feed 2.5 people.

Mobile Parrillas – Street Food Central
San Telmo, Bosques de Palermo, Costanera

I’m a huge proponent of the mobile choripan carritos: lomo sandwiches, bondiolas and my beloved choripans, my favorite spots in the city to get frisky with some dirty street food sausages are on the Costanera Sur (Mi Sueño & Alameda Sur), El Rey de Chori & Nuestra Parrilla in San Telmo and Puestito del Tito in the Bosques de Palermo.

Peruvian Food

La Primavera Trujillana
Franklin D. Roosevelt 1627, BelgranoPrimavera Trujillana has been my longtime front runner as a favorite Peruvian restaurant in Buenos Aires. This spot has affordable food, fresh high quality products and a passion fruit pisco sour that could school any of the expensive cocktail bars. The lunch menu ranges from 28 – 35 pesos, and includes my favorite guiso, with quinoa and goat cheese.

Chan Chan
Hipólito Yrigoyen 1390, Congreso

This has been one of the favorite Peruvian restaurants since I remember eating Peruvian food. It has an odd decor and the tables are very close together, but the ceviche is always fresh, shrimp in coconut milk always spot on and service friendly. It’s remarkable the prices haven’t changed that drastically in all these years. Oh, and their advertisements are incredible bad ass.

Contigo Peru
Echeverría 1627, BelgranoIt’s hard to beat a 35 peso lunch special that includes main dish, dessert and drink. Contigo Peru spices it up with their ají de gallina, ceviche and other daily specials like lomo salteado and grilled fish with rice.

La Rica Vicky
Ecuador 467, Abasto

Before I knew anything about the BA food scene, I was a silly study abroad girl living in Almagro and La Rica Vicky was my go-to cheap lunch spot. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I rediscovered this Peruvian wonderland, shimmering with beautifully braised seco de carne and a lunch special that still doesn’t top 25 pesos. Other good, cheap Peruvian spots in Abasto: Mamani (Agüero 707), Los Trujillantos (Av. Corrientes 3564). (Photo: TKGO)

El Peruanito Ray
Fitz Roy 2299, Palermo Hollywood

I’m all about the Peruvian sandwiches. Pollo parrillero or Crispy Chicken, with the mandioca fries and extra sauces (mayonesa apio, picante rocoto y casera) is what it’s all about. If I’m ordering delivery, I tend to do a BAdelivery remix, with the unassemble  crisp it up on a cast iron and reassemble again for the ultimate fat girls bite. Yes, I am THAT crazy, and I’m (kinda) not afraid to admit it. Sandwich + guarnición = 38 pesos.

Carlitos
Anchorena 635 / Av. Corrientes 3070, AbastoA good ole’ fashioned pollería, who needs KFC when you have massive portions of Peruvian chicken paired with gasoline juiced Inca Kola? The arequipeña are great for an appetizer while the weekday lunch special includes soup, main and a drink. (Photo: Guia Oleo)

The Glorified Kiosco – Fast(er) Food

La Cresta
Bulnes 829, Almagro

Fast food to go, La Cresta made a killing in 2012 becoming Almagro’s pride and joy in tiny fast food form. Known for their rotisserie chicken, La Cresta’s wraps, salads, dips, sauces, burgers and pretty much everything they serve makes for a winning combination. It’s the type of place you’d travel to from afar even though you’d have to eat it on the curb. The wraps are in the 30 peso range while the 1/4 chicken + salad combo is 40 pesos. Every night they offer dinner specials, with portions that are big enough for two people.

Latino Sandwich
Tacuarí 185, Centro

One of my favorite lunch spots in the city, Latino Sandwich knows what’s up when it comes to sticking something good in between two pieces of bread. That’s what she said (it will never get old). Martin Pons is in the kitchen mastering the art of the sandwich, making up inventive combinations while also putting a modern spin on traditional classics. The platos del día change daily but are always good, think ceviche, hamburgers, fried rice, meatballs, soup, braised beef with mashed potatoes, you get the point – BALLIN’. Nothing on the menu will rarely top 30 pesos and everything will be utterly scrumptious.

Marfa
Santa Fe 5299, Palermo Hollywood

I think that I haven’t moved from Palermo Hollywood because I don’t want to lose out on Marfa delivery. Wraps, sandwiches and veggie burgers are all in the 30 peso range. My usual order (to share between 2): Teriyaki chicken wrap + broccoli, red pepper veggie burger + soup of the day. Happy Fork.

Akbar 72
Azcuénaga 1150, Recoleta
Owned by a family from Bangladesh, this tiny take out spot serves both the Indian persuasion along with Argie favorites. A combo of naan, samosa, chicken curry and basmati rice won’t set you over 45 pesos.

El Banco Rojo
Bolivar 914, San Telmo

Every time I’m in San Telmo (which comes out to a handful of times per year), I have to stop by and get me some Banco Rojo, even if it’s just a lamb empanada to go. The lamb doner kebab is a must order, while really everything on the menu is worth a try. Wraps and sandwiches are in the mid 30 peso range but they also offer a happy hour Monday – Friday from 5pm – 8pm with cheapcheap beers (2 Quilmes for 15 pesos), and food to picar for 20 pesos. The food at La Puerta Roja (Chacabuco 733, San Telmo) the bar run by the same owners, is also cheaply legit – known for their 30 peso (?) curry + pint of beer night on Mondays.

Suckewer
Reconquista 886, CentroReconquista, the pedestrian street downtown, is like a mini food mecca filled with lunchtime quick eats. Suckewer is pretty awesome, making tasty sandwiches and wonderful daily specials. There are a few tables outside to sit, but they mostly do take-away.

Brocos Deli
Carranza 1505, Palermo Hollywood

Wraps, salads, sandwiches, if you live or work in Palermo Hollywood, you should be a regular customer at Brocos Deli. I’m a big lover of their bagel, cream cheese and smoked salmon sandwich — and at only 32 pesos it’s definitely a contender for best in BA. They sell my favorite muffs in town too, made by the muffin man himself Kelin Cakes, and the owner Josefina even makes her own spicy sweet chili sauce that I’d like to buy in bulk.

Fitz Roll
Fitz Roy 1841, Palermo HollywoodFitz Roll offers massive wraps the size of your arm for 24 pesos where you can opt for chicken, beef or vegetarian and load your wrap with the toppings of your choice. Make sure to plan accordingly, the line gets long around 1pm, and they tend to run out of food at 3pm.

Baking BA
Suipacha 747

I fell in love with Baking from the moment I walked in and smelled the sweet Tollhouse recipe chocolate chip cookies in the air. They offer one of the best versions I’ve had of Caesar salad (36 pesos), with dressing that is a far wail from mayonesa and mayonesa sauce that’s normally drenched atop leafy greens. The wraps, sandwiches, ‘toasties’, low cal desserts and homemade yogurts are also bomb.

Patatas Bravas
Suipacha 714
When I worked on Suipacha and Viamonte I’d go to Patatas Bravas every single day. Massive tartas, awesome tabbouleh and great grilled calabaza was my go to order for just 11 pesos. I’m sure the price has gone up since then, but they still make a healthy, affordable, Argentine lunch that’s just a few notches better that what the others are offering. You can find their daily menu here.

Middle Eastern

Sarkis
Thames 1101, Villa Crespo

Very popular Middle Eastern / Armenian restaurant that is a favorite for the Armenian community, locals, families and tourists. If you like food, and are in Buenos Aires for a good amount of time, hitting up Sarkis is kinda obligatory. Order the Belén salad (eggplant, roasted red pepper, almond, golden raisin mix), Lamb or beef kafta complete (shlong in yogurt sauce), chicken kebab, tabbouleh, babaganoush, and stuffed grape leaves. Don’t order: Falafel or hummus, unless you like peanut buttered-garbanzos.

Parrilla Al-Zein
Arce 488, Las Cañitas

It’s a greasy hole-in-the-wall that serves a damn good shawarma, falafel, babaganoush, pita bread and lovely creamy yogurt sauce. I always order delivery, but you can also head to Las Cañitas and watch the masters carve your shaved meaty morsels in person. Some would say that Al is working on constructing a shawarma-fataier-sfija empire to take over the world one fried falafel ball at a time. (Photo: Guía Oleo)

Falafel One
Araoz 587, Villa Crespo

Arguably one of the best falafel spots in the city, this tiny comida arabe kiosco-sized spot serves a mean falafel, shawarma, tabbouleh, yogurt sauce and all the fresh vegetable fixings at extremely accessible prices. The owner is from Syria, and knows a thing or two about Middle Eastern cooking. Prices are in the 20 and 30 peso range.

Medio Oriente
Cabrera y Malabia, Palermo Soho
The small Middle Eastern bakery on the corner of Cabrera and Malabia fills up on Fridays and Saturdays where their devout following flocks for a taste of their mouth o-facing shawarma (28 pesos). There’s no seating, so the crowd congregates on the sidewalk greasing up their shirts and shoes after every shawarma-y bite. They also make banging hummus, baba ganoush, bright red stuff that’s good but I don’t remember the name, and thick yogurt that’s also for sale in to-go containers.

El Gourmet de Medio Oriente
Mercado de Juramento, Belgrano

This is the best shawarma I’ve had outside of Middle East. Right inside the Juramento market, this small bakery mostly serves food to go, but they do have a sit down area.

Asian Cuisine

Shan Dong Restaurant
Vera 683, Villa Crespo

Some people claim that they reuse the soy sauce, and while I can’t personally attest to that, I can say that Shan Dong makes a great massive dumpling platter, shrimp fried noodles, chicken wings and tofu with cabbage — all under 35 pesos per dish.

Green Curry
Tucuman 271, CentroBelly warming spicy curries, salads, wraps, nothing on the menu at Green Curry tops 40 pesos. The ingredients are super fresh and have a good amount of heat — I’m still making my way through all the curries, and so far I haven’t been let down.

Asia Oriental Food Counter
Mendoza 1661, Barrio Chino

One of my favorite spots in the city for Chinese, who doesn’t love stuffing face while getting major whiffs of pungent fishy odors. Prices are super affordable, where you can be quite full (and happy) after spending 30 pesos on dumpling soup and peanut sesame noodles. Work your way through the menu and you’ll be happily surprised with the overall freshness.

*Gengis’ House
Riobamba 1179, RecoletaIf Gengis’ House was in my barrio, I’d probably go there at least once per week. It’s a do-it-yourself stir fry with fresh ingredients, big portions and super healthy, all for just 39 pesos50 pesos. Ideal for both meat eaters and vegetarians who are looking to change it up with a plate of healthy rice or noodle stir fry. *Update: another one bites the inflations-a-bitch dust.

Chifa Man-San 
Peru 832, San Telmo

This Chinese-Peruvian fusioned spot is a San Telmo joy for big massive plates of greasy Chinese food, Peruvian specialties and all around cheap prices. Portions are huge, sizes that can easily feed two hungry people yet they still maintain a 30 peso price range.  (Photo: Wander-Argentina)

Sushi Colors
Delivery to Capital Federal

In the cheap world of sushi delivery, I’ve tried my fair share of really terrible sushi spots. But in the search, I came across the colorful Sushi Colors that has yet to fail or disappoint. Order the Pink combo, 10 pieces of salmon rolls-sashimi-niguiri, for 45 pesos, and you can request for none of dat queso crema nonsense. If you order early (7pm-8pm) Tues – Thurs, you get a 15% discount on your order.

The Vegetarian Chinese Tenedor Libres

The tenedor libre (all you can eat buffets) of the Chinese persuasion can be good, cheap bang for your buck options (especially for lunch). Los Sabios (Corrientes 3733, Almagro) and Spring (Guatemala 4452, Palermo Soho) are my two winners when in the mood for a veggie fest where I pretend to be healthy, but really just eat everything out of the fried section of the buffet. There are also those Chinese food buffets para llevar, where you weigh the food, and can leave with a massive portion that will cost less than 20 pesos. But while most of them look good for a hot minute, after a few greasy bites, they may make you insanely regret the recent consumption. Stick with these vegetarian spots and you (probably) won’t feel disgustingly naush after you finish eating: Wok Garden (Reconquista 286, Centro), Rotisería Vegetariana Tucuman (Tucumán 719, Centro) y Virtudes de la tierra (Bonpland 1616, Palermo Hollywood).

Other good cheap shit

Cumaná
Rodriguez Peña 1149, RecoletaFrom the same owners of Las Cabras (and Las Cholas), this tiny Recoleta spot fills up quite quick and has lines out the door of locals and tourists alike. The food is solid, offering a mix of regional Argentine cuisine, sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Order a mix of empanadas and a main dish of locro, lentils or a cazuela, and your final bill will stay under 50 pesos.

Caribe Riqueño
Montañeses 2108, Barrio ChinoThis lovely Barrio Chino spot might just look like any other rinconcito you’d easily walk by without a notice, but this one serves up authentic and stomach-smiling Cuban and Puerto Rican greatness. Think Cuban sandwiches, carnitas, tostones, ropa vieja, beans, rice and all that good stuff. The owners are super friendly and even speak perfect English.

Burger Joint  
Borges 1766, Palermo Soho

Finally a bomb ass burger joint has graced its juicy, meaty presence in Palermo Soho. A hamburger haven that with very accessible prices, Burger Joint is serving up killer burgers and fries, offering some untraditional combos like the Jamaican – a homemade patty with grilled pineapple, panceta, cheddar, pickles, tomato and a whole lotta love grease. (Photo: Burger Joint)

El Nono Amigo
Guatemala 5800, Palermo HollywoodI don’t want to move away from Palermo Hollywood because that would mean I’d leave El Nono Amigo. They serve great untraditional empanadas (eggplant, artichoke, corn) and even make killer sandwiches that are all in the 30 peso range. Plus, the picadas are kinda the hotness.

Gambrinus
Federico Lacroze, Av. 3779, Chacarita
It’s a classic barrio bodegón that serves traditional German food like sausages, sauerkraut, and all that good stuff. But what truly is the best deal is there milanesa napolitana and fries, where a massive portion is enough for two people to share. (Photo: Guia Oleo)

La sartén por el mango
Gascón 1417, Palermo

The ambiance is nothing special, but this is one of the only spots in the city left where you leave with a super full stomach and not spend all yo’ pesos. Most all of the dishes are in the 30-45 peso range and include an Argentine spin with plates like cuadril sandwiches and grilled salmon with puré. Mediodía they offer a great lunch promo. (Photo: La Nacion)

La Esperanza de los Ascurra 
Aguirre 526, Villa Crespo

La Esperanza is just an all around cool place. Vermouth bar with great drinks, delicious Spanish tapas, good music, friendly service, funky arty atmosphere — what more can you ask for? It’s ideal to go with a big group and order a bunch of plates to share, where you can choose between single portions, half portions and full (check out the menu here). It’s especially affordable during happy hour (6.30pm – 8pm) where their already cheap tirada beers are 2×1.

Don Ignacio
Rivadavia, Av. 3439, Almagro

Don Ignacio is an Almagro favorite, where many locals claim they have the best milanesas in the whole city. It has a fun, rustic bodegón decor where the walls are covered with music memorabilia. They also serve parrilla, pastas and other porteña cuisine classics with huge portions and affordable prices. (Photo: Proyecto Napola Tour)

Cusic
El Salvador 6016, Palermo HollywoodCharming Palermo café by day, every Thursday night Cusic takes out the candles and makes a special dinner with a weekly rotating menu. There’s no price for the meal, it’s a la gorra, or pay what you think the meal is worth. Dinners have ranged from homemade hamburgers and pizza, ribs, Paraguayan cuisine, Italian food, Indian food, the list goes on.

Deli House
Juan Ramirez Velasco 1153, Villa Crespo

Hidden tucked away on the no-man’s land side of Villa Crespo, Deli House is a quaint little wifi haven with great, affordable lunch options, pastries, and sweets. They offer a lunch special for just 30 pesos (including drink), a wide range of sandwiches, salads, meriendas and breakfasts all in the low-mid 30 peso range. They even serve a very large brunch on Saturdays for under 50 pesos. (Photo: Deli House)

Full City Coffee House 
Jorge Newberry 3663, Chacarita
The Colombian coffee wonderland not only serves some of the best (and most affordable) coffee in the city, but they know what’s up in the kitchen and have very buena onda service to match. They offer daily lunch specials, salads, sandwiches, a good burger and Colombian food like arepas and patacones. If you are lucky to come in on a Saturday, Allan (one of the owners) might be preparing a special English breakfast or traditional fish n’ chips.

90grados Resto Bar
Delgado 1208, Colegiales

A resto bar on the corner of Delgado and Virrey Arredondo, there’s nothing special about the decor, service can be slow and the menu is a bit all over the place offering breakfast, lunch, pastas and beef, but they do make a nice ‘lil brunch on the weekends. For just 50 pesos, you can get a huuuge plate of scrambled eggs or eggs Benedict with bacon, yogurt with granola or a fruit plate, medialunas and unlimited coffee. It’s enough to easily feed two people.

Oui Oui
Nicaragua 6099, Palermo Hollywood

A longtime Palermo brunch favorite, Oui Oui still offers pretty solid breakfast specials including my personal favorite, the Tony: eggs benedict, potatoes and coffee or tea for 42 pesos. Just don’t go on a weekend.

Nac & Pop

Nac & Pop has frozen their prices on eggs for all of 2013, need I say more?

Food Happy Hours

My favorite kinda happy hour is a food happy hour, says the fat girl. Roll your eyes at the thought of going to Benihana (Arenales 3310, Alto Palermo) but they make great sushi (for local standards) and offer a wonderful drink and food happy hour everyday from 4pm – 8pm. Kansas (Libertador 4625, Las Cañitas) is another longstanding classic, their drink list remains to be a good bargain, and even if you are anti-Kansas, you can’t fault them for making a consistently good portion of potato wedges, chicken tenders, French fries and honey mustard sauce. Infamous tourist breeding La Cabrera parrilla offers a daily happy hour from 7pm – 8pm, where they give you 50% off on your entire menu. Just make sure to eat quick. Oui Oui also offers a different kinda discount, when all of their baked goods shoot down to 50% off, one hour before closing time on weekdays (8pm – 9pm). Or you can head to Le Ble for a 2×1 discount on their whole selection of bakery goods, like beautiful massive bread loaves for just 15 pesos (7pm – 8pm weekdays).

Let’s talk discounts for a hot minute – Guía Óleo offers a pretty awesome discount club where all you really have to do is print out the coupon and you get anywhere from 20-50% off at a good selection of solid restaurants. Sign up for Club La Nacion,
and you’ll have a shitload of restaurant/café/bar/delivery discounts available too.

If you have any awesome cheap Buenos Aires restaurant finds, don’t be stingy and share the food knowledge!

*Disclaimer: You may notice that prices in Buenos Aires change awfully quick, so by the time you read this (post March 21, 2013) it’s probably already out of date.

Original article can be found in the Argentina Independent’s October 2012 Print Edition.

It’s time we all toss aside ground beef empanada filling “spring rolls” with fluorescent pink sweet and sour sweet sauce, say chau-chau to chaw fan, put down the fork, pick up some chopsticks, and tuck into a more authentic world of Chinese cuisine. Here are the top 8 picks for the best Chinese restaurants in Buenos Aires.

El primo de esta nota acá en mi blog de Guia Oleo (castellano)

HONG KONG STYLE – Montañeses 2149, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

Hong Kong Style is by far the best Chinese restaurant in all of Barrio Chino. Chef Lui Cheuk Hung and his wife Lily preside over the restaurant serving the coveted Dim Sum (one of the only spots in BA) and other Cantonese food favorites. It’s important to go big for a complete HKStyle experience: large group, Sunday brunch, sit at a round table and patiently wait for the food to slowly creep out of the kitchen. Service may be slow as all the food is made to order, but you will leave with a happy Chinese-full belly.

What should you order?

Order one of everything off the short Dim Sum menu, like shrimp dumplings served in bamboo steamer, spareribs, and pork shumai. The sopa agripicante never fails as a soupy starter, nor does the Kung Pao chicken, roasted pork with pineapple, whole fish in oyster sauce, and salt and pepper fried shrimp. MAKE SURE TO ORDER THE SALT N PEPPA FRIED SHRIMP. If you see a large table of Chinese men in business suits, order what they are having.

SHI YUAN - Tagle 2531, Recoleta

Why is it awesome?

Shi Yuan is everything you want in a janky Chinese neighborhood joint: Koi fish pond without any Koi fish swimming around, massive portions of food with a twinkling sheen of grease coating, and toothless waiters who bark in a Spanish-Mandarin dialect. Unlike many who undergo physical stomach distress when leaving a Chinese restaurant after an MSG numbness, I welcomed it with open Xanax tranquilized popping delight.

Another reason Shi Yuan is totally awesome in just five words? SILVER FUNGUS IN LUNAR PALACE. (Which belongs on one of my favorite websites, Engrish menu)

What should you order?

Skip the fungus palace and go for the Peking roasted duck (you need to order in advance), and green onion pancake. Seafood dishes are always fresh and delicious, as is the sautéed green beans and pork gyoza. Once I had a waiter who accidentally dropped off a menu in Chinese, so I know a whole other bizarro world menu existed. And proceeded to find someone who spoke Chinese to translate the menu for me. #DoAnything4DIMSUM.

SHAN DONG RESTAURANT - Vera 468, Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

It’s a spot for a select few in the know; for those who don’t mind getting dirty with a grubby hole in the wall. A restaurant must be pretty bomb when the majority of the tables are occupied by actual Chinese people, so that gives me reason enough I’m making a good restaurant choice. It’s not the type of spot to go for the trendy ambiance, since it’s located in basically a big room with round tables, greasy walls, and extremely minimal decor, but there’s something about cheap Chinese food and mean faced mozas that just makes the food taste better.

What should you order?

This spot is all about the bountiful endless pillows of dumplings, pan-fried or steamed (order the fried, always fried). The fried chicken wings will bring some tang to your life, as will the shrimp pan-fried noodles, sweet and sour/kung pao pork, and tofu with pickled cabbage. Warning: Some have claimed they reuse their soy sauce and rice, but as a proud member of the five-seconds rule club, I frankly don’t see the difference between sharing double dipped sauces and tomar-ing a mate with an unhygienic friend.

ASIA ORIENTAL - Mendoza 1661, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

I cannot-not go to Barrio Chino without stepping up to this food counter snack bar in Asian Oriental supermarket. It’s easy to ignore the pungent permeating fish smells from the pescadería after dunking face into cheap, big portions of fresh Chinese food to order.

What should you order?

Probably the freshest food possible, all the ingredients are the same that come daily to the supermarket. Order the dumpling soup and peanut sesame noodles (neither top 20 pesos), stir fried vegetables or wide rice noodles with pork or shrimp. Grab some spicy sauce and go to town. Warning: many recommend the iced zapallo tea but don’t do it unless you want luke warm sweet cavity water.

BAI FU – Scalabrini Ortiz 152, Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

Make sure to skip the Argentinized Spanish menu at this Cantonese hole in the wall and ask for the real deal, even if it’s written in Chinese and you don’t understand anything. The space won’t win any design awards, but go for a casual meal or order take away.

What should you order?

Duck.duck.more crispy duck. If you like your chicken spicy, order the Kung Pao chicken. Or your pork crispy and sweet, get the cerdo agridulce.  Steamed buns, fried eggplant and ma po tofu are also the tops as are the homemade egg noodles sautéed with plump shrimp beauties. Fun fact: Once some friends dined a duck feast, and afterwards they walked out onto Scalabrini Ortiz to find 3 duck heads perched on a pole in the street in front of the restaurant. Good luck?

RESTAURANTE CASERITA (aka Original aka 家常菜饭店) – Bravard 1170, Parque Centenario / Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

Another hidden Chinese gem on the outskirts of Villa Crespo, the harsh fluorescent lights shine brightly down on local Chinese families tucking into massive plates and deep bowls. Mozos may not speak Spanish, but just closely watch what is being brought out of the kitchen and order the same, even if you don’t quite know what it is.

What should you order?

Asian community friends rave about their soup dumplings and cold duck smothered in a sweet sauce. On a cold day, the clam soup will warm the soul, as will the light and fresh vegetable stir fry, whole steamed fish, and mu shu pork. It’s also one of the only restaurants to serve the ever-addictive steamed buns, xiao long bao. If you go on a good day, the kitchen may be serving their crab specialty. (Photo: Frances, The Lost Asian)

Beware: Word on the street is that Caserita is closing at the end of February 2014. 

COMIDA TRADICIONAL CHINA - Arribeños 2122, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

Any gritty hole in the pared displaying ducks and chicken feet in the window needs no explanation for its pure awesomeness.

What should you order?

Look around the tiny space and you’ll see Barrio Chino locals head first in a bowl of soup. The duck isn’t on the menu, but you can order by the weight. Same with the chicken feet. And pig ears.

BEIJING RESTAURANTE - El Salvador 5702, Palermo Hollywood

Why is it awesome?

It’s the sister restaurant of Shi Yuan, chef Li Xin Ying opened up this upscale version in Palermo Hollywood earlier this year. Walk in and you’re greeted with a large fish tank, big round tables banquette tables and grand wooden chairs. A finer dining version (with the prices to match) from your standard Chinese barrio joint, go for lunch and order the executive menu or with a large group and order a special fixed feast menu.

What should you order?

Stand out dishes include green onion pancake, sautéed Chinese vegetables, pork belly in spicy sauce, Peking duck (order in advance), fried eggplant, and HOT POT aka Chinese style fondue. To drink? Green tea with the meal. And of course this wouldn’t be a true Chinese food post if I didn’t give a mega SHOUT OUT to the one and only Frances Ren Huang aka The Lost Asian of Buenos Aires who may no longer be lost in Argentina, but her food eating, food cooking and food photo taking presence is heavily missed.

Wild Card: I’ve heard positive things about Jing Cheng (Medrano 472, Almagro), a banquet-like hall rumored to be frequented by Chinese mafiosos (?), but have yet to verify the actual deliciousness. 

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Before you embark on your Chinese restaurant Buenos Aires food hop, it’s crucial to first keep in mind some very important Chinese food tips: 

- If you walk in and only see Argie families with forks, run away. You want authenticity, ie loud Chinese families with their heads buried in a bowl of noodle soup.

- Always ask for the non-Argentine “other” menu. Most restaurants have two menus (even if they claim otherwise), you want the one they don’t drop off at the table, even if it’s only written in Mandarin and you don’t understand a word. Find a token Chinese speaking friend to bring along as a valued dining companion, or make nice with the unfriendly waiter.

- Go with adventurous eaters. The best part about Chinese food dining is ordering a bunch of different plates to plop in the middle of the table, passing and sharing the entire meal. It’s no one’s fault but your own if you invite a bad sharer or bad eater. You’ll always lose inviting a vegetarian along, or a picky I-only-eat-fried-rice eater, or THOSE people who go out to eat together and each order the same dish as the other (WHAT HOLE DID YOU PEOPLE CRAWL OUT OF?!!?!).

- Expand your culinary horizons by being a creepy eater. Keep your eyes awkwardly peeled on the other diners and what’s coming out of the kitchen. Order what looks good from plain sight even if you have no damn clue what it is. Nothing you’ll find in Chinese restaurants is anymore revolting than morcilla or what your grandmother puts in her puchero.

- Steer clear of dessert. You’ve never heard anyone rave about a dessert they’ve eaten at a Chinese restaurant. Why? Chinese restaurant postres rarely satisfy. General rule of thumb: Don’t waste your calories. Unless it’s a Melona (Korean) or mochi ice cream (Japanese).