These are all of the Buenos Aires on CarriesClassics.com
May 14, 2008
Soberia 22 restaurant review
Soberia 22
Corner Guatemala and Luis Rey
Subte: Palermo
Price: US $10-15
Reservations: recommended
Major credit cards accepted
Rating: 3.5
A full disclosure notice: when we went to Soberia 22, it was during the strike Argentina was dealing with. This means that there was no meat in the city. We didn't fully understand this, however. So, those who ordered meat were a little disappointed. We learned later that the meat was probably frozen from a previous attempt to avoid closing during the strike.
We were less than thrilled with the meat that we were served. Again, this is more than likely due to the lack of meat in all of Argentina, and especially Buenos Aires at the time. The grilled vegetables were excellent however.
Soberia 22 was full of people every time we walked by. So, we're sure that the food there is good. We just happened to visit it on one of the days during the strike.
If you have eaten at Soberia 22, we'd love to hear your thoughts and see your review.
A'Manger
Charcas 4001
at Malabia
Reservations: not necessary
Subte: Scallabrini Ortiz
Price: US $ 5-8
Rating: 4
A'Manger is a fun little cafe where everything is homemade - including the cheese and meats. There is a wide selection of sandwiches (close to 40), and you also get your choice of four different kinds of bread. There are main dishes, plently of appetizers, and tasty desserts as well.
When you walk into A'Manger, you first see their market where they sell their homemade cheeses, meats, breads, olives, etc. There are a few tables in the adjoining room.
The food at A'Manger is great. Everything we tried we loved. In fact, we liked it so much, we went back there three times. Be sure to try the apple and onion chutney. It's fantastic.
A'Manger also offers catering. Keep that in mind for your next party.
Uru Recoleta
Vicente Lopez 2132
Across the street from the Recoleta Cemetary
(5411) 4804-9844 www.us-cueros.com.ar
If you are looking to bring home a souvenir of your time in Argentina, a leather jacket is a must. At Uru Recoleta you can choose from over 200 styles and over 30 colors and types of leathers. But that's not even the best part about Uru Recoleta. Uru will custom make your jacket to your measurements. Normal service for a custom made jacket is 24 hours, but if you're in a rush, they can do it in as little as 5 hours. And with prices starting at US $100, it's difficult to find something better.
When you arrive at Uru, you are greeted by one of the customer service representatives. Odds are, there will be at least one who speaks English as well. Then he or she will ask you what type of jacket you're looking for. You can get everything from fir, fir lined, suede, or leather. They offer so many styles that it will take you a long time to browse through them if you go in without an idea of what you're looking for.
I knew exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a ¾ length nice leather jacket. I was shown the 4 styles they offer in that length, tried them on to see which I liked best. When the one I wanted had a back detail I didn't really care for, I asked if that could be changed. I was told that it would be no problem to make that change.
Once I had made my decision for type of jacket, they took my measurements. Next, they asked what changes I would like (both in style and in fit). Then I got to choose my leather. They offer calf, antelope, and lamb leather, all of which are a completely different look and feel.
The next day I went back to pick up my jacket. It fit perfectly. It was exactly what I wanted. And for about US $200, I am bringing home a custom made leather jacket.
Uru makes more than just leather jackets as well. You can get leather anything...purse, wallet, pants, skirt, vest, shoes, scarf, belt, and more. So whatever leather (or fur) your heart desires, it can be found at Uru Recoleta.
Armenia corner Cabrera
Rating: 4
Entree price from: US$ 2-8
All major credit cards accepted
Wi-Fi access
Reservations: not necessary
Satriano is a great little neighborhood café on the corner of Armenia and Cabrera in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Satriano offers a large selection of sandwiches, pizza, beer, and coffees. The staff is friendly. The service is also relatively quick (for Argentina). The atmosphere is nothing special, but there's fun music playing in the background, and the tables are at a nice distance from each other.
Satriano is the first place we've seen that actually uses fresh mushrooms (rather than canned), and they offer more than one vegetarian option, so that's a big plus. Satriano makes a great stop for a light afternoon snack, morning coffee, or even a nightcap on your way home.
Go visit Satriano if you're in the area. You're sure to find something you'll like.
Sullivan's is an Irish Pub (yes, there really is at least one in every country of the world) located near Plaza Serrano. We went there one day because we were really hungry, and we had seen pictures of Sullivan's everywhere. So, we thought we'd give it a try.
Big mistake.
There's nothing exceptional about most Irish pubs (that are outside Ireland), but there was something exceptional about Sullivan's - how bad the food was. I don't usually like to give places a really bad review, because it's possible that what I had was just a little bit "off" that day. But, I don't really think that everything was just "off". I ordered the meat free salad, and it still came with lots of chicken (that had been frozen, and wasn't even good chicken).
I guess, go to Sullivan's if you adore Irish pubs and you have to try one in every city you visit. But if you're just looking for a quick lunch and beer, I'd head somewhere else where the food is better, especially in Palermo in Buenos Aires. Don't waste your time with places that just aren't tasty.
Sullivan's would probably be a good place to spend St. Patrick's Day. Go there for that, but otherwise, don't waste your tastebuds.
Gurruchaga 1493
Corner Gorriti
(multiple locations)
4511-4444 www.romario.com.ar
Large pizza price: US$ 10-15
All major credit cards accepted
Reservations: not necessary, but the place does fill up
Rating: 3
Romario is a fun pizza place that offers diners a choice between 40 different kinds of pizza (most of which are only 1-3 toppings), and one choice of beer (but you can choose between three different sizes). The pizza (and calzones and empanadas which they also offer) are all cooked in a brick oven. The pizza is great! One large pizza is definitely enough for two people to share.
Romario is very bright. I mean that literally. Everything is orange (both inside and out). The atmosphere is a little bit loud, the music is very loud, and the staff is fun and boisterous.
I rate Romario a 3 because it was a bit loud for my liking. The food is good, but it isn't the best pizza I've ever had. Romario does have several locations, and odds are you'll run into at least one of them during your time in Buenos Aires. So, if you do, stop in and grab a pizza and a beer.
Gorriti 5092
At Thames
Phone: 4833-7832
www.restaurantrave.com.ar
Credit cards: accepted
Reservations: recommended
Price: US $8-15
Rating: 4
Two important tips when visiting Rave restaurant in Buenos Aires:
1. There is a minimum of 20 pesos per person (so you must order at least 60 pesos worth of food / drink if there are three people going).
2. If you so desire it, you can have dinner in bed. They have a bed set up in the restaurant with privacy curtains where you can take your dinner.
Rave has a super fun atmosphere. All the lighting is red and subdued. The lights that hang from the ceiling are covered in red paper, and the candles on the tables are red oil candles.
The menu at Rave offers several options for everything from: chicken, beef, pork, fish, pasta, and vegetarian. Three of us went to Rave: one person ordered chicken, and two of us ordered pasta. Everything was amazing. The pumpkin ravioli (pumpkin and mozzarella filling inside spinach pasta, and covered in pesto) was amazing.
But, the best part of the meal was dessert. Be sure to save room for the tiramisu! Definitely visit Rave for a meal, but if for some reason you can't make it for a whole meal definitely go out of your way for their dessert!
Honduras 4999
At Serrano
Phone: 48310743
www.malasartes.com.ar
Reservations: not necessary
Price: US $3 -10
Transportation: Plaza Italia
Credit cards NOT accepted
Rating: 4
Malasartes is a fun find in the middle of Plaza Serrano. We went on a busy Sunday afternoon during the bazaar. The cafe / restaurant was packed (as was everything else around).
At Malasartes you'll find everything from great sandwiches (Argentina style) to full plates of food, and even tapas. But one of the best things you'll taste at Malasartes is the frutilla (strawberry) liquado. A liquado is similar to a smoothie, but it's made with water instead of milk, and no sugar is added.
The atmosphere at Malasartes is fun as well. The inside is almost all exposed brick, and there are a few different levels of seating. One level has couches and recliners for you to relax in while sipping a drink or munching on a sandwich. The tables are very close together though due to the large number of people who flock to Plaza Serrano both for its nightlife and its Sunday bazaars.
When you visit Malasartes, be sure to order the frutilla liquado; your taste buds will thank you for it.
Bar Uriarte gets rave reviews in the Lonely Planet guide for Argentina (hence the reason that we went). We had a great time at Bar Uriarte, and we happened to hit happy hour (from 8.30 - 10.30 pm) where you can get 2 martinis for US $10.
The atmosphere at Bar Uriarte is very posh, but still fun. There are two dining rooms (one with couches where you can sit and eat, one that is a regular type seating), as well as a beautiful outdoor courtyard lined with trees and vines, and a large fireplace. Definitely sit outside if there's a table open. And, there's also a separate kids' table outside if you brought the kiddos along, but don't want they to sit with you all through dinner.
Our meals were all good. Try the pork ribs - they're excellent. Vegetarian options are limited so be aware of that. Bar Uriate does get bonus points for their atmosphere and desserts. Try the molten chocolate cake; it's fantastic!
Sudestada (located in Palermo) is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in all of Buenos Aires. However, I don't really know why. Maybe we went in expecting too much. We had tried to get in to Sudestada without reservations twice. We were not successful either time. But, when we finally made it to Sudestada, we were disappointed.
Sudestada boasts a fusion of Thai and Vietnamese food. Their food was ok, but it wasn't outstanding. There was only one vegetarian option on the menu - the vegetable wok stir fry. It was good, but it had no spice at all (even though the menu said it was of "medium spice"). Also the grilled chicken with tropical fruits was not quite as expected. It was served in a hollowed out pineapple (so it earned major points for presentation), but it lacked flavor. Also, the only tropical fruit it had was pineapple. And to add a tiny twinge of disappointment, not only was there no Thai iced tea on the menu, but the server didn't even know what it was.
The atmosphere in Sudestada is what I imagine a diner in the 1960s to look like. It left much to be desired. We won't be returning to Sudestada. Even though we love Thai food, and we haven't run across any other Thai restaurants in Buenos Aires, we'll refrain from Sudestada. With so many amazing restaurants in Buenos Aires, why return to one that was only mediocre?
Viejo Agump is an Armenian restaurant in the heart of Palermo Viejo. It is a really fun place that is quiet and "happening" at the same time. The walls are decorated with Armenian art and books, and the little cutouts in the wall are filled with fun finds from Armenia as well. At night, this restaurant turns into a bit of a club with a small dance floor and a bar, but they still serve their great food.
We visited Viejo Agump for lunch one day. We ordered the small sampler platter and suplimented it with an order of falafel. We had several plates of Armenian goodness served to us. All of it was excellent. But best of all, was the fresh home-made pita bread. Fantastic.
If you like middle-eastern cuisine, then make a trip to Viejo Agump in Palermo Viejo. Order some extra grilled eggplant for me.
www.cafetortoni.com.ar
all major credit cards accepted
Reservations: necessary for shows
Rating: 3
Cafe Tortoni is the most famous cafe in all of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and as such it has a huge draw of tourists. Cafe Tortoni is fully aware of this. I do recommend going, but go for a cup of bad coffee rather than going to see the shows and eat bad food.
I'm very happy to have experienced Cafe Tortoni while we're here. I was fortunate enough to go twice.
The Cafe Tortoni offers two shows nightly, one at 9pm and one at 11pm. The shows vary depending on time and day of the week. Check the website for details. We went one night to the Retango show, and had dinner before the show. The Retango show was more of a survey of music with a few musicians and a singer, and they threw a couple of tango dances into the mix every 3 or 4 songs. The cost of the show was 50 Pesos per person, and that did not include dinner. So, we all ordered dinner, and none of us were particularly thrilled about the food we got. I recommend just ordering a drink if you go to one of the shows at Cafe Tortoni. Skip the meal.
I chose to go again, so that I could experience the atmosphere. Cafe Tortoni does have a great atmosphere. It feels very old-world style, and you know that famous people from all over the word have flocked to where you're sitting now. This time, I just ordered cafe con leche (similar to a latte in the US). Honestly, it was the worst cafe con leche I've had in all of Argentina. But, nevertheless, I'm still happy to have gone.
When visiting Buenos Aires, you have to take time to visit Cafe Tortoni...if for no other reason than everyone will ask you about it when you get home.
Here's our video from the tango show at Cafe Tortoni:
Los Maestros is yet another pizza place in Buenos Aires. On every corner you will find either a parrilla or a pizza place. Nothing really stood out about Los Maestros pizza for us, except for the fact that it's served on a hot cast iron pizza tray to keep the pizza hot and the crust crispy.
We tried the Choclo (sweet corn) and the mushroom pizzas. I would absolutely recommend the mushroom pizza, but I caution you against the corn pizza. They say that it has a white sauce...but it's not. It still has your basic red sauce, but then it's piled high with creamed corn. Not the tastiest pizza I've ever had.
So, give Los Maestros a try, since they have a quite a few choices. But, I wouldn't make it my pizza place of choice.
Charcas & Thames
Pizza, Pasta, Salads, Empanadas
Transportation: Plaza Italiz
Entrees: $5-8 USD
reservations: not necessary
Rating: 4.5
Tonno is a wonderful neighborhood pizza place. Their pizza is excellent, their empanadas amazing, and their salads yummy. You get to choose which ingredients you want in your salad (which is fun and a nice change). After trying the empanadas at numerous other places, we learned that Tonno is definitely the place to go for the best empanadas. Why go somewhere else when you know that a pizza place knows their way around cheese and dough?
The pizzas (and empanadas) are all wood fired in an open oven. They also serve garlic breadsticks with your meal. Tasty tasty tasty. And the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. Check out their lunch specials where you can get a pizza, a drink, and a coffee for $5 USD!
We love Tonno. We've been there more than once already, and we'll definitely be going back for more!
Address Peru
Location Peru & San Telmo
Subway stop San Juan
Reservations not necessary
Phone 1143627979
Prices: entree price: $5-10 (USD)
Rating: 4
Origen was a fun find close to the antique market in San Telmo square. We stopped here for a "quick" lunch before heading to the market. Our quick lunch wasn't so quick, but the food was great. Their selection is rather small, but it is all organic, and very fresh.
The food at Origen was great. We all ordered salads, but others around us ordered everything from pasta, pizza, and dessert. It all looked really tasty. We'll have to return to Origen for their organic coffee, food, and carrot cake.
Bio was a fantastic find by our friends Kevin and Annmarie. Even though we went without a reservation, we were still able to be seated rather quickly. All four of us ordered something different, and we all agree that all four entrees were excellent. The bread that they brought out before the meal was great as well. They also bring out little cups of gazpacho with the bread which was a fun, and refreshing change.
We would definitely return here, and in fact, I'm looking forward to our next trip "across the tracks" and into Palermo Hollywood.
Address Costa Rica 4901
Location At Thames, Palermo
Transportation Metro: Plaza Italia
Reservations Reservations recommended
Phone 11/4832-2726
Prices Main courses US$5-US$12 (£4.20-£6.35)
Rating: 4.5
LeLe de Troya is a really fun restaurant. There is an outside patio and 4 inside rooms to choose from. Each room has a different color theme. Everything in the room is in that color: the walls, chairs, napkins, tables, candles, and chargers. They have a really good menu with lots of selections. You can even choose your own sauce with their pasta selections.
I had the chickpea and goat cheese tart, and Jonathan had the black ravioli (this time stuffed with salmon with a pistachio cream sauce). I thought mine was excellent (not quite a tart as in pastry, more a tart in shape). Jonathan's was a bit fishy, but still very good.
The best part about LeLe de Troya is the bread. They bring you a basket with four different types of bread, and this spread to put on it. The spread is pumpkin with spices and it is absolutely fantastic! One of their breads tastes a bit like stuffing (and it has mushrooms, onions, and peppers in it) and it was a fun, unique flavor.
We will definitely go back to LeLe de Troya. The service was great, the food was excellent, and we had a really fun time.
Hours Mon-Sat 12:30-3:30pm, 4-7:30pm for teatime, and 8:30pm-2am
Address El Salvador 4618
Location At Malabia, Palermo
Transportation Metro: Plaza Italia
Reservations Reservations highly recommended
Phone 11/4831-7176
Prices Main courses US$8-US$12 (£4.20-£6.35)
Credit Cards AE, MC, V
Rating: 3.5
"Cluny" is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in all of Buenos Aires. And, it just happens to be a few blocks from where we are staying. We went there one night with friends, and all of us were pleased with our dinner. There are not very many vegetarian options (but I have yet to find a restaurant in BA that has a large selection - besides the all vegetarian restaurant I haven't been to yet). I ordered the pumpkin ravioli, it was great, with large amount of filling, a light sauce that didn't overpower the delicate pumpkin. Another person ordered the ravioli negras (black ravioli). It was stuffed with lamb. The whole filling was lamb - they didn't skimp here either. Jonathan ordered the duck, and it was good: not greasy. The sauce could have been a little more fruity, but it was good.
Overall, we all enjoyed our experience at "Cluny". Unfortunately it wasn't so great that we're aching to return. In fact, I don't know that we will, because there are so many restaurants to choose from. We are happy to have gone there, and probably would go back if there weren't so many more options in BA for us to try.
