Vegetarians abstain… Meat in Argentina
Who says Argentine cuisine says, first and foremost, the famous meat for which the country is known throughout the world.
Meat in Argentina is both inexpensive and really excellent, very tender: you can find the best steaks in the world.
To taste it, you absolutely have to try one of the many parillas, restaurants serving almost exclusively meat, recognizable by the huge grills in their windows or at the entrance.
There are also free tenedores, free buffets from appetizers to desserts with obviously a lot of meat. You can then discover the bife de lomo (tournedos) and the bife de chorizo (rib eye).
But beware ! It is always better to order the smallest portions, otherwise you will see a whole cow arrive on your plate!
“Baby steaks” rarely weigh less than 500g…
The accompaniment is generally not included, you have to ask for it separately, because it is not rare to see the locals eating the meat alone, without vegetables.
To complete, Argentines usually order a few pieces of charcuterie which they share as a starter: chorizo (a type of sausage) and morcilla (closer to black pudding) are the most common.
The bravest can also try the chimichurri, a spicy sauce. If you are still hungry, which is unlikely, you can finish the meal with the delicious traditional desserts: homemade flan, or pancakes with dulce de leche.
This kind of thicker milk jam accompanies all desserts... Beware of addiction!
If you are lucky enough to be invited to an asado (barbecue), do not miss this opportunity to feast on salted and grilled meat and also to discover one of the essential social traditions, from the time of the gauchos to today.
Family meals, dinners with friends, birthdays, weddings: in Argentina “everything begins and ends with an asado”.
See our suggested activity: Lunch Cruise in Buenos Aires
Immigrant cuisine
The XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries saw the arrival of thousands of European and especially Italian immigrants; Italian gastronomy has had a very strong influence in Argentina.
We thus find, as good or almost as in Italy, pizzas, pastas, real espressos, and ice creams.
In Buenos Aires, the Altra Volta or Persicco chains make the creamiest ice cream.
Finally, the milanesa, a very fine Milanese escalope, is the equivalent of our steak and fries: widely consumed on a daily basis, it is almost always the least expensive dish in restaurants.
Superstition dictates that, on the 29th of each month, we eat gnocchi (kinds of pasta made from potatoes) leaving a piece under the plate: this ensures a less difficult end of the month the following month!
Northern specialties
You can actually find these traditional northern dishes all over the country: empanadas, kinds of fried or baked donuts that contain meat, vegetables, cheese, etc., humitas and corn-based tamales.
For 1 or 2 pesos (25 to 50 euro cents), they are perfect for filling a little peckish.
The tradition of mate
Finally, we cannot talk about Argentine gastronomy without mentioning mate, a kind of infusion that Argentines sip from morning to night.
The yerba mate is a plant which, infused in hot water, gives a drink with a bitter taste difficult to appreciate at first sight, but which is drunk on any occasion: breakfast, afternoon with friends, Sunday in the park, trip by bus etc.
At tea time, it is accompanied by a few medialunas (croissants) or alfajores, small cakes made with dulce de leche.
Useful information
Persicco (ice cream): Salguero esquina Caballo, Palermo – open every evening until 2am
For home delivery: 0810-333-7377
Other Round (ice): Callao corner Melo, Recoleta
Havana (coffees, alfajores, dulce de leche) – a great name in Buenos Aires, notamment Calle Florida, 159 et 525.
