Un Aplauso Para el Asador!

Now back to beef…I’ve talked about my brother Armen before – he’s the lobster eating food lover. He’s hungry and he eats like an animal – But his number one best quality?! His asados! 😉
Now, Armen prepares asados for his family, he makes insane asados for his friends, sometimes just for himself…once he turned on the huge grill just for him an me (and some incredible chicken kebabs). Why do I say ‘turned on the huge grill’ like its a big deal?! Because it is! Our grills don’t run on gas…this is real fire and charcoal people – boy scout kinda thing.
So once you find yourself a willing and talented asador…like Armen…now you just need good quality meat!
I can’t say where he gets his (that’s a big ‘ol secret), I’m lucky he’s even shared it with me…but when this kid gets meat, he goes ALL out!
The asado culture in Argentina isn’t just about the meat though. It’s about a group of family and friends getting together around the grill, talking, eating, drinking, sometimes it takes us to singing and dancing!

There’s cheese in the beginning – usually Provoleta. Choripanes – spiced sausage eaten between toasty soft bread and maybe a bit of chimichurri on top! Molleja y chinchulin – I shouldn’t tell you what this is…but drench it with fresh lemon…yum! Chorizo, queso, nuts, pickles…all this with a good glass of wine or fernet con coca…just to get things started.
Right after comes the meat – trust, you’ll MAKE room for this part of the meal. Tira de asado, vacio and entraña line the table. There’s no explaining the flavors, each asador has a technique and of course, in my opinion Armen’s is perfect!

Once everyone is full, happy and a little tipsy someone shouts out ‘Un aplauso para el asador!’ And we all clap to celebrate Armen, his talent and him feeding us all! =)

Seafood in a Beef Driven City

Yes, beef in Buenos Aires is delicious if you go to the right place. But where do you go when you’re craving something else in a beef driven city?!
Seafood anyone?
Fervor is my favorite place to go when in a seafood-y mood. Their ‘Parrillada de Mariscos’ hits the spot just right. A mix of shrimp, baby squid, octopus and scallops served on a hot grill with a splash of lemon. All fresh, perfectly cooked and meaty.
In the mood for a simple filet of fish? Their salmon is out of this world. Crispy and a little sweet on the outside, beefy and flakey on the inside…delish! Notice that even when writing about seafood I can’t keep meaty and beefy out of my vocabulary? I know…obsessed!
Whatever you order, pair it with the grilled mushrooms pictured above!
Now you deserve some dessert – you just had fish for dinner…dessert is a must dang it!
Argentina has a few typical desserts…I’ve talked about the Almendrado at Elena, we’ve got Flan – but really there’s nothing more US than ‘Queso y Dulce’. A variety of dulces or sweets like dulce de membrillo (quince), dulce de batata (sweet potato), dulce de zapallo (pumpkin), dulce de higo (figs)…all paired with soft creamy cheese, usually Port Salut. Helloooo!
So now you know, when in Argentina there’s more to our food than beef!
Ahoy!

A Sweet Escape

While walking the streets of Palermo in Buenos Aires look for a red awning. Yeah, ridiculous! You know what, don’t look for it…know exactly where you’re going! Farinelli – a sweet escape.

This cute little spot is all white and red, full of delicious goodies.

Walking by Farinelli will remind you of grandma’s house. That is, if your grandma put pies on the windowsill to cool. No? Ok, well, mine didn’t either. But you’ll feel like a child wanting every single goodie, face right against the glass, tongue out! Brownies, bundt cakes, cheesecake…all lined one next to the other. All fresh, what there is is what you’ll get!

As you walk inside…because you WILL walk inside…you’ll find baskets full of fresh fruits and veggies that they use to create the wonderful recipes made right in front of your eyes.

If you are lucky enough to go on a day when they have brownies, don’t doubt it – just do it! If it’s not clear enough in the picture above, ooey gooey wal-nuty! That perfect texture you dream of when you bite into any brownie…it’s got it.

And below a traditional vanilla ‘bizcochuelo’ with a hint of lemon and a side of red berry sauce. Fluffy and moist – cakey perfection.

To wash the sweetness down order the lemonade – please don’t leave without tasting this! So fresh, so minty – minty freshness.

A sunny Sunday afternoon, heck any afternoon! End it well, at Farinelli.

Good Food In a Hotel

Yep, in a hotel! You’ll have to travel to Buenos Aires to get these good eats (if you’re not already there)…lucky duck!

My dad is the expert when it comes to finding hidden treasures…and thanks to me, they are no longer hidden! =P

To start the meal off go for the creamy Burrata and fresh salad. Do NOT forget the Mollejas – grilled sweetbread with a lemony egg emulsion base. Insanely good!

Main dish – two options.

If you wanna go all typical you will never go wrong with their Ojo de Bife / Angus Rib Eye grilled to your liking of course! Elena pairs it with a side of yummy veggies – really – it’s all about the MEAT though!

OR go for the Cabrito Rostizado / Slow Roasted Baby Goat with a cramy ‘humita’ base and marinated raw zucchini. (Humita is basically a cream of corn, perfect balance of sweet and savory).

Yeah, having been my first time here I made someone else order the ‘other’ dish I wanted – that way I got to taste both. We all know we both left happy!

Oh dessert. Sweet, sweet dessert. Ice cream made in house, you’ll have a choice of original flavors. Photographed here is the ‘chocotorta’, a take on a cake you’ll find at every single Argentine adult’s child’s birthday party!

Our infamous Almendrado on the right. A block of vanilla ice cream rolled around in almond brittle, top that puppy with warm chocolate sauce. Mouth – water…I know! Perfect end to a perfect meal in truthfully a perfect setting!

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