Friday, March 14, 2025

Argentina

In Buenos Aires, a good restaurant to try (apart from a second visit to Fogón Asado - see below) is the Michelin rated restaurant Roux, Pena 2300. Recommended by AH in his Live Like a King in BA video.


From my 2025 visit:

Mendoza

Had an excellent meal at Auténtico (Av. Sarmiento 777) which has 5 stars on TripAdvisor. I went with the four-course chef’s selection. An excellent meal. It started with a very tasty cocktail like a Negroni but with a hint of orange. The two appetizers - humus, and sort of a spring roll of rabbit with a sauce to dip it in. The rabbit was particularly good; humus was much like mine. The main was a beef "pastrami" steak with corn purée and grilled red onion. Also excellent. The apricot panna cotta had a delicious sauce that contained tiny crispy balls about the size of pearl tapioca - excellent. I can't remember the 3rd course. When I was finished the chef came out and asked my opinion on the meal. (Note that the menu changes regularly, for the current menu see their website.)

Comfit of Rabbit Roll | Almond Hummus

Sirloin Tip Pastrami | Corn Sauce | Pickled Onion

Apricot Panna Cotta


Confit of Rabbit Roll & Almond Hummus

Sirloin Tip Pastrami w. Corn Sauce & Pickled Onion

Apricot Panna Cotta

Buenos Aires

The highlight was the visit to Fogón Asado restaurant, Gorriti St 3780 (Medrano tube stop, line B). They provide an amazing 9 course dinner with two different wine option: I opted for the higher level 5 wine pairing set, all of which were very good. (They also offer the "Chef's Counter," a 14 course tasting menu especially for private groups.) Overall, it was an excellent experience, though I still do not like sweetbreads (course number 3), and not particulaly fond of blood suasage (course 4).

The wood used is called quebracho, also called the “axe-breaker."

Fogón Asado1 9 Course Menu

Ember-Roasted Eggplant
Ricotta Cheese with Fresh Herbs

Ironed2 Provoleta Cheese
Grilled Fruit in Torrontés3 Reduction

Molleja4 | Roasted tomatoes
and ginger sauce

Morcilla5 | Quince and Apple Chutney
Chorizo | Ember-roasted Bell Pepper
Griddle baked Bread

Slow braised asado al Papillote6

Pork Flank Steak (Matambre7)
Yellow Chilli Sauce
Lime and cilantro salad

Pine Cone smoked Ribeye Cap
Creamy Cauliflower Puree
Flame roasted Corn

Ribeye | Mashed Boniatos8
Grilled Vegetables with the Chef's Vinagreta

Pancake with Dulce de Leche
Patagonian Berries & Whipped Cream

Coffee

Translation of menu items:
1 - asado = roast
2 - griddled, i.e., served in a hot fry pan
3 - Torrontés - white wine (from the Argentine grape of the same name)
4 - sweetbreads
5 - blood sausage
6 - asado al papillote = roasted wrapped in paper (usually parchment paper)
7 - thin slice of meat
8 - sweet potato

And these were the wines served, in order. (A preprandial cocktail was also served.)

El Enemigo | Chardonnay
Angelica Zapata | Merlot
Catena Zapata | Malbec Argentino
José Zuccardi | Malbec
Zuccardi | Soleria by Malamado

My reviews:
El Enemigo Chardonnay - good, lightly oaked.
Angelica Zapata Merlot - quite good.
Catena Zapata Malbec - excellent!
José Zuccardi Malbec - good, but more tannic than #3 but goes good with beef.
Zuccardi Solaria - nice. Sweet yet with the hickory nut flavour of many sherries.


Ember-Roasted Eggplant
Ricotta Cheese with Fresh Herbs

Ironed Provoleta Cheese
Grilled Fruit in Torrontés Reduction

Molleja with roasted Tomato and Ginger sauce

LEFT: Morcilla (blood sausage) | Quince and Apple Chutney
Chorizo | Ember-roasted Bell Pepper
Griddle baked Bread
RIGHT: Molleja (sweetbread) | Roasted tomatoes and ginger
sauce | Griddle baked Bread

Slow braised [8 hours] asado al Papillote

Pork Flank Steak (Matambre)
Yellow Chilli Sauce
Lime and cilantro salad

Pine Cone smoked Ribeye Cap
Creamy Cauliflower Puree
Flame roasted Corn

Ribeye | Mashed Boniatos
Grilled Vegetables with the Chef's Vinagreta

Pancake with Dulce de Leche
Patagonian Berries & Whipped Cream

Martina prepping ribeyes

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